let me preface this by saying the van has been running perfectly. coming home 2 days ago a car started slowing down in front of me and when I let off the gas the van just died...

Tried to start it again and nothing, no starter turn over, etc. Dash gauges read that my battery was dead (which it isn't) and that I have oil pressure. despite the fact the van was off.

I removed the dash cover and the gauges and the starter relay behind the dash makes one big click ( I can feel it while holding the relay and I could hear it while trying to start it sitting in the middle of the highway)

Not sure where to start, I jumped the relay with a length of wire and still got nothing, I'm not sure where to start at this point.

Any ideas? oh yea its a 5.2 if it matters, 2wd.

 

try a known good ecu

 

OK here's where I sit. I don't have access to any ECUs. I replaced the asd and starter relays and nothing changed. I'm pulling the starter off tomorrow and I'm having it tested (I still don't see how that would cause the motor to shut off unless the starter gear came out and hit the flexplate)
What I still don't get is why the dash voltmeter doesn't read proper voltage and the oil pressure gauge still thinks I have pressure.

Time to break out the wiring diagrans I guess. Really not looking forward to pulling that steel shell.

 

Is the "Check Engine" lamp coming on with the key? If so check to see if the PCM has any stored codes.

If the light works and you don't get at least code 55 flashed at you then I would presume the PCM has gone bad.

 

Looking over my 97's instrument digram (same dash layout as your 94) it is showing that the oil gage and volt meter share the same ground point. I would check to be sure that ground point is not corroded. In my diagram it says the ground point is to the left of the instrument panel. Another ground point for the cluster is just above the headlamp switch.

When you go to start the van is the message center lights lighting up for the bulb check? If not then it shares the same ground location as the oil pressure gage and voltmeter.

I would then look over the engine bay and and check the battery to engine ground mount for looseness and/or corrosion.

 

I should have prefaced this by saying that my 94 is a bare bones maxi wagon cargo van, used by a local county as a morgue van..

Seeing as its obd1, I have no message center, nor a diagnostic port, nor a check engine light on the dash.

Im going to check grounds tomorrow pending the weather, I also noticed the radio stopped working, making me think its a ground issue... but all of the starter circuits still have power and continuity, I don't see how a bad ecu would cause the van not to turn over... Its not that the motor will crank, it wont.

 

Message center is to the left of the radio. It has the seatbelt, brake, and gen lights.

Yours does have a check engine lamp below the fuel and temp gauges.

If not ever worked then the bulb is burned out.

 

ah, yea thats never worked since i bought it at the govt. auction... not sure why but I never really paid attention lol.

I'll look at my wiring diagram and chase grounds, etc. every so often when I press the ebrake the right way the brake light will come on temporarily.
I'm assuming the light will flash the code, assuming there is one?

 

just checked the CEL bulb, its not blown and is intact, so no check engine lights.
I still need to figure out why the message center doesnt work, do all of the lights share a common ground? Im starting to think when the county removed their county equipment and wiring they probably didnt tighten something down properly

 

No not all the warning bulbs share the same ground point. Many of them are actually grounded by the sensor/switch that activates them.

Do check for 12 volts to one side of the bulbs for most will have the incoming power at all times that the key is in the ON position, even the Check Engine lamp. The computer grounds the Check Engine lamp and Gen light to activate them. It may be as simple as a blown fuse or even a blown fuse-link. Fuse links are behind the brake booster on your van.