Just got a call from a friend who's stuck out in the boonies with his '88 1/2 ton 4X4, 318, 4 speed. The truck was running fine then all of a sudden it quit and he coasted to the side of the road. It will start right up but dies as soon as he releases the key to the run position.

Was Dodge still using ballast resisters in '88? If not a burnt out ballast resister, any other suggestions? Thanks, Lee

 

My books say ballast resistors were last used in 87, as in 88 they went to the Hall effect pick-up/SMEC that does not use one. It sounds like an electrical problem though. Could be a bad ignition switch or faulty connections at the distributor, coil, or alternator. Do you have voltage at the coil in the run position? Do you have voltage to the hall effect pick-up connecter at pin 1 (the pin next to the outside locater tab) in the run position?

 

Thanks for the info. He got it towed to a garage. They will try to figure it out.

 

Did he ever get this figured out?