Crank and no start. Pulled transmission and now won't start

Tiny
SHREDDER1212O
  • MEMBER
  • 1993 DODGE TRUCK
  • 5.9L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 155,000 MILES
I had my truck in the shop and I pulled the transmission because I had clutch problems. Put the transmission back in and found that my cps (crank position sensor) had been pinched in the bell housing. Pulled tranny again and got it out. Cut the wires and replaced them one at a time. Put back in the truck and ran. Then a day later it runs barely and stalls and dies when it want. CPS wire had fell out because the wires broke. Put it back together taped it and made sure it was tight now I have crank and no start? Could doing the wiring trip the add relay and cause it to not start. I'm not sure if I can hear the fuel pump when turned "on" but I have fuel to the fuel rail. The valve will shoot fuel to the top of the hood when it's open? So is my problem still the CPS or something else? By the way I replaced the ignition coil brand new Cps after I pinched it. Help please? What can this be? Oh and when it finally quit completely I was driving down the road a block from my house and it just cut all power to engine. No stall no warning. I was on the accelerator when this happened so pretty sure it's not the tps but not completely sure
Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 AT 10:55 AM

23 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,858 POSTS
First of all, get rid of any electrical tape. That will unravel into a gooey mess on a hot day. The only proper repair where moisture can get in is to slide the wire strands together, (don't twist them like when using wire nuts in house wiring), solder them, then seal them with heat-shrink tubing. For outside the cabin, use tubing with hot-melt glue inside to seal the joint. All auto parts stores have it.

Second, at any time did you remove the crank sensor? If you did, the air gap when reinstalling it is critical. New sensors from the dealer have a thick paper spacer stuck on the end to set that gap. It slides off and is lost the first time you crank the engine, but by then its job is done. To reinstall that type, get a new spacer from the dealer's parts department. Many aftermarket sensors have a thin plastic rib molded on the end to set the gap. To reinstall those, you are to cut the remaining part of the rib off, then use a paper spacer.

I replaced thirteen transmissions while working at the dealership in the '90s. At first I cut those spacers in half so I could save a few pennies. After a while, I thought I was smarter than the engineers, and I just shoved the sensors in all the way, then pulled them back about 1/16". I got away with that on a couple, but the last one developed an intermittent stalling issue that turned into a no-start. Since the owner had no knowledge that the sensor was involved with the recent transmission replacement, he didn't share that with the next shop, so they misdiagnosed it as a bad sensor. Had they known it was recently removed, they may have just rechecked the spacing first.

Next, the Engine Computer turns on the automatic shutdown (ASD) relay for one second when you turn on the ignition switch, then again during engine rotation, (cranking or running). The fuel pump will run for that initial one second. That is why you see fuel pressure at the rail. What is important is if that relay is turning on again during cranking. If it isn't, you won't have power to the fuel pump, AND you won't have spark. To check if the ASD relay is turning on, measure the voltage at the ignition coil, any injector, or either small terminal on the back of the alternator. A test light works better for this than a voltmeter because it's easy to see when working by yourself. You'll see it flash on for one second when you turn on the ignition switch, and you may hear the hum of the fuel pump. If it doesn't turn on again during cranking, recheck the wires and air gap for the crank sensor. If it does turn on solidly during cranking, you have a spark OR a fuel supply problem.

On newer cars that wire to check the voltage on is usually dark green / orange. I can't remember the color on a '93 truck, but it will be the same color and stripe at every injector and the ignition coil. The same color wire feeds the 12 volts to the alternator, but because of the black rubber terminal block, you can't tell which wire goes to which terminal. The wrong terminal is still a valid test point because while its voltage may be less than 12 volts, it still will only be there if the right terminal is getting voltage. Those are my favorite terminals to use because you don't have to back-probe a connector and wonder if the probe is making good contact with the terminal. Never, ever poke a hole in a wire to take a reading. Moisture WILL get in there and corrode it.

