No crank /fire up/ engine start after heavy rain
#1
10-31-2016, 05:59 PM
No crank /fire up/ engine start after heavy rain
07 Dakota v8 4.7
Replaced starter year and half ago, Japanese model from online .
Full battery, gas in tank, drove in rain , turned off truck , then wouldn't start .
This happened in the past but would always turn over after.
This time dead, click click .
This time , it didn't start for 3 days, I tried a new starter from Napa, just unplugged connection and ground and put them on the new starter without being mounted .and still no start.
This is kicker, I got it towed , and when it got to shop, it fired up.
This happened once before a month ago. , it died completely after rain, parked it , came back 20 minutes later, (day after rain , it wasn't raining this day) and I got it towed home, as soon as it got off tow truck , it started up , after being lifeless.
I put it in the shop anyway today, they said they couldn't find anything wrong and tested everything , starter, alternator, battery, all fine,
They Sautererd the copper clasp that grounds the starter , as I just had it pinched with vice grips .
That's all they thought it could be ..they think that may have been the issue ...
Any ideas why it would start after getting towed? The tow truck pulled it by the front wheels
Afte being lifeless for 3 days prior It started when he dropped it on the ground., for the second Time....make every rattling it up while being towed shook some wiring connections around ?
Not very reliable ...it's raining tonight , I haven't driven it . Will wait until tomorrow morning . I also sprayed wires with silicone spray
Replaced starter year and half ago, Japanese model from online .
Full battery, gas in tank, drove in rain , turned off truck , then wouldn't start .
This happened in the past but would always turn over after.
This time dead, click click .
This time , it didn't start for 3 days, I tried a new starter from Napa, just unplugged connection and ground and put them on the new starter without being mounted .and still no start.
This is kicker, I got it towed , and when it got to shop, it fired up.
This happened once before a month ago. , it died completely after rain, parked it , came back 20 minutes later, (day after rain , it wasn't raining this day) and I got it towed home, as soon as it got off tow truck , it started up , after being lifeless.
I put it in the shop anyway today, they said they couldn't find anything wrong and tested everything , starter, alternator, battery, all fine,
They Sautererd the copper clasp that grounds the starter , as I just had it pinched with vice grips .
That's all they thought it could be ..they think that may have been the issue ...
Any ideas why it would start after getting towed? The tow truck pulled it by the front wheels
Afte being lifeless for 3 days prior It started when he dropped it on the ground., for the second Time....make every rattling it up while being towed shook some wiring connections around ?
Not very reliable ...it's raining tonight , I haven't driven it . Will wait until tomorrow morning . I also sprayed wires with silicone spray
Last edited by calixdakota; 10-31-2016 at 06:34 PM.
#2
11-01-2016, 07:30 PM
#3
01-14-2017, 08:19 PM
My Jeep Cherokee had a factory security system that would do exactly that after a heavy rain. There was always nothing wrong when the dealer got it. (under warranty).
Eventually I found out that tapping the wiring harness under the dash with my foot was all I needed to restore starting.
Eventually, I traced it down to a twisted pair, that ran through the bulkhead connector to the computer. I didn't replace them, but paired the wires, bypassing the big bulkhead connector in the process. It's been fine for 12 years now. Maybe your problem is something similar.
Eventually I found out that tapping the wiring harness under the dash with my foot was all I needed to restore starting.
Eventually, I traced it down to a twisted pair, that ran through the bulkhead connector to the computer. I didn't replace them, but paired the wires, bypassing the big bulkhead connector in the process. It's been fine for 12 years now. Maybe your problem is something similar.