Okay so yesterday i start the truck in the morning going to work no problem, starts like a champ. Got to work it set from 830 a.m. til 500 p.m. went to start it and it acted like the battery was dead, but the gauge never went down. So i think maybe my neutral safety switch isnt catching, check it and it try again no start. Got frustrated and from run to start about 5 times nothing. At this point im , decide ill try one more time *BAM* fires right up. Drove it home, shut it off in the driveway and started it back up no problem. Went out this morning started fine no problem then at lunch acts up again, but only take about 3 tries and fires. What could be making the truck start fine one time and not the next? I load tested the batteries and they are good, and just put a new starter on it about 5 months ago, so i dont think its that. Only other thing i can think of is the ignition switch in the colum or maybe a relay somewhere. What else could it be?

 

There is a fuel solenoid relay on the firewall. If it is acting up they work sometimes and not other times. The next time it will not start leave the key in the on position and pop the hood and check to see if the fuel solenoid is pulled up. It is on the drivers side on the side of the injector pump at the back. Also there is linkage on the solenoid that can bind up if it is not lubed good that can make the solenoid stick so you might try lubing it.

 

Sounds more like the truck won't crank....

A few suggestions could be:
Start relay in Power Distribution Center -- this would be my first guess
Neutral safety as you said
A dead spot in the starter (is it an aftermarket cheapo or a Denso?)
Bad starter solenoid
Ignition Switch
Bad connection on main battery cable to starter or solenoid engage wire
Bad cable from batteries to starter
Bad ground from engine to batteries
Bad connection or faulty 12v wire feeding ignition (does everything else still work? Fan, radio, etc?)

 

You are right, I guess I read the original post too fast. Sorry sbout that.

 

Where did you get your Starter from?

 

I got the starter from oreilly's and yes i went with the denso, dont like paying for something i have to replace quick. Everything does stay on when i turn the key just wont turn over. It hasnt done it again since lunch time yesterday. Here is something i did notice though it seems to only do it when i park with the front end down hill (i.e. parklot at work) parked in the driveway at the house its slightly uphill and it doesnt do it then. Didnt get a chance to check anything last night had to work late but should be able to look into it more this evening. Thanks for all the suggestions

 

..........ur batteries r low on acid/water.........kim.......

 

Start relay in Power Distribution Center? Is that in the fuse box under the hood? My starter won't turn over when I turn the key. I replaced the ign switch a while back. I rigged a jump wire off the starter and when contacted on the positive side of battery the truck starts fine. Just a pain starting up with the wire and not with the key. And all power to dash work fine.

 

Yep, should be a start relay in that fuse box somewhere.

 

Had an idea. Now I'll go and look. Is there a way to jump the plug to see if the relay is the problem?

 

If your horn works and the relay fits in the start relay spot, try that..... I'll look up the pin numbers to short across when I get home from work. If you try the horn relay swap trick, maybe you'll beat me to it

 

It's labeled ASD and can be swapped with the A/C or ABS relays to see if it's the problem.

 

ASD and Starter relay are actually labeled separately. I'm pretty sure they are separate relays.

 

9812vram,thanks for the info. Your layout looks different from mine. I have a 1994 Ram 2500. I uploaded a pic of it, waiting for approval. Now to fix the A/C. Only way to get cold a/c is jump the pressure switch under the hood. At least I can turn it on and off from inside the cab

 

If you remove the starter relay and jump from the 30 terminal to the 87 terminal on the relay socket, it will bypass the relay, the ignition switch and the neutral safety switch, and put power right to the starter to engage it. The pins should be numbered as such on the relay. Just make sure it's in park when you do it or you'll be chasing the truck down the road.