Won't Start

[DKasper]

Hello Everyone,

Help! My truck won't start. I got in this morning and turned the key. All the lights come on as normal, and I waited for the "wait to start" light to go out, then tried to crank it. Absolutely nothing! It did not even try to turn over. The lights on the dash go off like they normally do when starting, but no activity from the starter. The battery is fine -- last started Tuesday with no trouble at all.



I also tried starting it in neutral -- no change.



Anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks for any help you can provide.



Dave

'93 D350, auto

 

[paccool]

Dave,

There is a starter relay on the drivers side fender liner. Does it click when you turn the key? If not then either it is bad or it is not getting voltage. If not getting voltage, I'd check the safety start switch(I think its on the transmission but I'm not sure).



If the relay IS clicking, I would head to the starter. Could be contacts or solinoid or windings.



Can't help much more than this, maybe someone else can shed more light on it.

 

[DKasper]

Thanks Paccool,

I had to go to work -- I'll check that first thing when I get home! I think I'll go pick up a service manual for it also. This is only my second week with this truck -- I just bought it.



If I'm thinking of this correctly, the solenoid will just make the electrical connection from battery to starter, right? Do you think I could safely "jump" that connection to get it started?



Thanks for your help!



Dave

 

[paccool]

I've done that on other trucks but not on the Dodge. Thesolinoid is on the starter so it may be tough to get to.



The second gen trucks have a contact problem in the starter that causes problems, I don't know if the same problem happens in our trucks.



Stan

 

[Underdog]

Did you actually check the voltage on your battery or are

you assuming that it is alright? Twice on my truck,I've had

batteries go completely dead immediately after driving the

truck. I would drive the truck,park it,go back in a little while,

try to start it and the battery would be completely dead.

Not even a click. The first battery lasted more than seven

years,the second less than three years. Before you get too

involved checking things out,you might want to look at

the battery.

 

[DKasper]

I was just assuming it was OK -- it hasn't sounded tired or anything, but your suggestion makes sense. That's an easy and cheap thing to check.

Thank you



Dave

 

[AlK]

My guess is that the battery does not have enough juice. I left the dome light on for one night in my truck and the next day the truck would not start. Try to jump start it with a good set of booster cables. Let us know what the problems is - we are always willing to learn!

---

Al

 

[Underdog]

The last time my battery died on me,it wouldn't take a

charge at all. I left a charger on it all night. It was still

completely dead. I tried jumping it from another truck, nothing.

Finally got a new battery,started right up. I had almost

convinced myself that it was something other than the

battery.

 

[JLEONARD]

Any battery more than a year old could be suspect.

And even if tested and found ok, it could still be bad.

I had a 1 1/2 year old battery go on me this fall... . I replaced it and all was well... but I tested the old battery with my son's battery tester... the kind that draws a load for so many seconds... . anyway the battery tested good, but didn't have enough guts to spin the starter.

 

[DKasper]

Well, thanks to your suggestions, I was able to get my truck started Friday night! Sorry for not letting you know sooner, the 'net service at my house s out right now.



It turns out that it was a combination of two things -- a bad battery and a bad starter relay. I picked up a relay from the dealer before going home on Friday even though I wasn't sure it was bad -- it cost $16 -- but I didn't want to drive all the way back to town on Saturday(30 miles) in case that was the problem.



Got home and turned on the ignition switch, and sure enough, could not hear the relay click. In goes the new one and I try to crank it over. It tried, but the battery was so tired there was no way it was going to go. So I put the charger on and called up my local tire/battery dealer and ordered a nice Interstate battery.



After being on the charger all night, it started right up Saturday morning!



Thanks for your help guys!



Dave

 

[JLEONARD]

Dave,

Glad you got her going. .

I like stories with happy endings!

 

[paccool]

Glad to hear it wasn't anything real major.

 

[ptrodock]

I had a similar problem with my 91 once. Glad you got her fixed and it wasn't anything major.

 

[LarryB]

Originally posted by paccool

I've done that on other trucks but not on the Dodge. Thesolinoid is on the starter so it may be tough to get to.



The second gen trucks have a contact problem in the starter that causes problems, I don't know if the same problem happens in our trucks.



Stan

Stan

FYI: Same starter contacts in all Cummins/Dodge trucks, 1st, 2nd and even 3rd gen. so These contacts are a common but managable problem in all.



LarryB