HELP, Truck won't start

N

nate

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Apr 6, 2008
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751
I did a bunch of work on the truck and I had the batteries disconnected (safety).

I go to fire it up today and it won't start.

I connect the batteries and first thing odd I notice is the brake light on the dash is on. Well the park brake was on a bit, but the light should only be on when the truck is running.

When I turn the key, I get the normal bulb test and then the gauges don't fire up. My ABS light comes on, then the low fuel light, and the odometer starts flashing the mileage.

I don't have any accessories coming on (radio, heater, etc). The lift pump isn't coming on either.

I can turn the truck over with the key, but it just cranks.

Ideas? I'm going to start reading through the FSM, I hope I can figure it out.
 
Forgot to mention.

I did some wiring work, but it all checked out. I wasn't able to start the truck since I had the trans opened up waiting on some bolts for my filter extension.

BUT, when I would turn the key on, the the gauges would come on as normal, radio worked, etc... everything worked like it should.

Only thing I did was took the alternator off to have it tested and I painted the brackets while I had them off.

Any chance that the alternator grounds through the brakets and this is somehow causing this?

I just don't get it!
 
I talked to my buddy Chris.

He did some wiring on my truck a while back when he installed the car starter, so he has some background on my setup. Auto electrical is his thing so it makes much more sense to him than it will ever to me!

I have an SP Diesel turbo timer on the truck and he told me when he had the turbo timer unplugged, that the same exact thing was going on.

SO... I am going to look at the turbo timer wiring. It's possible something went out on it or a wire is just loose enough to cause this.
 
I am glad that Chris is really good with electrical because if I can't figure it out I'll end up having him help me out.

When I move back up to Alaska this winter I'm going to start school for auto tech. Would be really nice to have a book knowledge on stuff like this!
 
I just had the same thing happen about a week ago, turned out it was my remote start/keyless entry/alarm took a dump, try unplugging the alarm box deal and trying it.
 
I spent about 6 hours on the truck today and got it going.

I tore into all the wiring under my dash. Tore out the turbo timer, tried everything. Checked all the fuses, wiring, etc.

Well for whatever reason I was looking under the hood...

If you look by the passenger's battery, there is a grey plug that goes to the black/tan wire off the alternator. If that plug isn't plugged in, truck won't run. :bang:hehe:
 
From long experience, check the simple stuff first, anything you have had off or unplugged take apart and check the connections. I spent 3 hours trying to get my truck to crank after R&R'ing the headgasket and a few other things. Turned out to be the engine wiring harness plug on the cowl was loose :bang

Glad you got it fixed up!
 
The problem is I had about 3 days worth of wiring work under the hood and under the dash, so there were ALOT of possibilities. The turbo timer has given me trouble before and I thought it was that.

I was pretty sure everything worked fine before I pulled the alternator. I checked everything on that. The plug was just barely uncliped and I didn't even think about it for one reason or another.
 
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