Well, I took my truck on it's maiden off road voyage in the snowy mountains. It did pretty well, EXCEPT for lack of torque in 2wd (which I've addressed previously (http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227083)), A screaming power steering belt (Bought a replacement just haven't replaced..), The Pitman Arm on the power steering gear box will catch my tread on my TSL's pretty bad when turning hard right and worst of all the engine cuts out ALL the time. Once it cut off and I got no response from the starter at all. I checked the fuses and teh Back Up/Horn fuse was blown.. well I replaced it and had power to the ignition again. At first it cut off when I was climbing a hill, So I figured it was carb and that's what happened but then it started happening even at relatively even ground. Every time I would be wheeling and let off the gas, it would shut off. It was the most FRUSTRATING thing ever, especially when I'd get stuck in the snow and try to rock it out and it would cut off every time I let off the gas. And now I can crank it in any gear, not just P or N. It was CRAZY frustrating, man. Any reason why this would happen?
Also on a side note My truck likes to fight with me when I first try to crank it up for the day. It'll take 10 minutes to get a good idle. But when I get to the store or a friends house and come back out a long time later it will crank right up. Anything I can do to help her wake up a little better? and Also, What would one use the Choke for?
DiverDwnPowrRam
12-28-2008, 08:22 AM
On the tires...you need an adapter or you need new wheels that move the tires more outboard. On the Neutral safety switch allowing it to start in all gears..well you know that answer..you have multiple shorts and electrical problems. First find out why you are blowing fuses. The carb issue i suspect is what alot have found in older Edelbrocks and Truck Avengers...they are tempermental on inclines. Which on yours means a float issue or needle and seat issue.
bherder
12-28-2008, 02:38 PM
If I were you... I'd take care of all the problems (Especially electrical) before you went into somewhere where you might not be able to retrive it till March.
That's just me though. I have this real funny quirk about being able to make it back...
(PS...) If you're going off-roading in the snow, do yourself a favor and put it in 4WD and don't take it out.
fins2fuselage
12-28-2008, 10:50 PM
FTA,
I don't know what to tell you about most of your problems, but I will share this with you:
I was once (and ONLY once) foolish enough to take my nice-but-stock Jeep off-roading. Believe me, I discovered all of the mechanical problems which were about to go wrong -- because they instead went wrong right now! Even though the poor thing "made it out", it took forever to make it right again. I worked on that Jeep for six months afterward: brakes, electrical, exhaust, engine mounts, you name it.
Lesson learned: if you want to go off-roading, build a dedicated trail rig -- build it to the max -- and use your dedicated street vehicle to tow it to the trails.
And no, I never did buy a trail rig and build it to the max. Off-roading just wasn't as exhilarating as I expected it to be.
Jeff
mikehopkinsjr
12-28-2008, 10:58 PM
get used to the crankyness in the mornings, and the horrible screaming belt of doom...your gonna need less wide tires or spacers, might wanna rebuild the carb.? New neutral safety switch and gotta find out whats blowin fuses.
78BblockPwagon
12-30-2008, 10:29 AM
i have the same problem with the cutting out but i just bought a predator carb yesterday so i should be good i had a edelbrock 750
FTA Boy
12-30-2008, 11:35 PM
Yeah, well i definitely have some work to do on this truck. The engine cutting off was the most FRUSTRATING thing that I wanted to take care of, Let me know how that carb works out 78BblockPwagon.
I was browsing through here one day and read about some one doing a painless wiring kit in their truck and rewiring everything. So that will probably be something I do someday. I have crazy rigged wires from previous owners so I'd feel more comfortable if I made those crazy rigged wires myself and knew what they did. ;) It's weird how the Back up/ Horn fuse blew and killed power to my starter...
This truck pretty much is my dedicated trail/offroad truck. I took my Chevy up the mountain a few days later and crushed my passenger door on a tree and dinged up my rear bumper pretty bad. Things that I wouldn't care about so much for the dodge... but not the Chevy..
As for the Neutral Switch. My blinkers only work in D, no other gear. Also My blinker lever doesn't lock, I have to hold it up or down. And my gear indicator doesn't work. If I went to the junk yard and got a new steering column, depending on it's condition would that eliminate ALL those problems?
B-300
01-01-2009, 12:52 AM
I would look at the wiring that goes to the neutral start / backup lights... these all go to the neutral start switch and are probably shorted as mentioned. It would explain why both problems occured at the same time.
The center wire is the neutral start wir and connects the neutral start relay to ground in P or N, the other two are for the backup lights... one connects to the fuse the other to the backup lights.
cribbs74
01-01-2009, 11:02 AM
I was browsing through here one day and read about some one doing a painless wiring kit in their truck and rewiring everything. So that will probably be something I do someday. I have crazy rigged wires from previous owners so I'd feel more comfortable if I made those crazy rigged wires myself and knew what they did. ;) It's weird how the Back up/ Horn fuse blew and killed power to my starter...
You may be at that point to start considering a rewire.
This truck pretty much is my dedicated trail/offroad truck. I took my Chevy up the mountain a few days later and crushed my passenger door on a tree and dinged up my rear bumper pretty bad. Things that I wouldn't care about so much for the dodge... but not the Chevy..
Ouch! that hurts the ears, keep in mind where you are posting......the Dodge parts will be a little harder to find and sometimes more expensive. I say thrash the Chevy:D
As for the Neutral Switch. My blinkers only work in D, no other gear. Also My blinker lever doesn't lock, I have to hold it up or down. And my gear indicator doesn't work. If I went to the junk yard and got a new steering column, depending on it's condition would that eliminate ALL those problems?
Not sure about the neutral start switch but your blinker stalk is connected to a removable switch assy and easily replaced without having to yank and replace the column. I would just replace the broken parts in the column myself, but if it's cheaper to get a replacement column as opposed to piece parts then go for it. Besides you may need the spares down the road. Good luck man, keep working at it.
78BblockPwagon
01-02-2009, 10:32 AM
well i bought the carb and it needs new gaskets so i gotta try and make new gaskets for it and ill let you know my edelbrock sucks
FTA Boy
01-06-2009, 04:17 PM
Get those gaskets made yet?
78BblockPwagon
01-06-2009, 08:27 PM
working on it. im in between going to school and everything else ill be sure and let you know asap
