1998 Dodge Ram Engine won't turn over

EARL30

MEMBER
1998 DODGE RAM
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
152,000 MILES

My neighbor borrowed my truck and it stopped running. I don't know if it made any strange noises before it stopped since I wasn't the driving. As far as I can tell it is an electrical problem of some sort. When I first turned the key on and tried to start it, I got nothing. All the lights came on like normal when the ignition is turned on but when you try to start it everything dies, including the dome light. If you disconnect the battery and let it sit there for a while it will almost so something that looks like it resets something. Then when you hook the battery back up you can try again. Same thing happened over and over. I tried just turning on the headlights once and got nothing. When the ignition switch sprung back to the accessory position the fuel relay was chattering. I pulled it and swapped it with the A/C relay hoping to get lucky. Nope. I noticed the positive connector on the battery is getting really hot like something is grounded out somewhere. So I started disconnecting things. Started with my brake boost. Didn't help. Then went to the alternator. Got the truck started. Pulled it out of the yard and into the garage to furture investigate. When I shut it off it won't start again. The alternator is still disconnected at this time. I hooked the alternator back up. This time instead of using the battery, I disconnected it from and hooked up my jump box to make sure I was getting good voltage. Got it started again. Shut it down and it wouldn't start again. I hooked the battery back up and came to the determination that the starter is grounded out somehow. Took it out and had it tested. It's fine. I'm at a lose. Any suggestions?

1 Reply

BLACKOP555

MECHANIC
10,371 POSTS

Get a spare battery that is confirmed good and put it in to elimate that. Next step would be to see if it works or not.

Next step would be take a dmm and put on positive battery cable then go to where it hooks on solenoid and try to crank vehicle. What kind of voltage is reading on the dmm. Go from the negative engine to the - post and crank it. What do you have this time. I want to get the basics done to see if vehicle will start before goign to what could have caused it.

If you have means to get to a autozone you can take the starter and have it bench tested for free to make sure it isnt shorted out which could do you issue of the starting and not cuz when it stops it could be stopping in a bad area and not working till enough messing with the vehicle or by luck the armature realigns and starter works.