This guide can help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 AT 2:59 PM
Tiny
SHREDDER1212O
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Thanks so much. Got it to start an it runs great for a little while. It will stall and then run fine. Is that spacer causing this? Or a bad connection? It ran fine for 15 min when first installed and now this?
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Wednesday, November 27th, 2013 AT 12:01 AM
Tiny
JK68
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
  • 1991 DODGE TRUCK
I have a 1991 d150 5.2, it would not start so I checked the positive side of the coil and there was no power so I ran a wire from the positive side of the battery to the positive side of the coil and it ran great drove home that way, I need to know what feeds that positive side of that coil.
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
That voltage comes from the asd relay. Must be a problem with wiring circuit from asd relay to positive side of coil. Can't be the relay in my opinion, that relay supplies voltage to several system, those system wouldn't work either, if the relay was faulty.
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JK68
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
JDL on the dodge d150 no spark do you think it could be in the ignition switch or computer and if not do you think the wire harness has to be changed, thanks
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JK68
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
JDL I forgot to mention the d150 with the coil problem, this problem comes and goes, it will run fine for a week and sometimes only a day and then I put the wire from the battery to the coil when it decides it is the day it does not want to run but I can unhook the wire and it runs, so what would no power to the coil go from sometimes power to no power
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
I think it is a bad wire or connection. Just my opinion. I can't see anything from here. There could be several what ifs?

Yeah, intermittent issues can be a pain to track. When the problem occurs, do you have B+ at the injectors, engine cranking, without the jumper to the coil?
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JK68
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
It does not stay like this long, when I got home to check everything I took the wire off the battery and there was power to the coil again, I know the coil wire goes to the ignition switch but I never seen one go in and out, and there is a relay under the hood, I think it is called asd relay, do you have a wire diagram I can look at, thanks
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DANIVAUGHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1986 DODGE TRUCK
  • 176,000 MILES
The truck was running fine then it knocked twice and shut off. Checked oil and didn't see any metallic coloring or feel any grit in the oil when I checked it. Added oil cause it was down a little and then started it again. It knocked again and shut off. Replaced the starter but still wont turn over. Old starter used to over run so replaced it. But still cant figure out why it wont start. I turn the key and it turns belts a little but then when I shut key off it puts belts back where they were. Is the motor seized or is something broken in there. With either scenario what should I do?
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
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Sounds like you have internal damage like arod or main bearing. Try turning it backwards. But this sounds like the engine will need rebuild.
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
The coil gets B+ from the asd relay, as do several other systems. When you add the jumper wire you could be back feeding voltage to the other systems.

Any applicable trouble codes?
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:40 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CBUTCHER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1986 DODGE TRUCK
Help !1986 Dodge Ram 150- 318 engine-110,000 miles- had been running fine- used occassionally -set for 3-4 weeks-started- ran for 10 seconds- cut off- will not start back- gas getting to carb- spark to spark plugs- changed plugs- still no start- turns over fine- acts like it wants to fire, but still no go. Hope some of you great mechanics can steer me in the right direction.
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Pull the coil wire at the distributor ground it to the engine and crank it over do you have a snapping blue spark coming out. Yellowish means its weak

Possible areas-in the ignition system: coil/distributor pick-up inside and the control module. Got spark-then you check the fuel pressure and report back

Try doing this-feed the carb with gas and fire it up=if it does you got a fuel system problem. Do this a few times to confirm its a fuel problem.

Hope this helps
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CBUTCHER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I've already tried pouring gas in the carb and it would not start- I'll pull the coil wire tonight and check that- Thanks for the reply- I'll let you know what I find out
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CAPTINSCOOBY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1984 DODGE TRUCK
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
What is the test process with out changing a lot of parts to repair this condition. I have a fully charged battery and power to my coil but no spark to my plugs. What is the next process to check this condition?
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs, coil's resistances, distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, cam and crank sensors and computer Note: If it doesn't apply disregard it.
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TERRYGROVES
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 1985 DODGE TRUCK
  • 172,000 MILES
My 85 dodge power ram w150 wont start. When I turn the key there is nothing and it was running fine yesterday and today it seems like there is no battery life but there is cause I checked it with my multimeter on volts and got 12.96 battery voltage. Jumped starter and it cranks no power to dash What could be my problem?
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Could be a burned fusible link. If it is blown, you need to find out why it blew or it will happen again and again.

Roy
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
The pic in the bottom of my link says it all

Http://www.2carpros.com/questions/1996-chevrolet-tahoe-wont-start-sounds-dead-battery-jumpbox-get-same-reults

Mainly the "meat and potatoes" of the link, was referring to my buddy w/ a s-10 truck w/ side post terminals.......soon i will make a pic showing how to take 'em apart and properly clean them, as few people don't know how to

As for the pic in my link.....another buddy with a '85 cj 7 jeep...it had "top posts".......his jeep had exactly the same symptoms that you truck has now, even the "jumping thing"

Keep us informed

The medic
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TERRYGROVES
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Link was burned replaced link there is a blue, green, orange, black wires all go in to black connector and to a lg black wire that goes to the block on the firewall could something in the connector be bad?
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Thursday, September 12th, 2019 AT 1:41 PM (Merged)

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