Hi all, I am back with a question I am hoping someone can help.

2001, Dodge Ram 2500, Gas, V8, 5.9

The other day I drove my truck 2 blocks from my house, pulled into my parents' driveway and then the truck's engine just stopped. No funny sound, no other troubling signs, just stopped. When I tried to start it again it just cranks but the engine won't start. Here what I have looked into so far:

•*The starter is cranking and sound healthy. I know how a bad starter sounds like when it won't engage the flywheel, but this is no the case.

• Headlights, windows, and all power items still works, so the car is getting juice.

• I can hear the fuel pump working and I check the gas input line running into the engine and can confirm that gas is getting to the engine. Have 3/4 tank of gas.

• The battery measures fine and I even tried jump starting it with a fresh battery, same result. Won't fire up.

• I unplugged the ignitor connector and was not able to measure any current as is or while cranking. If no power is getting to the ignitor, then no power will be delivered to the distributor thus no fire for the engine right?

• Thinking it may be a bad engine computer, I plugged in a spare one I got from eBay but still no luck.

My guess is that something else controls the power output to the ignitor, and that something is not functioning thus not power is delivered to the ignitor.

Lastly, the "check engine" light never came on and it still does not come on. The engine won't fire so the truck is just sitting there blocking my parents' driveway. Please help.

Paul

 

check all your fuses, maybe starter fuse , maybe clogged cat

 

pull a plug wire and try to start the truck and see if you get a spark(better to do at night). if you're not getting spark, i'd suggest replacing your ignition coil.

 

by ignitor you mean coil, correct?........on older vehicles the ignition switch turned on gave power to the coil

 

Yeah happended to me. I pulled the spark plug wire and placed a nail in it then held it to the tip of the spark plug while my GF turned the engine over. No spark. Replaced the ignition coil (6 buck I think) 5 mins later I was rolling again.

 

I hope this bits of additional information will help.

• I replaced the ignition coil, still no sparks
• I unplugged the wire connector to the ignition coil to measure voltage, no voltage registered on the meter even when someone was cranking the key. This can not be good.
• I tested the distributor wire coming out of the ignition coil, no sparks.
• I checked all spark plug wires, they are in good shape.
• I opened and clean the distributor cap fearing it may be wet, no sparks.
• Checked all fuses and even checked the relays and they all seem fine.
• I replaced the old air filter, wasn't expecting this to change anything but it looked like it needed to be replace anyway.

My conclusion is that something is happening where the ignition coil is not getting power. Does anyone know if there may be a sensor or something that prevents power to the ignition coil if that sensor is not working? I can't figure this one out.

Many thanks for your opinions.

 

hmmmm. not really sure what gives power to the coil....have you checked all of your fuses and relays?....try wiggling the ign switch when starting it in case there is sumthin messed up there

 

alright, i just did some searching and on one site it said that no power to coil can be either a bad ASD(not sure what that stands for) relay or wiring, and another site said that a bad crank position sensor will do the same thing, that was on a 96 cherokee so i would imagine its about the same as our trucks......that one the fuel and volt guage didnt work until the cps was changed, how are your guages?

 

alright, asd stands for auto shutdown....i would swap that relay for your horn relay just to see if its good, bu tsince you say you can hear the fuel pump i doubt thats it

 

I will try the relays again just to be sure. I don't know if a bad crank position sensor would prevent power from getting to the ignition coil. I also read that it could be a bad engine ground which I am praying is the case. I will poke around some more. Meanwhile, please feel free to charm in . . .