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Lots of power no start just a single click

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Pacbrake PRXB installed.

High rail pressure at idle after truck sitting a week

I have an '06 Ram 3500 with a 5.9 litre Cummins. I had a battery overcharge issue a few months back and I replaced the alternator and a weak battery as well as the intake heater relay. The truck fired up and ran like a champ. I got a backup vehicle and the truck sat for about 2 months without being started and the batteries went dead again and couldn't revive them. I replaced the batteries with AGM's and tried to start it and all I got was one click with the turn of the key. I replaced the starter with the same end result. I then replaced the battery cables and still had the same end result. I then replaced the starter relay and still getting the same result all it does when you turn the key is gives one single click. What could cause this issue I'm running out of options and really can't afford to take it to a shop. Thanks.
 
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Replaced the alternator
Replaced a weak battery
Replaced intake heater relay
Replaced two batteries
Replaced the starter
Replace battery cables
Replaced starter relay

Stop changing parts. A digital multi-meter and a test light are your friends. These tools will help you figure what IS working and, through a process of elimination, you can figure out what is not working. Have you checked condition of all fuses and fusible links? Do you have a wiring diagram to work with? Are you comfortable using a multi-meter and a test light for troubleshooting?

Your problem could be from a multitude of sources: poor wiring connection, faulty ignition switch, failed fusible link, faulty neutral / clutch safety switch, a poor ground connection, etc.

Recheck the work you have performed. Did you miss anything - like not connecting a wire when changing out batteries?

- John
 
A click no crank can be caused by an excessive voltage drop. As stated above, you could have saved lots of time and money by checking for voltage and voltage drop across all the connections. If the voltage drop is too high, the TIPM thinks the truck is not in park and shuts down the starter relay immediately. I will try to find a write up that I'm sure I posted years ago, probably titled "click no crank".
 
Found it. This is written for gas applications as they had more problems, but the theory is the same. The T41 on the 2006 is C1 pin 6 on the ECM and is the yellow/dark blue wire at the range sensor, ECM and starter relay.

Click no crank

Click No-Start is an unofficial name of a condition that is possible on some Chrysler brand vehicles. The name “Click, No-Start” comes from the click sound that is sometimes present and reported when the vehicle does not start. Due to variations between vehicles however, the click sound is not always present, even when the no start condition is present.

The condition described here occurs when a ground offset between the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) ground and the engine/transmission ground exceeds a certain threshold. The ground offset is typically caused by loose or corroded attachment of the negative ground cables or minor degradation of the negative ground cables. The condition does not necessarily occur because of added resistance at one specific place but may be a result of stack up of resistance at multiple places on the vehicle.

On Chrysler brand vehicles where the PCM also incorporates the Transmission Control Module (TCM) the PCM monitors the transmission gear position. This is accomplished by a Transmission Range Sensor (TRS) located inside the transmission. The TRS is attached to the transmission valve body. The TRS connects to the PCM with four sense circuits. The PCM supplies voltage to the four sense circuits and monitors the voltage. Based on the gear position selected, the TRS grounds the individual sense circuits. Depending on which circuit is high (12 volts) and which circuit is low (0 volts) the PCM determines the actual transmission gear position selected. For starting the vehicle, the transmission must be in either the Park or Neutral position.

As a requirement of starting the PCM performs an addition verification to determine Park or Neutral gear position using the T41 range sensor circuit. To verify Park or Neutral and allow starting, the PCM must see a low state (low voltage) on the T41 circuit. The threshold for this low state is considered to be 1.9 volts however the actual threshold could be as low as 1.4 volts. This means if the voltage on the T41 circuit exceeds 1.4-1.9 volts the PCM will sense the vehicle is not in Park or Neutral and therefore not allow starting.

When added resistance is present in the battery cables, some of the available battery voltage drops proportionately at each point where resistance is present. This voltage drop condition will increase as the current load on the battery cables increases. When the driver attempts to start the vehicle the current load on the battery cables will be at its greatest. If resistance is present on the negative cables, the engine/transmission ground will have a voltage above that of battery negative. If this voltage offset exceeds the above mentioned threshold starting will not be permitted.

