Mornin yall, i have a 2000 dodge ram 2500, 5.9 v8 and i cant get it to start.. ive had an issue that has been comiing and going to where the truck will take me fine to spot A, but returning it wont crank. ill get in and turn the key and itll click once, but wont turn over, however intereior electronics function fine. I normally go out, wiggle my battery cables a few times and it starts. I recently reseated the ground cable from the battery to the chassis up on the front cowl by the radiator, and it seemed to start better because of it. Yesterday i got a gas station, shut the truck off and put in half a tank. When i went to start the truck it did the normal click it does so i got out and wiggled the cables and it turned over, but wouldnt start. I can sit there trying to start it and it eventually caught and then died. so the next time it caught i hit the gas and kept it at around 2000 rpm for about 2 minutes before letting off and it idled fine got me home. Well today i went to start the truck and this time it willl turn over but not start. eventully it caught so i kept it at 2k for bout 2 minutes, let off and it died. I have not been successful at gettin it to that point since. Im messing with the ground cable now and now whenever i go to start it, it just clicks. If anyone can suggest where to start or has had the same issue?

Also want to say my ignition wire harness is kinda jigged the best i could, when replacing my power steering pump i cut through the ground wire for it and had to wire up my own with 14gauge wire and its normally worked fine. Could this effect it ? Thanks in advanced

 

You have a couple problems going on there.

First: Time to clean and verify all your grounds. At the battery, and on the engine.

Second: Once the engine will crank reliably, need to find out what is missing, spark, or fuel. Spark is easiest to test for, unless you have a fuel pressure gauge handy..... so, check that, and see what you find.

 

Okay thanks!
UPDATE: Just regrounded a few things and re connected the battery, itll start but i have to hold it to idle. Just dies out as soon as i let off the gas

 

May need to re-learn the idle. Hold it at about 1000 RPM for a couple minutes. See what happens.

May also just want to pull the throttle body, remove the IAC from the back, and clean them both really well. (leave the battery disconnected while doing this.)

 

Very possibly this^^.

When the ECU looses power, it often 'forgets' how to idle and needs to relearn.

It should be fine after a few starts, as long as you got the battery terminals and grounds fixed up.

 

I appreciate the info and insight yall! Finally went back out a few days ago and reset the computer, put the power back up and it fired without issue and its been running perfect ever since. Lol i had a buddy of mine helping me and he has a chevy 1500. Nothing he said worked. Seems like all us Dodge owners have our own little corks we gotta workout kinda often haha