Hello everyone
I bought this 1986 Dodge Ram Van, B150 with the 318 in it last week off of ebay for $275.
When I showed up to pick it up, the van started very slow like the battery was dead. Sure enough on the way home, we stopped for gas and the battery wouldn't turn over enough to crank the engine, luckily I had my jump pack and we were soon on our way. When I got home I replaced the battery with a walmart(lower cold cranking amp battery), it performed the same, last night the van wouldn't even run, just crank, crank, crank. I returned the battery and replaces it with the walmart Maxx which provides 850 cold/1100 warm cranking amps. I also put in new platinum plugs. Nothing! All it does is crank with a click click noise. I reversed one of the spark plug wires cause I thought maybe I put one on the wrong plug, but still nothing. Did I do something wrong? Could it be the starter? If it is the starter where is it hiding? Maybe I'll give it a few wacks with a hammer and see if it turns over.
Any help is much appreciated. Where I live(very remote area of up-upstae NY), you either fix it yourself or have your vehicle towed to one of the local boys which charge outrageous rates, plus run very sloppy shops. Thanks...Mike

 

Cranking and turning over means that the engine is spinning but the engine will not start.The clicking noise is the starter relay(solenoid) rapidly switching on and off due to low battery power.High battery power will cause the relay to energize and it will click only once when the key is turned to the start position and you might hear it when the key is released.

If the engine cranks but will not start check to see that you do indeed have fuel pressure.After cranking the engine can you smell fuel coming out the exhaust?If you have fuel coming to the engine make sure you have spark.You can do this by inserting a bolt or some other properly sized metal rod into the spark plug boot.Have someone crank the engine while you listen or watch for the spark to jump a gap.

If you still have a no start condition,repost with more info and we'll try to help.One more thing,is the van fuel injected or carbureted?
E-Bay you gotta love it[:'(]

 

Thanks for the reply. A friend of mine and also Dodge lover for many decades susgested that I also check each plug and also make sure that the battery is indeed connected well on both terminals. It was hella cold last night when I was working on the van so it's possible that even though I had taken my time on each plug and the battery too that it wasn't enough.
I'm not sure if it's a carb. or fuel injected, when I removed the air filter the other day I didn't bother to look, but I suspect it's fuel injected since I don't need to press the gas pedal to turn it over(up until yesterday).
I love this van, and this is my first Dodge vehicle. My mom had a '86 Omni, it was a good car until the tranny ceased up in a neighbors driveway when I was delivering papers.
Thanks, I'll give an update tonight or tomorrow, and I'll also check if it's a carb. or fuel inj.

Mike

 

Ok....it was my battery terminals. I guess with being still a little dirty and maybe a little loose that's what created the clicky noise...because I cleaned them up a little and then tightened them again and it fired right up. I'm going to pick up some new terminals over the weekend and put them on to have a perfect connection.

 

Make sure you clean and tighten the other ends of the cables when you get warm.

 

yea i was gonna say check your ground ... from the battery .....