Care to guess on a truck problem?

[Kenneth in Texas]

Here's the scenerio: Buddy down the street, 2004 dodge 1500 quad cab, well taken care of 80k mile trcuk, 4.7 v8.

He called saturday morning saying his truck wont start, went to look at it although im no mechanic by any means. Turn the key it makes a loud clunk, just one clunk. I said sounds like the starter to me. Saturday he takes it off, take it to have tested at the local auto parts store, tests fine, no problems according to the auto parts guy. Puts it back on same one time clunk when he trys to start it.

Ok the the full story is he said he came home late friday, drove fine, no check engine light, no abnormal sounds, no nothing. He parked it went in house. Came out next day and tried to start it, one clunk when turning the key.

Ok he thought low battery since it was 4 years old, bought new one, installed it, same clunk.

So now hes waiting on a wrecker to take it to a dealership for diagnosis this week.

Ok so any educated guess as to what it will turn out being?

 

[PSEbowhunter]

I was a Ford wrench not Dodge but if it has a separate starter solenoid on the firewall like the Fords I would start looking there. Sounds like the solenoid is clunking but power not going to the starter, possibly poor contacts inside the solenoid. If the solenoid is good then there is either a voltage drop between there and the starter or a bad ground. That all is as long as the engine is not seized!!

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Forgot to add, saturday morning he bumped they key 4-5 times rapidly and then it cranks and he drove over 30 miles he said, then came back and an hour later the clunk again.

 

[George2615]

Unless they've changed, Dodge usually has a gear reduction starter operated by a remote solenoid mounted on the inner fender or firewall. Sometimes the cables from the battery to the solenoid or from solenoid to starter would corrode and not make connection. The clunk he hears may be the solenoid trying to apply voltage to the starter. My guess would be one of these cables or the solenoid.

 

[Jstpssng]

He's got a loose connection someplace. It's too bad that he sent it to the dealer, if their computer can't tell them the problem it will take forever (on the clock) to figure it out.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

I think im going to suggest to him to go ahead and buy a new starter and install it BEFORE he turns it over to a dealer. After talking with several people I understand its not uncommon for them to test good at the parts stores but still be defective under load.

 

[PSEbowhunter]

Well he's already had it out. Have him take it out again and then hook the wires back up, attach a ground from the housing to the bell housing and have someone hit the key. If it spins, replace it, if not look for that voltage drop.

 

[pohorsky]

When the starter on our tractor died, the boys at NAPA said they could test it, but it wasn't a very good test. When ours went bad it was the clutch inside the starter and if I tried starting it repeatedly enough, it would finally fire up. $100 for a starter would sure be cheaper than anything at the dealer, plus the trip back and forth.

 

[3930dave]

As described above, the problem may be the power feed to the starter. Use a 12v test light to confirm power is consistently arriving at the solenoid on the starter.

After that..... Any Check Engine displayed ? Other possiblilities may be a vehicle security fault, or a dead Crank Position Sensor. Both conditions can cause No Start, but I don't know Dodge's well enough to say those symptoms match exactly. Dodge's are known for going through CPS's though.

Rgds, D.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

no codes at all, before or after this. I talked to several, one a working mechanic and he claims those auto parts test are not good at all because they are not tested under load.

PSE he said he watched the auto parts test and the bendix came out, gear spun and retracted when the juice was cut. I heard the sound its making and its just a loud clunk when he turns they key and the lights dim. Now some might say the engine is locked up but Ive never seen nor heard of one lock up and unlock for a 30 mile drive.