In most cases on vehicles that exhibit this condition the ground voltage offset will be below the threshold when the vehicle is at rest. This permits the PCM to see the Park/Neutral position. When the ignition is turned to the start position the starter begins engagement. The moment the starter begins to engage the current load on the battery cables also increases causing the ground voltage offset to exceed the threshold. This causes the PCM to sense the transmission is no longer in Park/Neutral and disallow the starting. This partial but interrupted engagement of the starter or starter solenoid is one of the sources for the click sound.

Proper diagnosis should include measuring the voltage on the T41 circuit. In most vehicles with an NGC PCM the T41 circuit is in cavity 27 of the PCM C4 connector (may be C3 pin 27 on RFE). Using the NGC breakout box place the positive lead of a DVOM to the T41 circuit. Connect the negative lead to the battery negative post. Monitor the voltage under the following conditions. Repeat the testing as necessary to get consistent results.

• Ignition On, engine not running, electrical loads turned on

• Ignition On, engine running, electrical loads turned on.

• Starting the vehicle.

It may be beneficial to use the min/max feature of the meter. If the meter reading exceeds 0.5 volts excessive voltage drops are present even if the vehicle starts. Service the vehicle grounds as necessary to reduce the measured value as low as possible. Less than 0.1 volts is preferred. Adding redundant grounds may be beneficial both for testing and for repair.

If the sensed voltage on the T41 circuit remains high and no excessive resistance can be detected anywhere on the battery ground cables this could indicate added resistance in the TRS contacts or circuits. If necessary, these should be closely inspected.
 
I'm running out of options and really can't afford to take it to a shop

As said above by @petersonj but a different idea. Yes, you don't need a "parts changer" shop either. An automotive "electrical" shop is a better choice. With what you spent on parts so far an electrical shop could be cheaper esp. with what you may continue to spend on parts without a fix.

Batteries, etc. should be under warranty now, but, may continue to fail from the real problem. The real "gotcha" is lack of any quality control as parts stores race to be CHEAP and only CHEAPER than next door. This is where you change a good part out for a DOA INOP part. Did you make more problems swapping good for new bad parts? Or Bad for New Bad. New parts don't always mean good parts.
 
Are there any automotive "electrical" shops anymore? I sure can't find any in the Pac NW anywhere. Used to have one downtown Seattle. Of course all the independent automotive shops ADVERTISE that they can fix electrical problems...but we all know how that goes.
 
I guess I'm old school on electrical issues. Get a wiring diagram, a digital and analog multi-meter, test light, clamp amp meter and cable tracer/toner. Been tracing wires or circuits for years and find it fairly easy to do. Newer vehicles make thing trickier due to the computers and networks. You still need to know if the point to point connection is there. If you've got good connection and the proper resistance on the wire, than the component would be suspect. That's the one thing that I like about a large scale analog meter is you see the slightest change in whatever you are measuring. Takes time to trace out some issues, but sure is cheaper than paying the labor rate to have someone else do it. I know where I'm located, corrosion is the biggest problem with electrical!!!!!!!!
 
Well, I had exhausted my knowledge and experience on the Mustang. Then we gave it to a friend of mine who was a Ford trained tech. He rewired the three PCM connectors, the BCM connectors, and three or four sensors on the right front. We then took it to a Ford dealer to program the new PCM and BCM. Their computer wouldn't communicate with either, so they spent @ 15 hours trying to figure out why. Finally figured out the cluster was bad. Replaced it and we thought all was well. A week later, the right tail light, not the brake light, would come on and stay on until he started the car. We took it to AES and they repaired more wiring. All's been well for three years and now the tail light does it again every two or three weeks. I'm done with it.....:mad:
 
I have an '06 Ram 3500 with a 5.9 litre Cummins. I had a battery overcharge issue a few months back and I replaced the alternator and a weak battery as well as the intake heater relay. The truck fired up and ran like a champ. I got a backup vehicle and the truck sat for about 2 months without being started and the batteries went dead again and couldn't revive them. I replaced the batteries with AGM's and tried to start it and all I got was one click with the turn of the key. I replaced the starter with the same end result. I then replaced the battery cables and still had the same end result. I then replaced the starter relay and still getting the same result all it does when you turn the key is gives one single click. What could cause this issue I'm running out of options and really can't afford to take it to a shop. Thanks.

Update: It was a bad starter solenoid wire for those with the same issue make sure you check the yellow wire going from the starter solenoid to the firewall.
 
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