Help truck wont turn over

[hende]

I have a 1988 Dodge d50. Last night I drove it and when I went to start it again it wouldnt turn over. tried to push start it and wouldnt even try to fire. Aftter trying to push start it 3 times I then turned the key again and it fired up. Got it home and it started a few times just fine last night then today nothing again. Any ideas? It has a 5 speed and the clutch safety switch has been bypassed so I know thats not it.

 

[2500hdon37s]

fuel pump? battery? alternator?

 

[hende]

battery is good tested it and fuel pump or alt wouldnt keep it from turning over it dont click nothing

 

[punkfan]

My wife's jeep use to do this. Get a long stick and tap the starter if it turns it's the starter. I would use a broom stick nd give it a few good thumps.

 

[korn_2956]

Short?

 

[Manning]

Make sure all battery connections are good. Older vehicles are very susceptible to bad connections.

Don't just look at them and say, "hmm, looks good".

Remove them and clean any areas that the cables touch, scrub everything with a wire brush to remove all the rust, corrosion, grease and dirt. Both ends of the positive and negative cables and any ground straps.

 

[tazman]

Sounds like the starter or could be the starter solenoid. When you tried to push start it, you bumbed the starter and that may have moved it enought to allow it to catch. Pull it out and have it tested. Good luck and I hope u find out what it is. "thumbsup"

 

[slobin3d]

Make sure all battery connections are good. Older vehicles are very susceptible to bad connections.

Don't just look at them and say, "hmm, looks good".

Remove them and clean any areas that the cables touch, scrub everything with a wire brush to remove all the rust, corrosion, grease and dirt. Both ends of the positive and negative cables and any ground straps.

This^^^

If that doesn't work you may have a bad solenoid, I'm not sure on dodge's but it's either on the starter like a chevy or the firewall/fender like fords"thumbsup"


Or your ignition switch is going bad, you can test that by hot boxing the solenoid if you can get to it

 

[GREEDY GENIUS]

Sounds like a fuel pump issue?

 

[SMR 510RR]

Has it been cold when this is happening? If so your battery may not be up to snuff. Like others have said, check connections to battery and starter, clean them up real good if they are dirty.

If all that is fine and there is still no click then probably a solenoid problem.

 

[Cordwood]

Sounds like a solenoid for sure.

 

[0124vctd]

I am not sure if he is saying that it cranks but wont fire or it it will not do either? If it is not turning over you might try tapping on the side of the starter and see if that makes it work.

 

[Cordwood]

The subject line says "truck won't turn over."

 

[jcboof]

No crank, no fire (even when push starting) Sounds like an ignition interrupt relay of some sort.

Hondas use a "Main Relay" that interrupts the Starter, Ignition, Fuel pump, and injectors. If the relay acts up, the car won't start or turn over no matter what you do. Sometimes tapping on the relay gets it to work.

Since that dodge is essentially a Mitsu, I'd suspect it has the same type of ignition relay system.
But of course always check your grounds and battery connections. But the whole intermittent issue really seems like an electrical relay of some sort.

 

[lowridinjuggalo]

sounds like the starter got stuck in the flywheel. once it released out it started right up.. if it does it again look at the starter and see if the bendix is still in the flywheel

 

[Mr.Slave]

connections are always the first things i check. not just at the battery but at the alternator and starter as well.

 

[docsrcrepair]

Sounds like a fuel pump issue?

Fuel pump wont keep it from cranking over "thumbsup",
Some transmissions have a neutral switch that is in the side of the trans case too.
Same thing happened to my F350 Dually with the 6leaker... It was the starter(6th one in past 5yrs)And make sure your bendix isnt binding into the flywheel.

 

[hende]

I dont know why it wouldnt fire by push starting it but tapped the starter with a hammer when ever it hangs up and it starts great. Sounds like it is time for a starter. thanks for all the ideas guys"thumbsup"

 

[JasonInAugusta]

Needs more off-camber.

 

[GiJoe]

If it wouldnt fire when bump starting, id look at ignition switch. Did you short the terminals on the starter solenoid? If you do and it cranks, its prob the switch.