Driving me nuts!

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SAndreasen

A short piece of pipe

  • SAndreasen
  • Replies: 2
J

01 3500 dually carrier bearing

  • JLight
  • Replies: 5
Billy D Caver

Billy D Caver

To give everyone the full back story, here goes. Started having the check gauge alarm blink on occasionally, odometer led would be flickering very quickly, along with the overhead cab light, when turned on. Replaced batteries, alternator, and started cleaning grounds. Read somewhere that it was probably the head light switch. Replaced it, seemed to help for a couple days. Driving with the cruise on, and headlights on, flip the brights on, engine would momentarily stall. Compass/ temp would reset and the radio would go off for a second. Replaced the bright switch, turn signal assembly. Good for a couple days, now the flickering, including the headlights has returned. As a side note, I have the sports package headlights and Brite box from Geno’s garage installed on the truck. Anyone have any ideas!? Please!
 
As far as the issues my suggestions would be to start checking every ground and putting dielectric grease into every connector that you can separate and put back together. After this many years corrosion fretting can become a problem in connections. Many times, breaking the connection cleaning with electrical contact cleaner and then lubricating with dielectric grease can help. PITA, but still cheaper than a new truck. Forgive me, but I am one of those who drives a vehicle until the junk man won't give me $50 for them.
 
Diesel Gunner said:
As far as the issues my suggestions would be to start checking every ground and putting dielectric grease into every connector that you can separate and put back together. After this many years corrosion fretting can become a problem in connections. Many times, breaking the connection cleaning with electrical contact cleaner and then lubricating with dielectric grease can help. PITA, but still cheaper than a new truck. Forgive me, but I am one of those who drives a vehicle until the junk man won't give me $50 for them.
Click to expand...
If it’s worth 50 bucks, I’m driving it!
 
I can think of a few things:

- has the charging system and voltage regulator (in the PCM) been checked?

- several different systems are affected so I wouldn't expect all of them to be a ground issue. I would look at the +12V side of things. Are the battery terminals tight? I've had battery terminals that were fully closed but still loose on the post. It's easy to check - grab the terminal with two fingers and twist and pull up. If it comes off then you need to modify the terminal to fit.

- another possibility is the primary battery cables have degraded internally. They might look OK on the outside but the wire or connection to the terminals is corroded.

- you can also inspect (remove and check the spades) Fuse 1 (50A) which is the starting point for all sorts of systems.
 
Went through the battery posts, and connections. Put on new posts, clipped and cleaned the cables. No issues this morning. Visited some friends for a couple hours, and the flickering was back, along with the occasional “ check gauges” alarm for one ding, then stopped. Cold enough out, I hate to pop off the dash bezel, but, I’ll keep looking.
 
I would probably be connecting a dc voltmeter at each battery and giving it a crank and see what the voltage dips down to. If they are not about equal at each battery I would be suspicious of some battery cable going bad. After that, I may be thinking about pulling high current fuses for such things as headlights and see if the problem momentarily goes away. May be some wire shorting out in some high current circuit, but generally I would think it pop the fuse..?? If no luck I would probably start replacing some high current relays. I dont know, but just tossing out some ideas...
 
PMalin said:
I would probably be connecting a dc voltmeter at each battery and giving it a crank and see what the voltage dips down to. If they are not about equal at each battery I would be suspicious of some battery cable going bad. After that, I may be thinking about pulling high current fuses for such things as headlights and see if the problem momentarily goes away. May be some wire shorting out in some high current circuit, but generally I would think it pop the fuse..?? If no luck I would probably start replacing some high current relays. I dont know, but just tossing out some ideas...
Click to expand...
Oh, and another thing... I have a 2001.5 and years ago I had an electrical problem that some back country dealership fixed. They ended up putting some of the large diameter insulating tubing over my alternator cable that ran near the oil filter. Seemed it was swinging and bumping the filter and causing intermittent shorts.. Maybe the insulation on that wire was sub par, I wouldnt expect that. But I never took this stuff back off since.
 
Tho' it's way late for this thread, another early-on check would be the ECM connector plug, followed by a full ECM reset...

Intermittent ECM connector contacts, corrosion, etc., can cause all sorts of scattered problems.
 
Gary - K7GLD said:
Tho' it's way late for this thread, another early-on check would be the ECM connector plug, followed by a full ECM reset...

Intermittent ECM connector contacts, corrosion, etc., can cause all sorts of scattered problems.
Click to expand...
Found it last weekend. Not sure which connection/ ground it was, just cleaned all connections and used dielectric grease on them. Removed and buffed all grounds, and just verified all connections in the dash and on the frame. What a fun time. Thanks to everyone for their input!
 
Good job - often surprising how something unnoticed, or externally looking OK can be a huge problem. Our 5th wheel was only showing about 10.5 volts DC at inside points - cleaned and soldered all crimped-on connectors, and wire brushed all ground points and connections - used GB OXgard paste on all connections - and got 12.6 VDC at same outlet points inside - as well as better inside and external lights.
 
Billy D Caver said:
Found it last weekend. Not sure which connection/ ground it was, just cleaned all connections and used dielectric grease on them. Removed and buffed all grounds, and just verified all connections in the dash and on the frame. What a fun time. Thanks to everyone for their input!
Click to expand...
Grounds behind headlight on driver side are prone to corrosion too
 
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Issue 128 – Digital Version
Digital Magazines
FREE!
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Renew
Subscribe
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Back Issues
Subscription Status
Address Change Form
Buyer's Guides
Ram Diagnostic Trouble Codes
The Perfect Collection
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What Makes Us Tick?
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