Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) HELP Please truck no start

[mechanic]

Don't know if the clutch switch is the same on your trucks as my 1st gen, but on ours we just cancel that clutch switch and just bypass the switch by cutting the wires to and from the switch and connecting them. This way you can start the truck by reaching in through the window. Just will have to make sure its not in gear each time you crank it over.

If mine was a manual transmission, I would do just that, the only thing I would do different is that I would unplug the clutch switch and make a jumper with the proper spades on the ends and plug it into the plug from the switch.



One thing to try if the batteries don't do the trick is to pull the plate off the solenoid, it has 3 screws holding it to the solenoid and is shaped like the end of a house with a gable roof. Pull the plunger out being careful not to drop the spring off the pin that protrudes from the inter end of the plunger. Then look at the contacts and plunger washer to see if they are worn. The rebuilder may have reused an old contact. If they are worn, disconnect the batteries and you can remove the contacts without removing the starter. I did it that way on mine and do it quite often on any Denso starter that the installation will allow.



If they are not worn, reinstall the plunger and spring, and using a nonconductive tool and push the plunger firmly into the starter with the KEY OFF. The starter should engage and crank the engine. If it dose not, the starter is bad. (Provided that the cables are good. ) This is a little risky, but if you are careful and have the truck blocked and brakes set and transmission in neutral, it is a reasonable test.

Good luck.

 

[tp0d]

Low batteries will double or triple the amperage going through the starter contacts, and can fry them very quickly. Glad to hear that NAPA is covering it though. Might want to order a set of LarryB's starter contacts for an install at a later date. His contacts are about 30% bigger than stock.



Dodge specs only call for a 650-675 CCA battery on each side. Total of 1200 something. I bought a pair of TurboStart 675's here a little while ago for 52$us each. Dont go after the smaller batteries that claim to have a high CCA, get a bigger batt that has a true CCA rating. My last batteries were Interstate's supposedly rated at 1100cca each. They were half the size of what I have now. No idea how they rated them at 1100. .



Good luck



-j

 

[Reno Guy]

Well two out of three oil leaks fixed, still one bad one from plate behind the injector pump ( just had a new injector pump installed... . not paying for that one again, oil leak or not ). Two new big batteries and a new starter.



The problem with no crank is still there intermittenlly. Seems to happen on the first start of the day. Temps over night are about 10*F. Seems like a dead spot on the starter, needs to be cranked about 8 times with just solonoids clicking then it catches and cranks like crazy. No problems for the rest of the day.



Any ideas whats up now

 

[mechanic]

Well two out of three oil leaks fixed, still one bad one from plate behind the injector pump ( just had a new injector pump installed... . not paying for that one again, oil leak or not ). Two new big batteries and a new starter.



The problem with no crank is still there intermittenlly. Seems to happen on the first start of the day. Temps over night are about 10*F. Seems like a dead spot on the starter, needs to be cranked about 8 times with just solonoids clicking then it catches and cranks like crazy. No problems for the rest of the day.



Any ideas whats up now

That is the way the solenoid contacts act. However I would not expect to see a second starter bad. Did replacing the batteries and starter change anything? I believe that the truck has a starter relay, if so check the voltage at the starter solenoid terminal of the relay. It could have high resistence causing low voltage at the starter solenoid.

 

[Reno Guy]

Mechanic,



I think you are on to something wrt the wiring and voltage. The truck has very very tiered wiring harnesses. I have found and fixed many wires and terminal ends that have corroded through or off!!



My next search was going to be for a comand wire somewhere that is hanging on with only a couple of strands left. Just this weekend I had to fabricate a replacement wire harness from my battery to the grid heater solonoids. I installed indicator lights on my dash and noticed only one grid element cycling (something to be said for installing these indicator lights, would never noticed a problem otherwise without them) found one of the terminal ends "rotted off".



Is there a comand wire somewhere? What about the small black wire off the starter attaching to the small lug? Where does it go or function as?



Thanks again all.

 

[wcjp]

I haven't investigated the clutch interlock on my 96'. The 97' and newer Jeeps have the clutch interlock. The 97' is mechanically defeated. The 98 & up is a little easier. The clutch interlock is defeated at the fuse block. Depending on the year it's a matter of installing or removing a fuse for the automatic transmission.

 

[ABorchard]

What about the small black wire off the starter attaching to the small lug? Where does it go or function as?

That should go to the key switch, which could be your probelm, I replaced one a couple weeks ago, it was only $31 from Napa.

 

[JoshPeters]

I have a bad battery cable on my truck. Does similar things. Hit the key and it just clicks. Take a small beating devise tap the drivers side cable, give it a shake... and hit the key... fires up. When mine does this, the dome light etc come on like normal, hit the key and they go all the way out... turn the key off... and they come back on.





Josh

 

[mechanic]

Addition

The small wire to the starter started life as a BROWN wire. It goes from the starter to the PDC where it goes to the starter relay terminal #87. The circuit track is a DARK BLUE/YELLOW wire from the ignition switch to the clutch safety switch, then a YELLOW/RED wire to the PDC/starter relay which closes and sends battery voltage via the BROWN wire to the solenoid windings which turn on the starter motor. If the starter relay is not making good connection inside it, or if the wire to terminal #30 or from terminal #87 is compromised in any way, the solenoid will not engage reliably. If the wire is not connected that way, then it has been modified and who knows what is happening.



In that case, I would recommend a salvage wiring harness. If you can't do that then you can "rig" a push button switch that you can reach from the drivers seat. Run one wire to a 12 volt source either switched or unswitched, and the other to the small terminal on the starter. (Or you can connect the switch to starter relay socket terminal #30 (power) and #87 (load). ) This will NOT have the clutch switch in the circuit.



(Also a test to see if the wiring from the relay to the starter is correct and in good condition or not is to make a jumper wire and jump the relay socket's #30 to the #87 to see if the starter engages. ) If you want the schematic, just send me your fax # and I will fax it to you. You can send it to me by the personal message heading.

 

[Reno Guy]

Hey I think I may have lucked out. Seems to be working OK so far last 2 mornings, temp has dropped to about -10*F no problems. When I replaced the grid heater wire harness, there were two wires, a blue and a black (brown maybe?). they were in poor shape so I replaced the terminal lugs and reattached to battery. Think maybe the black one is the starter feed? Not sure as it disapears into a very large wire harness.



F-18 Tech experience coming in real handy sometimes!! LMAO



Hope I got it, will keep post informed, we'll see how it goes.