Lol, it's official, my truck officially hates me. It's had a weird electrical issue that's slowly been developing over the last month; intermittently, it decides not to start when you turn the key to the start position. Of course, if you put it in run and then get out and do the screwdriver across the starter terminals trick, it fires right up.

I figured it was no big deal, probably either a bad ignition switch or bad wire from the relay to the solonoid. (I replaced the battery cable a couple years ago and the solonoid wire isn't in much better shape than the battery cable was.) Well, I plugged in a known good ignition switch and that didn't fix anything, and then replaced said wire, and still no progress. Also replaced the relay a while back, so I know it's not it. So, I get to start tearing into the harness and troublshooting that. Still not a big deal because I can still just do the screwdriver trick (even though it is ghetto-fabulous).

The best part though; as I walked away from my truck at midnight tonight, I notice the right rear tailight is on. Went back to make sure I hadn't left my lights on (thought the left might just be burned out), and of course I hadn't. Tried jiggling every switch, but to no avail; nothing I could do would make the light turn off. I ended up just pulling the battery cable off and saying forget it.

I love this truck... really... just not when it goes spastic during midterms. Anyone know know of a good source for a complete replacement wiring harness?

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Used to own:
'82 Dodge D150
Erson 270 Cam, O/S valves, mild port work, ~9.5:1 compression

Currently fighting with an '85 VW Cabriolet

My other passion

Try replacing the neutral safety switch on your transmission to fix your starting problem.

Maybe the left brake light is burnt out and the right brakelight was on because the stoplight switch is bad...............

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Check the pins in the ignition switch connector, near the base of the steering column. Corrosion on the power pin cause no power, a meted connector, shorted ciruits, or a host of other electrical issues.

-S/6

I know the feeling of a car that hates you. Wanna buy a red Valiant?

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

I agree with this. I have owned 2 Chryslers that had the same symptoms as yourself. Problems went away when I replaced the switch. As for the brake light, something is definately making ground, perhaps the brakelight switch at the pedal.

Russ

Red Valiant?
......ok

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Hm... hadn't thought about the neutral safety switch. I replaced it a few years ago, but that doesn't mean it or one of the wires associated with it hasn't gone bad. Re: the tailight, yeah, I'll track it down eventually. Just a little frustrated last night. Seems like every time something electrical dies it's 50 degrees and raining. Ever notice that?

I do, however, know that the ignition switch and connector are good, the headlight switch is good, and the brake light switch is good (operates correctly on the left side). I'm willing to bet the tailight problem is in the harness somewhere.

_________________
Used to own:
'82 Dodge D150
Erson 270 Cam, O/S valves, mild port work, ~9.5:1 compression

Currently fighting with an '85 VW Cabriolet

My other passion

The neutral switch supplies a ground for the start solinoid. You can remove this wire and make a jumper that plugs in its place and run it to ground to test if the proplem is in this curcuit. Ofcourse you could leave it this way but it willl start in gear if you do so.

A test light on the trigger wire at the soliniod will tell you if the problem is in the ignition curcuit. Just backprobe the wire and if it lights the test light thin this curcuit is working.

If you need to know which wires these are I can go to the car and find out for you.

I assume you have not clicking noises of any kind when it want start/crank.


Jess

Nope, no clicking noises at all. I'm crazy busy until thursday, but hopefully I'll have time this weekend to dig out the wiring diagram and multimeter and start having "fun." For the time being I can deal w/ pulling the battery cable off when I park and using the screwdriver to start it.

_________________
Used to own:
'82 Dodge D150
Erson 270 Cam, O/S valves, mild port work, ~9.5:1 compression

Currently fighting with an '85 VW Cabriolet

My other passion

I will sell you my Duster, the love is gone.

For Now...

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

That actually sounds like a pretty sound anti-theft device!

Russ

That's what I used to do with my Datsun pickup....

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'83 D150 225 2BBL

In a perpetual state of improvement...

www.handymanjosh.com

My car is currently in this mode (bypassed neutral safety switch ground). I first adjusted the trans linkage so it lined up correctly, then replaced the neutral safety switch, didn't fix the problem, then replaced the ignition relay, same result. Now I have to drop the trans pan to see if something is not lining up properly for some reason, or trace the ground wire to the neutral safety switch to see if there is a problem there. I've already drained my trans 3 times recently for various reasons, so I am being lazy right now since the car is starting fine with the ground bypass. But it is definitely something to fix soon.

Ding ding ding... we have a winner. I bypassed it as another poster suggested, and now have no starting problems whatsoever. The brake light deal ended up being a little emberassing; it turned out to be a combinatin of a bent bracket on the brake light switch and a burned out bulb on the driver's side (duh). After bypassing it and getting it to work correctly, I went down to the parts store and picked up another neutral switch, so we'll see how things work after I replace that (might be a while).

_________________
Used to own:
'82 Dodge D150
Erson 270 Cam, O/S valves, mild port work, ~9.5:1 compression

Currently fighting with an '85 VW Cabriolet

My other passion