Loopi

Ok, so, first off, HI!!!! Long time no see guys.

Now, that being said....We were driving down to Orlando from Ocala...We got all the into Orlando and everything was fine...we're like 3 1/2 miles from our destination (a campground...we're pulling the 5'er) and the light flips green and My beloved pushes the accelerator to go and the truck just starts to accel like normal for a sec, and then dies.

She turns the key to try to re-start and it makes no sound whatsoever. Within a minute of panicky freaking out and trying to see if it's something really obvious, I notice that when she turns the key to the ON position, the charge/battery/voltage meter doesn't move at all...like not AT ALL..like the key was never turned. So, just to be sure (even though I kinda knew what the results would be because the hazards worked) I turned on the Headlights and they came on nice and bright. So I ruled out the battery...So this left ignition, or something obscure I don't know about.

About this time a guy comes up (very seedy neighborhood, but the people were nice mostly, and we're literally, at this point stuck IN THE MIDDLE of Orange Blossom Trail, which, if you know orlando, is a VERY busy street) and he comes and fiddles and does stuff, and jumps the starter (which makes it turn over and go raawraawraawraawraaw real nice, but not a sputter; clue two about ignition for me) and then he says "It's probably your ignition Module, it's one of those!" and then he waves at the 3 little black boxes with wires coming out on the inside drivers fender under the hood. He then stumbles off, and since it is 8:15pm on Sunday and the AutoZone already closed, I started to arranging towing (we have good roadside).

Soooooooooooooo....long story a little teensy bit less long, I wake up and look in the chiltons which covers every single dodge truck known to man and is VERY scrimpy on Cummins info, even though it SAYS Cummins on the cover as being included, and it is absolutely NO help.

What parts COULD is be that would cause it to happen that when one turns the key, NOTHING happens, there is no change to the ON state. I know ignition switch, but is there an ignition module? Or any relays or anything else I need to look at or rule out? And/or What procedures would you follow to diagnose the PART needed and get it fixed?

HELP! I'm at a loss guys!

James

Onemoparnut

There are fuseable links on top of the driver side inner fender near the hood hinge. One is probably burned up some times you can't tell just by looking at them. If you can jump the starter to get it cranking again take a jumper wire and hook it from the +battery terminal to the post of the fuel shutdown selonoid and it will run but some electrical stuff may not work.

thrashingcows

Not sure where the starter relay is on your 91.5-93 trucks. Mine is on the steering column, under the dash, my column is from an 89. If that is toast it will not start, nor relay power to many areas of the electrical system.

But you can definitely get it running if you do as Onemoparnut suggests.

GIT-R-DONE

Need to know what year of truck you have ..........You can try to change the shutdown relay with one of the other 2 on the drivers side, mounted to the inside of fender....

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=128911


Try switching out relay # 5 with one of 3,4.

It really sounds as if the negative battery cable needs cleaned or retightened. Make sure of this because you can have the negative battery cable "looks" ok, lights will still work, but it wont crank. Good ground is necessary.

Onemoparnut

If you leave the lights on an try to crank the engine do the head lights stay on?

ppiggppenn

Mine (93 D350) did similar when towing my old 5er, turned out to be a large wire that split off the positive battery cable a few inches from the battery terminal, ... I pulled it apart, plugged it back in and everything lit up. I've since cleaned up the connector and schplooked it full of dielectric grease (vaseline will do similar).

B-North

It's the Orange fusible link under the hood. Do as suggested above to get it running until then.

BearKiller

That connector piggpenn is talking about is often forgotten, corrodes, and quits making the circuit.

Give it a good wiggling and away you go.

If that ain't it, then next in line are the fusible links, bulkhead connector, and key-switch.


Honestly, if you are gonna be out on the road with a trailer, you need to familarize yourself with how to quickly crank and run these trucks when the cheapy Dodge wiring system lets you down; they are really simple.

BearKiller

In fact, one should put a starter-button and flip-switch under the hood and it could be started almost instantly, without even looking for a jumper-wire.

Loopi

You guys are BEYOND awesome. Tomorrow morning will bring new fun and working on it. If it is the fusable link (orange wire) how is that fixed? Just replace?

Oh, and it's a 92.

James

Onemoparnut

Replace the link with a wire and a fuse holder so if it ever goes again it is an easy fix.

BearKiller

Follow the fat black wire from the HOT battery-post back toward the fire-wall.

Just about under the hood-hinge, left side of the truck, you will come to where that black wire splits off into several smaller wires in a "duckfoot"-shaped splitter.

The first few inches of each of those wires is an individual fusible-link.

In the event of an electrical short-circuit, these fusible-links are meant to melt, instead of the wire catching fire.


However, old age and poor design makes them lose integrity and no longer function as they should.


Instead of replacing them with more fusible-links, it is far better to completely remove them and replace them with either circuit-breakers or maxi-fuses.


The only reason the manufacturers use the links is they are the cheapest way out.

Loopi

Ok, if this fixes it, I'm gonna do the dance of Joy <tm>...What size fuses do I use? Big ones I assume so that they simulate the "wire not catching fire" function?

James

Loopi

OK....there seems to be two different orange wires...one goes into a connector, the other goes into what looks like black electrical tape <fusible link?> and has a white wire that joins with...the connector one, also goes into black electrical tape looking stuff...

Am I in the right place?



Mine is also completely mummy wrapped in black plastic except where the duckfoot come out and the wires go a few inches and then back into another bundle plastic wire holder thing....So that is why I.m not positive But if the circled wires are what we're talking about, then I just need to figure out which one for the fix (although I will porbably re-do em all at some point.

James

Onemoparnut

Yes you are in the right place just need to figure out what one is bad.