So I'm wrapping up my Dana 60 swap. And know my truck won't start. Nothing involving the swap had anything to do with the electrical system. I did upgrade to rear disc and I don't have a very good peddle but that's for another thread.

Symptoms: one single, loud, audible click. No whining or multie little clicks or struggling to turn the motor over.

Stuff I've done.
New battery, had a bad 6 month old one.
Took old starter off and cleaned the brushes and the starter motor. It then started a couple times. Then symptoms returned.
Then I got a new(renamed mopar) starter. Put it one. Same thing.
New negative brass battery clamp.
Cleaned terminal posts and posts in fuse box. They were pretty dirty.

When it starts it starts great. Turns right over and fires right up.

That's about it. I've had this issue before but it was always because my old neg clamp was coming loose. Tighten it up and everything was good.

I feel like it's some kind of ground issue.....

Bed is off, if that matters.

I'm at my wits end with this issue. Help?


Edit: well I just figured it out. It's that little ground wire that grounds on the front driver clip. Right in front of the battery's

It HAS to be right on top of the other two big wires. It off to the sid just a little. Stupid.

So yea delete this thread or we can turn it into the why I don't have a brake pedal thread or whatever lol


ACTUALLY it only worked once. Cut it off. Tried to start again. Same thing single loud click.

This is driving me insane

 

Where is the neutral safety switch?

 

On the trans, right below where the shift linkage hits it.

If it is the starter you hear hitting, (the loud click) check the main cable going to the starter. The little wire is controlled by the ignition switch, and just activates the solenoid. Solenoid pulls the gear out to engage the ring gear, AND, it closes contacts at the back, to complete the circuit to the starter motor itself. Sounds like the second part isn't happening correctly, or, you have intermittent power at that cable. It pulls a fair bit of power there.... so, even a slightly crappy connection can give you issues.

 

This is gonna sound stupid. But the new stater came with a lock washer for the top post that comes from the battery. Should I take that off? The nut was brass but washer wasn't.

It was in it when I got so I figured it should go on.....

 

Yeah, that keeps things from backing off. The nut is brass, simply because the stud is as well. Don't want steel nut ripping the threads off the stud.

 

Ok so update time.

I got clean fresh wire going to the negative post. Cleaned alternator wire stud and nut. And same for the one on the front of the block.

Still nothing's swapped some relays around. Still nothing.

Turned the engine over some by hand by pulling serp belt.

Engine "lagged" just a little then fired right up.

Idled for about 30 mins while bleeding brakes.

I have one cut It off and on a couple times successfully with no problems. Let's hope it stays this way.

I still do not have a very good brake pedal

 

Drive it for a day or two, it should improve. If it doesn't, bleed them again.

Clean the positive connections between the battery, and starter, as well. Gotta have juice getting to it, before anything else happens.

Also, if the mounting surface was cruddy, that can be a problem as well. That's where the starter grounds.

 

I cleaned everything off when it was apart. Sandpaper. Brushes. Nice clean metal.

I have brake and abs lights on now. The parking brake is not hooked up right now. Will the PCM know this? I thought the parking brake was purely mechanical.

I am not getting much fluid to the rear brakes. Front brakes fluid comes flying out. Rear it just kinda comes out a little then slows to drip.

I have the new 2500 rear disc proportioning valve. I feel like the valve to the rear is shut off, or not opened all the way. The rear brake line, junction block, and rear lines are all new.

I heard to reset it you just have to slam on the brakes real hard. And should hear some mind of pop.

I have done this, in the driveway. So obviously not at much speed. I am waiting for my rear driveshaft to get here. The one I pulled was bent. So no high speeds until that eggs fixed.

Anyway, this made the pedal a little better. But it still goes down the floor, or close to it.

 

To get the valve to reset, have a friend pump up the brakes, and then HOLD them. Crack open one of the FRONT bleeders. Might have to do it a couple times to get it to reset properly. Won't here any noise either.

 

But that's like bleeding the front. Which has been done several times over, and there is still not much fluid coming out of the rear calipers.

Could there be THAT much air in the system? Surely not