I was trying to find the source of a coolant leak dripping off the harmonic balancer.

At first I thought it was a hose issue, I replaced the hoses. And it still leaks.

It would leak about 4 liters every night, and in the morning there would be a puddle on the ground. I would just go to the junk yard and buy a $2.50 gallon of coolant. That adds up.



Today I took the radiator shroud off, took the a/c pump off that wasn't connected to the belt at all. When I took the bottom bolt off the bracket of the a/c pump thats also connected to the water pump casing, the coolant poured out of the bolt hole. The bolt is like 4" long with an inch of thread at the end, and 3 inches of smooth.

So a cheap fix, I went into the auto parts store and got some RTV waterpump sealant and gobbed the 2 bolts up with that, thinking that was the source of my coolant leak.

Topped up the radiator with coolant. Let the RTV sealant cure for an hour or two.

Went ahead and took a gallon jug of water and poured it on the front of the cold engine to get the coolant off. Did that about 2-3 times with the gallon jug of water. Then took a hose that was about 5 feet away and washed the coolant from the ground and aimed it in the drivers side wheel well. Which is where the starter is located.

Hooked everything back up, and now I get a no start.

Battery is fine, hear a slight clicking sound in the cab of the van.

Took a screw driver and touched the 2 posts on the starter solenoid and it sparks.

Battery guage is alright, getting 12 Volts on the Volt Meter.

Something happened when I washed it down. I think it might of shorted the starter.
I hammered the starter lightly and tried to start it and same old thing happened.

I have been working on this all day.

I need some opinions on what it could be.

I know its not the Alternator because that just keeps the battery charged.

The Starter Relay is right next to the battery bolted on the firewall.

I am thinking tomorrow just unbolt and rebolt the electrical connections on the starter solenoid, and wipe it clean, then try to see if it starts.

Can they check to see if a starter is dead or not.

I am in Canada and its parked at a Canadian Tire, which is basically a auto parts store that also sells house and home stuff.


I am thinking perhaps go to the junk yard pick up a starter there for $10 and bolt it on.

The coolant leak I know for a fact is a gasket issue, or a water pump issue. WHen its running it doesnt over heat, and I drive it all day, then like I said previousl it drips out at night.

I am stranded and had to get a hotel for the night so all the help would be appreciated to get back on the road again.

$50 for a new water pump at Canadian Tire, probably $8 at the junk yard.

 

When you took bolts out, did any of them happen to be the bolt that bolts the negative battery cable to the block? If so, the cable might not have gotten bolted back on.

 

The engine is cranking over but still wont start.

I connect jumper cable from battery negative to engine block ground and it turns over but wont start.

Day 4 of parking lot fix, need help ASAP

 

I signed in hoping you listed what year you Van is, Generally I do not answer queries to newer models as I am really only familiar with my '89.

I will throw out a couple guesses as I have been in your position before and it is not pleasant.

My first guess would have been Alloro's. The engine ground.

But the water spraying seems to be the culprit to the no start.

I will say the water blew one of the fusible links that are stuffed behind the brake booster. I also think what you refer to as the starter relay, is actually the ASD relay, as that is where mine is located. My starter relay is on the other side of the brake booster.

The ASD relay supplies power to the Fuel pump, coil and fuel injectors on '88 and after. You can try removing the connector from the relay and jumping the 2 fatter wires with a length of wire and see if you can hear the fuel pump and see if it starts. That would indicate a bad relay, and either it is not being told to activate the the computer, or it is, and there is not (+) 12 volts to power any devices available.

I would think intentionally bridging the starter contacts could also blow a fusible link.
http://www.whiteproducts.com/fusible-faqs.shtml


Good luck, let us know what you find.

If your Van is older than an 88, I've no Idea besides the fusible links.

 

It is a 1988 Dodge Ram Van, B150 with a 3.9 V6 engine and automatic transmission.

I put an ohm meter to it today, from + TO - on the ignition coil, I got the recommended ohm reading.

Replaced the cap and rotor

Got a new ignition coil from the junk yard.

I just forgot how the wires are connected to the ignition coil.

I have a black and green wire. I connected it to my volt meter and it read -10.5Volts with my black probe on black wire and red probe on green wire, that tells me that the green wire is positive.

The next issue would be the extra pack with one black wire coming off it, and its bolted to the block and I assume its another ground. The iginition coil has a clamp that is also bolted to another spot on the block not far away with a heavy black guage wire.

I AM GETTING VOLTAGE TO THE COIL BUT ITS NOT GETTING PAST IT, TO THE DISTRIBUTOR.

I CRANK THE MOTOR, WAIT A FEW SECONDS AND PROBE IT WITH VOLT METER, GET 10.5 VOLTS.

I dont get it with just the key in and on the ignition.

This might be the problem right there.

My battery is draining from trying to crank it, might just get another battery from the junk yard.

Still need some ideas. My young mechanic friend says my timing chain might be gone, but an oldtimer mechanic friend keeps saying starter, starter wire to battery, starter relay, ground.

I ripped open a junk yard starter to battery cable, there are no fusable links in there.

When I installed the starter, the small wire and nut wouldnt tighten all the way, just kept kinda spinning but the starter turns over. It rained today so I didnt get under there to spin the bolt off and spin it back on......its a brand new starter.

I cleaned the grounds on the engine block that are in the back of the engine.

I put red jumper cables from negative battery to block, the same with black jumper cable, doubling up the grounds.

My mind keeps going back to not getting voltage past the ignition coil. Has nothing to do with timing chain I dont think.

When I took the unused A/C pump off to get a better look at my coolant leak at night, I gobbed the two bolts used to bolt the water pump to the block and the A/C pump brackets. I had a little trouble figuring out which bolts went where, because they were 3 different sizes, I think I figured it out properly, I gobbed them up with WATER pump sealant and tightened them up. They go straight into the block and wouldnt have anything to do with the timing chain.

I am running out of time, trying to find a place to tow it and leave it for a few weeks so I can go work on it a little each day. Its something simple and I dont want to scrap it because of that. But if I do i do. Just buy another van I guess.

 

Have you pulled out all the wiring behind the brake booster and looked for blown fusible links? There is no fusible link on the starter wire. Just because you did not spray the brake booster with water does not mean you did not blow a 23 year old fusible link which resides there.

Have you tried bypassing the ASD relay with a short length of wire?

If the ASD relay is not receiving/ relaying 12 volts, neither will the coil.

Can you hear the fuel pump activate for 2 seconds after you turn the key to on?

 

Connect your black meter lead to ground and turn the ignition key to on (not start.) Whichever of the 2 coil wires that reads positive goes to the (-) terminal on the coil. Also, you should have 12 volts at the coil when measuring to ground, not 10.5 volts.

Connecting the coil wires backwards reduces the spark output voltage by 40%. Add to that, the fact you're not getting a full 12 volts to the coil and you end up with about 50% of the needed spark voltage. This is not enough voltage to make a spark at the spark plugs.

 

Ok thanks very much for the added information.

I will take a look at everything all of you have mentioned.

I did think that the 10.5 Volts was odd, I thought it should 12 Volts.

Where is the Ballast Resistor?????
I cant find it anywhere, and my buddy tells me to find it and take a few off a junk yard one, test it out.

 

There is no ballast resistor on an '88

 

Spent an hour looking for that.

Thanks landyacht318