Okay after looking everywhere and having 3 Mechanics look at no better place than the web to get help. I have a 1985 150 5.2L automatic with around 150k miles. This truck has me stumped. Previous owner parked it due to it not wanting to start all the time. Here is what i got. If the dome light comes on the truck will start. If it comes on and you turn the keys and the dome light goes out it won't start. I put a new battery in it today and it cranks. The headlights don't come on and the dome light has a little glow. I also was told some times you can rock the truck and it will cause the dome light to come on and it will start. Any clues anyone? This truck has been sitting for over a year but cranked as soon as I turned the key.
The previous owner had 3 mecanics look at it and none of them could figure it out.
Where should I start? I'm at a loss
62savoywagon
10-25-2007, 07:10 PM
You sure you have a DODGE and not a F-----. Sorry, cannot say that brand. Be patience, somebody out here will be able to help you. Sounds like a short somewhere.
buck99
10-25-2007, 07:17 PM
Bulkhead connector?
mikehopkinsjr
10-25-2007, 08:18 PM
redo all the wiring yourself and you'll rule it out of having any problems
Flawedatdesign
10-25-2007, 09:25 PM
Okay where do you locate the bulkhead connector? I'll start with that tomorrow. ALso any pics of such would be great
Flawedatdesign
10-25-2007, 10:27 PM
I also see alot of talk about ballast resistors could this be a problem ? I'm not much of a problem finder when it comes to wiring. I have to say I was hoping when he said it didn't start that he meant it was flat out dead. The other thing is I don't see where the lights could be connected to the starting problem. I talked to previous owner again and he said it seemed to happen more often if you shook the bed . I'm just stumped. I had a friends that had one similar with starting problems it turned out to be a bad fuseable link. Thats what I was kinda hoping for on this one.
77Utiline
10-26-2007, 12:51 AM
It could be your fusible link but also make sure your starter relay has got good connections.
Flawedatdesign
10-26-2007, 12:56 AM
Any place on the web that a person can locate a wiring diagram? I found on on here for an 86 not sure if they are the same or not. I live in the sticks and the local parts store has no manuals. Won't be able to get to civilaztion for a week or so any help is greatly appeciated.
buck99
10-26-2007, 09:09 AM
Okay where do you locate the bulkhead connector? I'll start with that tomorrow. ALso any pics of such would be great
The connection where all the wiring goes through the firewall into the cab. May have a bad connection or bent pins.
Speed Dragon
10-26-2007, 09:41 AM
+1 on the bulkhead connector, Dodges have always had problems there. It's the main wiring harness plug in the firewall on the driver side, under the hood. May just have some corrosion in it, good scrubbing/cleaning and it may work just fine again. Sounds like main power isn't making it through into the cab.
Flawedatdesign
10-26-2007, 12:04 PM
assuming it's the big black thing mounted on the fire wall right? Okay after having to go buy another test light and multimeter which i didn't use the multimeter. I have power to the coil several wires to the big black thing mounted on the fire wall on the top left as ur facing the truck. I have power to all 3 pins on the headlights switch on or off dosen't matter. Same with the coil I unplugged the harness to the steering column and still had power there.
Now places I don't have power. The fuse block under the dash. It still cranks over but has no spark that i could see. And the fuseable links are all good on the fenderwell on the driver side
Speed Dragon
10-26-2007, 04:00 PM
Fuse block might be toast too, that's another problem spot on a Dodge. Make sure you're getting main power to the fuse block, should be a thick red or black wire running to it from the firewall plug.
Flawedatdesign
10-26-2007, 11:14 PM
Well I was told tonight that it had this problem before. The guy down the road from where it sits fixed it. Was a main wire in one of the connectors running through the firewall. I'll talk to him in the morning. I did replace the ballast resistor just to rule it out. The oil light in the dash was working today and didn't yesterday so we will see what works tomorrow
Flawedatdesign
10-27-2007, 11:38 PM
Okay guys spent 4 hours before work poking and proding. Here is what I now have. I had power to the fuse block all along. What I do have is a short to ground. You can hook the light to the ground on the battery and touch ground anywhere on the truck and it lights up. I found one of the problems and it was the first black wire out of the junction for the fuseable links. Runs to the fuse block for all the lights FOund the tail light wires bare and grounding out.
Now The second wire that I cut and the light went out was the orange and black stripe wire that runs into the bulk head third or fourth from the top on the far left side if your facing the truck. It goes into the dash around the headlight switch area. Didn't have time to pull it all out and look. Any guess what the problem could be or where that wire goes?
Flawedatdesign
10-27-2007, 11:40 PM
Also want to mention it's still turning over but not firing
Speed Dragon
10-28-2007, 07:16 AM
Try adding a ground to the engine, I had the same exact problem w/ my '73 Club Cab, would turn over but not start and I could touch the fender or front bumper and light up the test light. Ended up running a ground from the engine to the frame and it fixed it.
Flawedatdesign
10-28-2007, 10:41 AM
I'll give it a try. not able to get grounding strap till Monday. So i'll test it with a piece of 10 gauge and see if it works.
buck99
10-28-2007, 10:47 AM
"You can hook the light to the ground on the battery and touch ground anywhere on the truck and it lights up."
Sounds like you need to check all the main grounds. Cab to frame, engine to frame, and battery to frame.
You shouldn't be able to get a test light from the battery to the frame, cab or engine if all the grounds are connected right.
Flawedatdesign
10-28-2007, 03:11 PM
Okay grounded the cab to the engine and everything started working like it should with the exception of the truck not starting cause i killed the battery try to start it so many times previously. I grounded it and everything works like it should lights blower motor winshield wipers etc etc . Now is there a fire hazard by doing it that way or did I just have a bad ground?
Speed Dragon
10-28-2007, 07:28 PM
I wouldn't think so, I just used a piece of random 18ga wire I had laying around on mine, ran it from the alternator to the frame, never had a minutes problem.
Flawedatdesign
10-29-2007, 07:14 PM
IT LIVES. Okay ran a 6 ga battery cable from the fender to the alt bracket. Charged the battery hit it with a bit of starting fluid and she fired right up.
