2000, 2500, 4x4, diesel, auto, loaded. Blowing the starter solenoid fuse.
Thinking the wiring might be the same as an 01, I got to looking through my manuals, but I think there may be a glitch.
My book (wiring charts) shows that fuse #9 (spare) controls the starter relay and not #D (delta)(as per the power distribution center). Fuse D looks like a spare IAW Volume 1 page 8W-10-3. Can anyone shed a bit of light on it for me?
After clearing that up, what typically would cause the starter solenoid to start blowing fuses? Not enough grease maybe causing it to bind?
TIA

scratchingmyheadShortround out

 

have you checked to make sure it's not grounded? just a thought. good luck

 

If it's not grounding out, you may need new contacts in the solinoid.

 

You should crawl underneath and see if the starter is loose. If not, you can remove the starter and disassemble it. Chances are it needs new contacts in the solenoid and you can check the armature bearings/bushings. If you see any scrapes on the armature or windings then your bearings/bushings are worn out and it is grounding.

 

shortround are you blowing fuse before the starter actually starts to crank or after?

Mine just started blowing fuses, but before the starter engages. I have traced it back to either the relay or the heater grid. As soon as the heater grid cycles off and the "WAIT TO START" light goes out the fuse is blown. If I crank it before it has a chance to cycle the starter cranks and engine starts.

Anyone else have a simular problem?

 

It's on another truck, but this is what I understand.
The starter will make an attempt to turn. You can hear the solenoid engage and immediately drop out. It doesn't happen all the time. Looking at the schematics, and again I'm not 100% sure they are the same for 2000 and 2001, power comes from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid relay coil and from there to ground. The power for the relay contacts comes from the battery through the contacts to the solenoid coil, energizing the solenoid and applying battery (B+) to the starter.
If there is a ground issue and the voltage available to the relay is low, the current draw will increase. This could be the problem, especially if the current draw is close to the fuse rating.
Something we've found in these newer military vehicles is that there are not enough grounds. Everyone of the new 5 ton trucks that experience electrical glitches are getting ground straps added from the frame to the body and frame to engine. The bigger the better. It seems that the ground strapping wasn't any bigger than a #10 stranded wire.
Gotta run, getting ASAP'ed by the boss.

Shortround out

 

Check the starter relay. My buddies truck was doing the exact same thing and after 16 hours of doing everything we could think of (including a complete disassembly of the fuse block) we swapped his starter relay with his headlight relay and wa la, she works. What was happening is that relay was starting to wear out and didn't quite have the capacity to crank the starer. It runs the headlights just fine though. Might be something worth looking into.