Motor won't crank

DODGE2000

MEMBER
2000 DODGE RAM
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
84,000 MILES

My problem is motor won’t crank in myDodge2000 1500Ram. Starter, neutral safety switch all good. Starter relay is good but the socket has some problems. At one point I had power at #30 tried to jump #30 to #87 it didn’t start, battery to #87 didn’t start. I checked out all fuses in CPU all are good cleaned power leads to CPU moved engine line up and down thinking it wasn’t making contact. Checked #30 for power didn’t have any. Then tired battery to #87 it started put relay back in, it didn’t start. My Chilton book say if no power at #30 to check fuse F12 in CPU, fuses in my CPU are not labeled like that, they are listed by name of what the fuse does. I then checked all fuse sockets that had to do with ignition all were good. What does the F12 fuse do? Does the F12 feed power to #30? Chilton doesn’t have any material on the CPU. It appears to me that the contact (or main board, if it has one) in the CPU has a problem. It looks like I can separate the CPU. I would like to know what it looks like before I do, or have more information about it. Should I take out all fuses before I separate it? Is their something special I should use to clean the contact with? Do you think my problem is in the CPU?

4 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

I only have a '99 service manual but it should be the same. Fuse 2, a 30 amp feeds terminal 30 of the starter relay. That's on the row next to the edge of the Power Distribution Center, (fuse box), and second from the corner. First you found jumping battery voltage to terminal 87 didn't work, then later you found it did. If it doesn't crank that way, you have a second problem. The box can be popped apart. You'll find a lot of brass strips between the various fuses and relays, and wires connected to them. Look for the terminal with the large red wire to see if that wire is corroded off or if a rivet is loose. That wire feeds other things that would also be dead but the diagram doesn't show what those things are.

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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 AT 2:57 PM

DODGE2000

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Thanks for the reply, at work now I’ll check it later. Could you send me a copy of the wiring diagram you have, it might be of help when I pop the box apart. Also you said I have a second problem what’s that?

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Thursday, March 10th, 2011 AT 5:09 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

The starter relay circuit can be broken down into four parts, each with one terminal in the relay socket. It appears one problem is you are missing battery voltage to terminal 30. The other problem is applying battery voltage with a jumper wire to terminal 87 didn't cause the starter to engage. Terminal 87 goes right to the starter solenoid. So when you jump 30 to 87, you're jumping a dead circuit to a non-working circuit. Even if both of those circuits have a problem, you should still hear that relay click when you turn the ignition switch to "crank". That involves the other two circuits in the relay socket. One is for the 12 volts coming from the ignition switch, and one is the ground going through the neutral safety switch. Those two are for the coil inside the relay.

I'll draw a simple diagram and post it shortly.

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Thursday, March 10th, 2011 AT 5:43 PM

CARADIODOC