Heres the history

One morning get out to the truck and try to start it - dead. But weird thing is no gauges, no gas gauge and no battery gauge. But I have headlights. When I turn the key there is no crank or anything, no clicks and no draw on the battery. Also notice my overhead console is reading 130 degrees outside temp.

Pull the battery cables, clean cables and clean grounds. Truck starts. Yahoo. Shut it off pack up the kids and back out to truck.. dead again. WTF. Do what I did again, nothing. Still dead. Have it towed to my mechanic and ofcourse the bugger starts. They cant find anything wrong and I take it home.

Couple days later transmission shifting problems...seems to be starting in second and having a hard time shifting...almost like its in limp mode.

This time to the dealership with it. On the way there...truck actually dies while I'm driving. Throw it in neutral and it restarts. Dealership has it for the day but can find nothing wrong. Talk to the tech there and he didnt get all the info from the counter help so he decides to look at it in the parking lot. By this time I am leaning towards the PDC. He is in agreement and pulls it and checks all connectors underneath. Sprays them down with brake cleaner and applies dialectic grease. Truck starts and even overhead console is reading the correct temp. Yahoo.

Two days later, dead again in the driveway. Talk to tech by phone and he has me check voltage on starter solenoid relay. Pins 85 and 87 I believe. 12v at 85 and nothing at 87. He says that means I have voltage coming from the ignition so it has to be the PDC.

Order the PDC from another dealership where I can get a discount and it runs me $650. Overnight delivery and pick up in morning. Throw it in. Still dead.

Have it towed to a third mechanic whom is supposedly great with electrical problems. He has me reground the battery right to the engine while on the phone but still nothing.

Please any advice would be helpful.

 

Um, call a priest for an exorcism?????

Dang dude, I feel for ya and wish I could help.

 

No codes? Can't hurt to try a junkyard PCM maybe?

 

PDC and PCM different or the same thing? Is the PCM the metal box on the outside of the PDC?

 

PDC is the Power Distribtution Center, that is located just behind the battery.

The PCM is the Powertrain Control Module, that is located on the passenger side of the engine bay under the cowl. Though I think there is two of them located there, I do not know which does what as I do not drive a 3rd gen.


I just fix little stuff on my dad's.

 

Yes, like he said they are different. The metal box outside the PDC is the front control module. They go bad too, but I don't think it would cause it to not start.

PCM is the "computer" and the PDC is the fusebox.

 

definitely sounds like a short, or corrosion of some kind. Trace EVERY wire that leads from the PDC to the ignition and back. Open up your steering column and double check connectors and wires in there as well.

 

Bigbran, Do you have a remote starter? Get rid of it before you go any further.

My experience: On my vehicles, I always managed to solve electrical problems (similar to yours) for cheap, although total bill would sometimes be high due to other's lack of qualifications (dealerships among others). Get help from an electrical engineer. Provide him with the service manual and electrical diagrams.

As was mentioned by another blogger, check any electrical connector exposed to heat or mechanical damage. Near the exhaust manifolds and under the steering column are good spots for trouble. Do a thorough visual inspection for any loose wiring. Get good lighting to help you. Cranking the engine in the dark with someone checking for short circuits/fiddling with
wiring is also suggested. Had an issue like yours with a 1990 Astro. The thing would die on the road and restart itself before I finished pulling over. It stalled one day at a red light and had to be towed. It restarted after a mechanic fiddled with it for hours at the dealership. All in all, this problem took 7 years to solve. The solution was proposed by an electrical engineer from a university nearby: a $35 coil was the fix. Now, I know our trucks have a different electrical system.

Did you have any major repair work done on your truck lately? Wiring, connectors and fuse blocks get displaced sometimes. Keep us informed of the work performed.