Archived starter not engaging

[JPaszek]

My first glitch! 1998. 5 2500 series, 70,000 miles.

truck has been flawless til now, weather perfect,

drove 5 miles, parked, 5 minutes later, starter will

not engage. Fuel pressure, enunciator lights all

work just like they should. Relay? Where? I am

at a total loss... ... ... .....

 

[lmills]

Do a search for Larry B's starter contacts. They are probably what you need to fix it. You can probably find them in the classifieds also.

 

[lmills]

here ya go

 

[ProspectorTim]

Ebay

 

[DavidGardner]

Common problem for trucks at your milage. Get a new set of starter contacts and heavy duty plunger for around 35 bucks or so. Takes under an hour to pull the starter and change them out. If you take to a dealer they will tell you the whole starter needs to be replaced and will charge you over 400 bucks. Lets see 35 bucks and 1 hour work or 400pluss bucks.



No brainer.

Dave G.

 

[LHartman]

JP, sure sounds like it's the contacts. Simple do it yourself job. Mine wouldn't engage when my contacts went out.



Loren

 

[Joe G.]

JPaszek,



When you say the starter is not engaging what is it doing? Is it spinning but not turning the flywheel? Is it clicking but not turning? Is nothing happening at all?

 

[JPaszek]

Thank you for your replies. I am thinking it may not be the contacts. There is absolutely No sound whatsoever, no clicking,

no spinning, no action. Also power windows do not work. ????

Tried thumping the starter, to no avail.

 

[JPaszek]

I am thinking it is not the contacts. There is no clicking, no

spinning, no sound whatsoever. Strangely, the power windows

do not work (did the day before), but power door locks do.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Let's start with the basics then:



1. Do your headlights work?



If not - check battery cables for corrosion, neg cable to ground for corrosion, or you have a battery that went bad. (1 good and 1 bad battery - when connected together will not start the engine).



If the headlights work - then it could be a fuse or fusable link. Check the Power Distribution box under the hood - it's got a bunch of fuses in it. Also check the fuses under the dash (not likely that the problem is there - but who knows).



If that doesn't do it, you will need a manual or someone who has experiance with the wiring on your specific truck to track down the problem.



Dan

 

[Thomas]

There are several circuits involved when starting. Here they are:



+12v from battery>start contacts in ignition switch>bypass jumper or clutch pedal position switch>trigger coil of the starter motor relay (in PDC)>ground



+12v from battery>20a fuse D (in PDC)>switched contacts of the starter motor relay (in PDC)>trigger coil of the starter relay in the starter motor>ground



+12v from battery>switched (LarryB's) contacts in starter motor>starter motor>ground

 

[Joe G.]

Since you are not getting anything at all and some other stuff doesn't work you should check your fuses. If the fuses are ok then you should get a meter and run down the problem. You need a wireing diagram.

 

[JPaszek]

You guys are fantastic! For $35. 00 a year, there is not a better

buy!

Here are the final results: I found if I connected a jumper from starter solenoid directly to the battery hot, would start just fine.

To the Dodge dealership I go with ABS/airbag lites on, speedometer/windows inop, all else ok. $105 later life is great.

I was so close, had my hand on it, looked at it. The fault line is so

thin, can't see with the naked eye. 30 amp ignition run fuse. My

mistake, not metering ALL fuses in the start system. Thanks all.