Starting issue
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Starting issue
Hello,
Sorry if this is a repeat, I did use the search but found so many different starting threads it would have taken days to scan them all.
2001 Ram 1500 5.9L Auto.
A while back the truck wouldn't start. Key turned on all of the accessories come on but no crank. I replaced the relay because it was cheap and it fired right up. Cool.
A few months later it did it again. Had a friend who knows electrical very well help me. He messed around with the relay a bit and it started. We bent the contacts in just a little to help them make better connection. Seemed to help for a few more months.
Did it again. :-/ My friend helped once again and we determined that I needed a new neutral safety switch. Easy replacement and was off and running. While trouble shooting he made me a small jumper wire so I could start the truck if I had to. I set the key to run, open the hood, remove the starter relay and jump the terminal going to the starter. Cranks like a champ that way.
That was nearly a year ago. Last week it did it again. We checked everything and figured it must be the ignition switch. I ordered a new one off of Amazon and replaced it today. Initially it did not start, but I got under the hood and jumped it with the wire to see if it was still cranking. Sure enough it is. Runs just fine like that. I stuck the relay back in and got in the truck. With it running I turned the key to start a few times and eventually I heard the starter engage. I killed it, turned the key and it started. Let it run for a few and tried again. Now it won't crank again.
It seemed like it would work intermittently. One odd thing I noticed while it was running today is the ABS light will come on then the brake light. Then they both go off. A few moments later that pattern repeats. I am at a dead end for what I know. Any help is very much appreciated. The starter has been removed and check both at a shop and by us fooling around with some jumper cables so I know its good. Plus I can get it going with my jumper wire. I just can't understand what else can be wrong in there.
Sorry if this is a repeat, I did use the search but found so many different starting threads it would have taken days to scan them all.
2001 Ram 1500 5.9L Auto.
A while back the truck wouldn't start. Key turned on all of the accessories come on but no crank. I replaced the relay because it was cheap and it fired right up. Cool.
A few months later it did it again. Had a friend who knows electrical very well help me. He messed around with the relay a bit and it started. We bent the contacts in just a little to help them make better connection. Seemed to help for a few more months.
Did it again. :-/ My friend helped once again and we determined that I needed a new neutral safety switch. Easy replacement and was off and running. While trouble shooting he made me a small jumper wire so I could start the truck if I had to. I set the key to run, open the hood, remove the starter relay and jump the terminal going to the starter. Cranks like a champ that way.
That was nearly a year ago. Last week it did it again. We checked everything and figured it must be the ignition switch. I ordered a new one off of Amazon and replaced it today. Initially it did not start, but I got under the hood and jumped it with the wire to see if it was still cranking. Sure enough it is. Runs just fine like that. I stuck the relay back in and got in the truck. With it running I turned the key to start a few times and eventually I heard the starter engage. I killed it, turned the key and it started. Let it run for a few and tried again. Now it won't crank again.
It seemed like it would work intermittently. One odd thing I noticed while it was running today is the ABS light will come on then the brake light. Then they both go off. A few moments later that pattern repeats. I am at a dead end for what I know. Any help is very much appreciated. The starter has been removed and check both at a shop and by us fooling around with some jumper cables so I know its good. Plus I can get it going with my jumper wire. I just can't understand what else can be wrong in there.
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Joined: Apr 2015
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That did it! Thank you!
I wiggled it a bit and got nothing. Then I moved it out of Park and into Neutral. Fired right up. Let it run, killed it. Did it again and it took a moment but it fired again. Then it started correctly 3 times in a row.
Did that help to align something in the new ignition switch? Or is something else perhaps loose that I need to find?
I'll drive it to work tomorrow and see how it goes. I can always use my little wire if I have to. :-)
I wiggled it a bit and got nothing. Then I moved it out of Park and into Neutral. Fired right up. Let it run, killed it. Did it again and it took a moment but it fired again. Then it started correctly 3 times in a row.
Did that help to align something in the new ignition switch? Or is something else perhaps loose that I need to find?
I'll drive it to work tomorrow and see how it goes. I can always use my little wire if I have to. :-)
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,403
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From: Clayton MI
No, it didn't fix anything, simply identified the problem. Need to check the shift linkage for slop, fix that, and then make sure it is properly adjusted. That should take care of it. (for probably less than 20 bucks.)
