Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Shut Off Solenoid goes bad!

[Got Smoke?]

Well my shut off solenoid crapped out today! And still being diesel dumb I had no idea what was wrong.



One quick call to Will @ Black Mountain Diesel at 10:20PM MY time and 11:20 Will's time and he had me going again!



Oh well time to get the damage estimate tomorrow. Got a buddy getting me a new solenoid at wholesale hope its 1/2 way cheap!:{



But BIG thanks to Will, Tom you got a great son and I have a great friend! :-laf

 

[Briar Hopper]

Thanks Mark, glad to hear he took good care of you, just be glad yours didn't give it up in Louisville, on I-65 in rush hour traffic, with a dying cell phone battery... . like his did, a few months ago...

Stuff like that is a small price to pay for having a 12 valve Cummins, gotta love them no matter what... .

 

[Todd T]

COOL, way to go Tom (and Will)



sorry to hear the bad news GS, you know to go to Cummins for that part and not a Dealer, right?

 

[BWilson]

Just FYI for all of those people out there who are scraed of this happening and stranding them, a zip strip (wire tie or similiar) can be used to hold the solenoid in the up position and get you home. You can't shut the engine off without stalling it or removing the wire tie though. I had one of those re usable types in the truck when mine went (actually had to use it for two days until I had some time to change it).

 

[Got Smoke?]

Originally posted by Todd T

COOL, way to go Tom (and Will)



sorry to hear the bad news GS, you know to go to Cummins for that part and not a Dealer, right?

Had no choice today. Cummins needed my engine serial #(or some crap like that) and I took mom's car to school this morning so I was SOL. My buddy got a stealer down to $300 list was $405.



Oh well there went my first chunk of clutch money! :{

 

[esommer2500]

If you haven't ordered/got it yet...

be ABSOLUTELY sure that it is the solenoid and not a connection or something similar. Mine acts funny now and then, to the point where sometimes I have to turn on the ignition, open the hood and manually push the arm up, and then go back in and start. After doing this a couple of times, it will come out of it and work for awhile longer. When I took the solenoid off last weekend while doing the 3K GSK install, I looked at the plug connection and all seemed well. However, there was a hole in the boot, so I am getting a new one of those from Cummins (about $20). The Cummins dealer I talked to quoted me $288 for the entire solenoid, and DC was $404. If it's not KILLING you to be without the truck for another day or two, do your homework and check it out a little more thoroughly. Might save yourself a bunch of money.



Eric

 

[illflem]

The solenoid itself rarely goes out, most are replaced needlessly...

 

[BCFAST]

Or you can do like I did and install a cable into the cab and save yourself the $300!

 

[radixr]

BCFAST,



Just how did you attach the cable to the shutoff lever? When mine goes, I'm going to use the "manual" method.

 

[Kalaehina]

I think Piers carries that part, not sure though??

 

[Got Smoke?]

I feel like such an idiot. Got issue 38 last night and some guy with a 97 2500 was having the same problem. Well he replaced his relay and it went away. Well I felt like testing my relay before I installed a $300 returnable part. Dad's Ohm meter had other idea's though no battery! So I decided to test it at school this morning (going to school to be a GM Service Tech) well teacher had me bring the relay in the classroom and we took it apart and though and behold burnt contacts!



So we filed down the contacts and put it back together and sure enough it started a little bit better than it did before! Sure am glad I got issue 38 last night! Other wise I would be out $300 and still have a problem. Oh well. Now part of that money will go towards my Rob Thomas Ultimate Console group purchase (see Products forum we still need more people) and part of it will also go towards a 3K GSK. Oo.

 

[redram]

Originally posted by illflem

The solenoid itself rarely goes out, most are replaced needlessly...

Illfem, I'll send you two that have failed - one on my 89 and recently on my 96.

they do fail occasionally. The one on the 96 was due to the starter contacts wearing thin which took the soloenoid out (literally toasted the power wires / insulation out of the solenoid) and wasted the fusible link coming off the battery.



the one on the 89 was probably a relay sticking rather than a failure of the solenoid but the dealer replaced under warranty.

 

[illflem]

redram, you're right. The only time I've seen solenoids go out is when the starter sticks. Better to replace the $15 contacts before they stick and possibly take the $300 solenoid, the starter motor and wiring with them. 100k is a good time, even sooner if you start your rig several times a day

 

[Joe G.]

From what I've read on this forum, the most common cause of a fuel solenoid failure is the starter contacts sticking and frying it. The solenoid didn't actually fail, it was taken out by something else. That's why I pull my starter every few oil changes and inspect the contacts. If they look bad I will get some new contacts from Larryb ASAP. If the starter is working ok and the fuel solenoid is not working right it's time to take a close look at the solenoid relay. After eliminating these things plus the blue wire and the fuel solenoid linkage I would take a look at testing the solenoid.

 

[QRTRHRS]

KDP might be the "biggie" but....

I don't think the importance of changing the contacts at about 100k can be stressed enough.

 

[BWilson]

I have replaced the starter once already and when my solenoid went, it really went. The main shaft fell right out (thank you gravity) and then proceeded to blow the fuse and the relay. However, after reading this I'll be putting another set of starter contacts. Where did you get them from? LarryB?

 

[illflem]

In my opinion LarryB's heavy duty contacts are the only way to go. You can find contacts much cheaper elsewhere but none are so beefy.

 

[Joe G.]

Heeeeerrrrrrsssssss Larryb:



http://www.fostertruck.com/dodge/default.htm

 

[redram]

I had 138K plus when the starter contact's caused the solenoid to fry. I found mine locally here in Houston. 10 or 12 bucks for the contacts. Easy to replace once you get the 12 point 10 mm bolts holding the starter off.



I also regreased the reduction gears - used our synthetic coupling grease after cleaning out what appears to be an inexpensive mineral grease.



As Illfem and all others are saying 100K to check (no make that replace) the starter contacts should be a no brainer for the ROI of less than $20 instead of $300+.