My 96 Ram 5.2L has been having intermittent starting problems lately. I posted about this a few weeks ago... at first I thought the battery was going, but I don't think that has anything to do with it. It will barely click and not even try to turn over a few times in a row, then on the next try, it just ZIP starts up. I'm wondering if I have either a starter problem or a starter relay problem. The starter is easy enough to find, andI can throw 12V to it bypassing the starter just to see if it works. But I haven't found, even in my Haynes pseudo-manual, clear direction on where the starter relay is on my truck.

Can someone give me a quick description of where it is, or maybe even a picture? I'd appreciate it.

Any idea on how much a new relay costs?

Thanks in advance!

RMF

 

I have no clue where it is, but I know that SOME relays are right on the starer, and I thought that these trucks were that way. Wait for another post...

 

There should be a black box to the right of your battery, the relays are in there. There should be a map on the lid that tells you which ones are which.

You can pry the top off the relays, if the switch is "welded" together it is bad. I just went through mine the other weekend. There is also a spool of thin wire, some times one of the wires breaks in there some place which also makes them bad.

 

Thanks for the description... I'll check that out this afternoon.. maybe pull it out, check conductivity, pop 12V on it and check it again. With any luck it's something simple like this.

 

"With any luck it's something simple like this."

LOL. I wish I shared your optimism! My experience with ANY relays is they work or they don't.
My money would be on connections or possibly the solenoid. But, hey, test it any way.
De-energized (no voltage) should have
continuity between terminals 87A and 30, and no
continuity between terminals 87 and 30. If not OK, replace the relay.
Resistance between terminals 85 and 86
should be 70-80 ohms. If not OK, replace the relay.
Connect 12 Volts to terminals 85 and 86.
There should be continuity between terminals
30 and 87, and no continuity between terminals 87A
and 30.
If not OK, replace the relay. But like I said, they don't usually go "sometimes".
WC

 

Yeah, I know, I'm being optimistic. I'm fine with a solenoid issue as well, and I can see that sticking. It does seem to have more problems after it has been sitting for awhile (like, first thing in the morning or right after work), versus after it has been running (starting up after putting gas in at the station).

We'll see.