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07 hemi ram mega cab is down


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houpy 
Member - Posts: 13
Member spacespace
Joined: November 16, 2013
Location: North Dakota, United States
Posted: December 06, 2013 at 3:37 PM / IP Logged  
I have an 07 ram mega cab with a hemi and auto trans. It has about 70,000 miles on it. Been a great truck but I drove it home and turned it off and it hasn't started since. I can put the key in and everything works. Lights come on. Gauges move normally. When I turn the key to start, the dash lights go off and it makes a click under the dash. Release key and lights come on gauges move but will not crank and I'm not hearing the fuel pump. I found the clicking under the dash to be the box on the shifter cable. I can get it out of park with the key on and tried in neutral and nothing. This far I have checked the fuses and all are good. I charged the battery and it tests good. The only thing that has changed is the weather. Parked it and the outside temp was 27 since then it has been -0.... Could the cold temp have it acting up? Last winter and a few times this winter when I would start it there would be a loud noise under the hood. I thought it was a cold power steering pump. Could it be the starter hanging? Could it be bad? I'm looking for possibile problems. I put the scanner on it and it says no codes. Tried both keys.
If it don't feel rite.... It isnt!
i am an idiot 
Platinum - Posts: 13,667
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: September 21, 2006
Location: Louisiana, United States
Posted: December 06, 2013 at 4:00 PM / IP Logged  
Use a volt meter to verify that the battery is not dead. You have to have the meter across the battery while attempting to start the truck.
oldspark 
Gold - Posts: 4,913
Gold spacespace
Joined: November 03, 2008
Location: Australia
Posted: December 06, 2013 at 4:21 PM / IP Logged  
That sounds like a classic dirty battery terminal - all seems ok until crank whereupon (click &) all goes dark until released whereupon electrics MAY return.
Check for looseness else loosen the battery terminals and wiggle & re-tighten to get out of trouble, otherwise remove & clean terminals & replace. (NB - for typical -ve GND vehicles, the -ve battery terminal should always be disconnected when working on the +ve - ie, -ve off first and on last.)
It's possibly the same problem elsewhere - ie, a dirty or loose connection at the engine ground end, and maybe chassis end.
It could also be a weak or damaged battery, but it's rare to have lights etc at full brightness with full recovery.
... Tho I've just realised I interpreted "lights" as meaning main beams...
If lights mean dash lights only, then turning on headlights is a good test of battery strength, but also the aforementioned bad connections.
houpy 
Member - Posts: 13
Member spacespace
Joined: November 16, 2013
Location: North Dakota, United States
Posted: December 06, 2013 at 7:00 PM / IP Logged  
Well..... I put it in the shop and got it warm, replaced battery. Cleaned all connections and still no crank. I used a test light to check the wires on the starter and the battery cable on starter has power and much to my surprise the small yellow wire has power too. Even with the key off. My next step is find out how much power each one has. Can anyone tell me if this is normal? Or could my starter be shorted out and back feeding the yellow wire. Both wires go to the starter solenoid. Shouldn't the small yellow wire energize to make the starter engage?
If it don't feel rite.... It isnt!
smokeman1 
Platinum - Posts: 1,588
Platinum spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Security and Convenience. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: September 14, 2009
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Posted: December 06, 2013 at 7:24 PM / IP Logged  
Back in October my starter went out. Same symptoms as your truck. 92 Chevy K1500, 86000 miles, No indications of pending doom. Just stopped working. No clicking at the solenoid, all lights and gauges work as normal, just no start. Dead starter.
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oldspark 
Gold - Posts: 4,913
Gold spacespace
Joined: November 03, 2008
Location: Australia
Posted: December 06, 2013 at 8:26 PM / IP Logged  
The starter solenoid wire should not normally have +12V on it. It may be a high resistance "leak" from its heavy +12V contacts (a test light should determine that) else indicative of a solenoid fault - whether frozen or seized in the on position, or insulation breakdown etc.
It could be that the starter gear is stuck in the ring gear hence keeping the heavy solenoid contacts closed (feeding heavy +12V into the solenoid and its (small) wire), but that means constant "cranking" and hence a hot or smoking starter and a heavily flattening battery.
Normally shorting the starter solenoid terminal to the heavy +12V with a screwdriver or spanner etc (but NOT any other grounded engine/gearbox body parts!) should pull the solenoid in which (1) closes the heavy +12V contacts to the startermotor & (2) pushes out the gear into the flywheel ring gear.
It will give a reasonably hefty spark because of the relatively high-current solenoid (typically 40A when initiated) but that's nothing to fear. (Unlike shorting to GND where the melting spanner or exploding battery is worthy of fear!)
If that manual short (contact bridging) does not crank, then unless it's a bad battery, it's a starter motor fault (shorted or open windings, worn brushes, seized mechanicals, etc).
houpy 
Member - Posts: 13
Member spacespace
Joined: November 16, 2013
Location: North Dakota, United States
Posted: December 06, 2013 at 9:26 PM / IP Logged  
Well got under it and shorted it out with key on. Cranks perfect but no start. Match anyone ?
If it don't feel rite.... It isnt!
oldspark 
Gold - Posts: 4,913
Gold spacespace
Joined: November 03, 2008
Location: Australia
Posted: December 07, 2013 at 5:07 PM / IP Logged  
So it's not a battery capacity issue since it can crank the starter.
The starter is ok - it cranks.
The IG key won't crank the starter - hence keyswitch or starter relay problem.
The engine won't start despite cranking with IGN on - faulty fuel pump relay or pump? Else fuel (no fuel, blocked filters etc). Else IGN (spark etc). Or controllers (ECU) & sensors, injectors etc.
You now start the process of elimination.
BTW - ROTATE your (same sized) fuses, and disconnect & reconnect all involved connectors (to relays, wiring harnesses, sensors etc).
houpy 
Member - Posts: 13
Member spacespace
Joined: November 16, 2013
Location: North Dakota, United States
Posted: December 07, 2013 at 7:41 PM / IP Logged  
Well... I have replaced all fuses unplugged and re plugged sensors. I can't hear the fuel pump so I relieved pressure at the engine then turned on key and fuel pump is working. I started testing wires at the ignition switch harness. I found that when I turn on the key everything works, dash lights come on, gauges come up. But when testing the pink/white + ignition wire with key on I have zero volts. It remains dead despite the dash powering up. I put a pos wire from the battery to the pink/ white ignition wire with key off and it powers up the dash as if turning key on. With this jumper wire connected the engine will start with the key and do exactly what it's supposed to do. While engine is running I can unhook the jumper wire and it remains running. I'm not sure where to look for a problem with this discovery.
If it don't feel rite.... It isnt!
oldspark 
Gold - Posts: 4,913
Gold spacespace
Joined: November 03, 2008
Location: Australia
Posted: December 08, 2013 at 12:54 AM / IP Logged  
I don't have any wiring diagrams etc, but from other sources it seems that pink/white is IGN +12V.
Hence I'd suggest checking the IGN relay (if fitted) - maybe swap with another similar relay (eg, ACC).
And did you rotate else replace flinks (fusible links) (if fited)?
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