Engine won't start, Batteries good but starter won't crank

[jipjob]

Sent: 12/4/2003

Just went outside to start up my beautie and all I get a red light on the dash and no starter motor kicking in. I checked the batterys and thier up to snuff and still no juice. Head lights are bright and inside lights are bright also. But the horn sound dead. So what do I look for to get the old horse started? Any tricks? What do I do to by pass the egnition key and go directly the starter? Why me Three weeks ago she started just fine maybe it this lousy rain? Jipjob

[Daved27c]

Sent: 12/4/2003

Jon;
I had a simular problem with my 72. I would start out looking at the back of the ignition switch. The plug was looseon mine, and caused it to die on the road. If that is ok then you could try tapping on the starter with a hammer. If the starter is bad it would also cause this problem. Hope this helps.

Dave 

[MSN Member]

Sent: 12/4/2003

Did you check the ignition fuse?  If you want to short the starter to see if it's powered, you can put a screwdriver on the terminal where the battery cable connects, and extend it to touch the other terminal at the same time.  If there's power, the starter will turn.  If the starter only wheeses, it's probably a bad bendix spring, and you'll need to replace the starter.  (If the key is on, the motor may start... use caution)
  Do you have the battery switch (Dual/mom/) on 'dual', to see if using both batteries will start it?  If you turn on the lights before trying the key, do the lights dim at all?  The wire or starter could be shorted out.
  It could be in the ignition switch itself.  If it starts when you short across the terminals, (with the key on) but still won't start using only the key, it's probably the switch.
  Check the fuse box to see if any of the connections are corroded.  Look for an in-line fuse under the dash.
Can't think of anything else right now.  Hope this helps!

[jipjob]

Sent: 12/4/2003

Here what I think maybe the problem, I remembered tonight that the main wire that goes down to the balaster resister for some reason wasn't making GOOD contact and that I pressed it on harder and wal-la the engine would start by the key. I forgot about this problem because it happen last summer and now tomorrow I will check that contact again. THIS IS ONE AREA THAT MAYBE MORE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT! THIS IS THE MAIN LEAD THAT SENDS THE SIGNAL FOR THE ENGINE TO START UP AND ALSO THE JUICE THAT FLOWS TO THE COIL.

[denisondc]

Sent: 12/5/2003

Advice on the starting problem: If your horn wont blow, find out why! The same circuit that feeds the horn on my 72 winny also appears to supply the 12v to the neutral/backup/safety switch that is mounted on the tranny, as well as to the backup lights. If no 12v to this neutral/backup switch, the starter relay wont send 12v to the starter solenoid on the starter itself. If your back-up lights had a short circuit and if your ignition was on, it would blow the fuse when you shifted into reverse - or just moving the lever from neutral into park would also blow that fuse; and the starter would not spin the next time you wanted to start up. And the horns normally draw enough juice to almost blow a 20 amp fuse, and if the horns are old and rusty, they can draw a lot more current - in which case anytime you bumped the horn ring with the ignition on, it could blow the fuse. And you wouldn’t be able to start the next time!
In my wiring diagrams for the 72 and 73 chassis, the horn is on the side of the fuse block that gets its 12v from the ignition being on. Unlike the headlights and brake lights, which do not need the ignition switch to be on.
Thanks to you having a starting problem I looked into this, and am very glad I did. I don’t like the setup! I think I will add a small 12volt lamp -across- the horn fuse; so if that fuse blows, the small lamp would come on the next time I went to turn on the starter, or put it into reverse. I have already put a horn relay in the circuit to the horns, mostly to make the horns louder, but it would also take that heavy current load off of the connection inside the ignition switch.
Other reasons for starter not cranking: The neutral/safety switch on the transmission has to think the tranny is in neutral or park. This connector can be loose or dirty or just old -- and it wont start. I carry a spare one on trips. Also the shifter cable might be binding from old age, and your shift lever says it is in park, when it really is not fully out of reverse --so it wont start. The ignition switch can be cruddy and work part of the time, or the connector coming out of the steering column might be loose or just need to have the connections cleaned or reseated. If the red brake light on the dash comes on, it means you are at least getting 12volts to the ignition switch. Your starter relay could be malfunctioning - its the item mounted on the frame rail near the starter. And of course the starter solenoid, which is a part of the starter, could be the problem. If the weather was colder when it wouldn’t start, it could be hardened up grease inside the starter. And if you don’t have a heat shield between the top of the starter and the exhaust manifold, the radiant heat is going to bake the grease inside the starter into fudgy crud. If you short the big terminal on the starter to the small terminal, the starter should crank. If not, its the fault of the starter, or the heavy cable and connection from the starter relay.
denison

[Spudboy]

sent: 12/5/2003

I frequently have to start the Spudmobile in Neutral...don't know why, but it works.  Often have to use the "Dual" on the "MOM" switch as well.

For a while, I had to 'jump' a separate battery straight to the engine (using new battery leads) and bypass the whole battery box wiring set-up.  I just set the battery on the floor behind the dog-house.  Made three trips this way.

Good luck.

[mightybooboo]

Sent: 12/5/2003


If engine battery is low,hold down MOM while cranking engine,it will tie chassis battery to engine and give a nice boost.Didnt seem to hurt solenoid(YMMV)Did this once,it works.Also can hold down MOM switch if alternator  or its output wire fails,allowing chassis battery to power engine while driving off freeway to NAPA,I have done this also and it works.
BooBoo

[denisondc]

Sent: 12/5/2003

supdboy: -Not starting except when in neutral - I would suspect the shifter shaft on the tranny isn't being pushed all the way into park, and therefore the neutral/backup/safety switch isn't closing. Put the lever into park, and have someone operate the starter while you crawl under, and pull the shifter arm all the way toward the back. It sticks up from the drivers side of the tranny, shifter cable is connected to it. Take due precautions that the RV doesn't start up and want to back up over you however. Thats my guess. denison

[jipjob]

ent: 12/5/2003

Went out side in the cold and pulled back the dog house and checked the lead to the Balast resistor and there is juice to that point. BUT when I turn the ignition key on to start position the red light on the control panel dims or go out and down at the balast resistor the temporary test light goes out. Does this add any more information to get help me get my old girl started? I mean by moving key from the running position to the engage starter position this is where I get this short somwhere? Thanks.

[DanielTBolger]

Dodge is an ORANGE wire on the relay
Ford is RED on the relay
GMC or Chevy = PURPLE