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Ram 350 Stopped Won't Start


sizzilianone
08-03-2007, 01:36 PM
Van was runmning fine. Pulled into driveway, shut it off, five minutes later, wouldn't restart. Winds and winds, won't hit. Got out the Haynes, have a conflict in the wiring diagrams. Its a '94 350 with 5.9 liter. Manual says it should have a box with maxi fuses and relays in it. The van under the hood looks like the earlier models from the manual, with two relays under the brake line blocks next to the battery (ASD and Fuel Pump), and a fuse box beside the glove box in the cab.
The relays (4 pin with unused pin in center) have no power anywhere with Sw-Off, with Sw-On have 12V on one pin, (86 I think), and when other side (85 I think) probed with light, relay clicks. After click, continuity across 30 and 87, but no 12V on either. Both relays act the same.
The way I read(???) both the old and newer schematics, the PCM should ground the solenoid side of the relay pulling the switch closed that sends 12V to the fuel pump. But I got no 12V to send, its missing.
The older schematic shows the power to the relays coming from Fuse 1, but there no Fuse 1 in the fuse box, just a hole with no connectors. Does anyone have a clue where this might be fused? I've checked for fusible links burned, but so far have found nothing.
Additionally, pulled the doghouse, checked for ignition fire, nothing, no fire.
Tried the On-Off-On-Off-On for codes, nothing.
The Crank sensor, appears OK, but have not removed it yet.
It really acts like a fuse problem, but can't find the fuses. All in the fuse box are fine.
Been driving it for a year and a half, then nothing. Any clues?

alloro
08-03-2007, 02:24 PM
From your description it sounds like you've got a 91 (or earlier) and not a 94. What are the letters in the 8th & 10th place of your VIN?

Regarding your loss of power. Behind the battery, there is a wire that comes off of the positive terminal that runs to a long round black single wire connector. Pull that apart and check for power, corrosion, etc.

sizzilianone
08-03-2007, 05:11 PM
8th and 10th are Z and R respectively. Date of manufacture on tag shows 6/93.
Pulled the fat connector apart, checked voltage on both sides, everything seems ok.
I wish I could check continuity, but everything goes into big fat harnesses, and goes who knows where.
I'm assuming it uses the older schematic? Color codes from schematic seem somewhat close, but definitely some variations. Is there supposed to be 12V coming in on one side of the relay, to be connected to the fuel pump (there is 12V on the solenoid side of the relay)?

alloro
08-03-2007, 07:07 PM
Well the Z means it's a 360 CID (5.8L) and the R means it's a 94 model year so those check out okay.

Using the older schematic, there is suppose to be +12v on the 87 pin (14 gauge red) for the ASD relay, pin 30 is the relay output. There is no separate fuel pump relay, it is fed off of the ASD relay output. The fact that you have separate ASD and fuel pump relay kind of throws a monkey wrench into the diagnostics.

On the newer schematic, both relays have all pins, except the outputs, wired in parallel and should each have constant +12v on that pin 87; but it's a 16 gauge red wire instead of a #14. In either case pins 85 & 86 are the pins for the relay coil. If you don't have +12v on those pins then you have a problem with your missing Maxi fuse #1 or a burnt fusible link. The fusible link for that circuit is a #22 white and should be up around the power brake booster.

sizzilianone
08-12-2007, 09:32 AM
Thanks alloro for sticking with me. Been so damn hot, I haven't worked on it in a week, but it was a little cooler this morning so I decided to have another go. I was going to pull the crank sensor, but I decided to have one more look at the underhood wiring.
Remember that tip about the white #22 fusible link? Well, I dug up in the bundle over the booster, and sure enough saw a little speck of white in the grease and soot. So I started working the bundle out from the clips, and sure enough, out came one end of a white two wire set (thin, probably #22), one half of what appears to be a burned fusible link. I haven't repaired it yet, so I'm not sure that's the problem, but I'd bet a hemi that's at least a major symptom. Thanks again, that white fusible link tip put me where I needed to be.

sizzilianone
08-12-2007, 09:43 AM
Thanks, alloro, for the feedback. It's been too damn hot to work on it for a week or so, but I went out this morning to have another go at it.
I was going to pull the crank sensor and start from there, but I decided to peek under the hood once more. I hadn't been able to find any burned fusible links, but you mentioned a white link around the brake booster.
So I started inspecting the bundle running over the booster, and through the grease and soot, spotted a speck of white. Started pulling the bundle out from its clips, and out pops a white wire end (about 22 gauge), obviously one half of a burned fusible link.
I haven't repaired it yet, but I'd bet a hemi its at least a major symptom. Thanks for sticking with me. I'll update upon final repair.:smokin:

sizzilianone
08-12-2007, 12:04 PM
Yup, that was it, fired right up like it knew what it was doin'. Thanks again.

alloro
08-12-2007, 12:40 PM
Sometimes it's the simple things that will drive you nuts. :)

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