I have a '97 3500 cummins. yesterday I started it just like any other day, and as I sat there I noticed that the volt meter continued to discharge (like the intake heaters were still on) so I pulled out the driveway. Inoticed the volt meter still low so I decided to turn the ignition off. Now with ignition off and key in hand, my dodge truck is still running!! I started looking for the shut off solenoid, so I could unplug it to stop the engine. But before I could find the plug , white smoke started coming out so I could'nt see. The engine finally stopped . After it tried to restart itself. I would like to know if any one else has had this problem & what else besides the solenoid & shut off relay I might need to replace.

 

I had the same problem. My suggestion is to start cheap first.

1) COST: $10: Replace the relay. This could fix your problem totally or it could fix it for a while and then it'll do it again (which happened to me). My relays kept blowing every other start. Which leads me to my next fix...

2) COST: $0.40: Check the blue power wire off your battery. Check it for corrosion. Check it for integrity. And most importantly, check the fuse in it! Mine had a blow fuse in it which was causing my solenoid to malfunction and causing all my relays to burn up. All in all, this little 40 cent fuse ended up costing me $1200 in repairs that I really didn't need.

(I might add that NO ONE knew what the problem was. Not even the dealers. But the guys on this site help me figure out it was the fuse)

3) COST: $300-400: Replace the solenoid. I would use this as a last resort.

Hope that helps!

 

The above is all good advise. You should also change the starter contacts. Bad contacts will take out the solenoid.<br>John

 

If the starter has not been rebuilt or replaced since the truck was new, I would try that fix as well. $40 or so for the kit and a competent home mechanic can do it in less than an hour.<br><br>I had the same thing happen and tried the starter first adn it worked like a charm.<br><br>YMMV<br><br>Don Miller<br>97 2500, #8 plate, 3k springs, 370 injectors, 16 deg timing, Scotty II, Custom built torque convertor and tranny by Frank and Darren, Rip's 4&quot; shorty exhaust.

 

Hey, Doom!<br><br>Where did you get the shutdown relay for $10.00? If my truck sits for more than a couple days, the shutdown solenoid won't &quot;engage&quot;. I've tested the solenoid and it seems to work ok. I think my problem is the relay.<br><br>Thanks.

 

I just bought the relays at NAPA or AutoZone or whatever. Just ask the guys to look it up on the computer.

I can't remember the numbers for it, but it's not a special relay. It's the same as all the others. In fact, that just made me think of something. Take the relay out of your horn slot and switch it with your auto shutdown relay. Does your horn still work? If so, the relay is fine. And if your truck continues to start properly with the &quot;horn&quot; relay in, the problem was without question a bad relay.

 

Radio Shack has a 12V 30 amp relay. Cheapest one that will work that I have found.<br>John

 

Thanks, guys. I will try switching my horn and ASD relays but I think it's the shutdown solenoid relay that is causing my problem.

 

Check the power wire from the battery, as someone else suggested.<br>george

 

[quote author=radixr link=board=16;threadid=12406;start=0#117641 date=1048018542]<br>Thanks, guys. I will try switching my horn and ASD relays but I think it's the shutdown solenoid relay that is causing my problem.<br>[/quote]<br><br>I'm not sure if you meant to say just &quot;shutdown solenoid&quot; or not... but just in case, the ASD relay and the shutdown solenoid relay are essentially the same things.

 

Doom, on my '96 those are two distinct relays . The ASD relay is located in the Power Distribution Center and the shutdown relay is paired with the fuel heater relay which are mounted to the firewall. What does the ASD relay do? ???

It's time to check the wire from the battery.

 

Hm. Your 96 should be the same as my 95. So maybe I'm mistaken.

I always replaced the relay in the PDC labeled &quot;Auto Shutdown&quot; or maybe &quot;Fuel Shut Down&quot; (can't remember exactly) and it worked.

Actually, now that you mention it, I think I remember hearing of another relay... but I never could find it, so I kind of put it out of my mind.

 

The Radio Shack fuel shut off relay part number is 275-226.