ItsTheBone Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 (edited) Ok so I've been working through this click/start issue for a while now and learning electrical as I go. Today to narrow down the problems and further trace my electrical issues I jumped the ground directly to the block then the frame to rule out a bad ground. Still got 8 clicks per 1 start. Then I jumped the blck/pink wire from the inh relay to the starter and connected it to the positive battery. Starter cranks the engine right up without any fuss. This is telling me its somewhere either in the inhibitor relay/switch or ignition switch. To check the relay I started by testing the ground. I connected the ground on the relay directly to the frame and then the block and still 8 clicks / start. From there I checked the blk/pnk wire from the relay to the starter. checked voltage drops and even jumped it from one side directly to the starter without any change in clicks/starts. The voltage ranged between 7.5 v on clicks and 8.9 volts on starts. Same with the black/ylw cable between the ign switch and the relay. So all this jumping and testing has me thinking its not the ign switch nor the inh relay. The only thing left in line with the ign switch and the starter is the inh switch and I have no clue where that is located. There is a yellow wire from the inh relay to the switch I could follow, but it's wrapped and there are yellow wires everywhere in the dash. and just to provide extra info, the battery and starter are new and work. Starter works when jumped and battery puts out between 12.5 and 13 volts. Anyone worked with the inhibitor switch before? Any help is greatly appreciated! Edited August 16, 2009 by ItsTheBone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsTheBone Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 So reading up on the inhibitor switch leads me to believe this isn't the issue. If it wasn't working I don't think I'd be getting a click in the first place. I traced the yellow wire to the fuse link where it connects to another set of thicker wires going down to the passenger side of the transmission. The yellow wire had little resistance and a good connection between the relay and the fuse link. The fuse link also provided little resistance between the yellow and the connecting wire. Am I correct in this assumption that it wouldn't be the inhibitor switch? If so this brings me back to square one trying to diagnose the problem of a bad ground, inh relay or ign switch. I've replaced the inh relay already. I haven't done so with the ignition switch yet. It's a more expensive part so I'd like to be sure before buying it. There's no ground wire on the ignition switch. Does it ground through contact with the steering column? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 It almost sounds like a random short to me 0o' Weirdness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 You might try this: http://www.4x4parts.com/ubbthreads/showfla...p;vc=1&nt=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsTheBone Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 You might try this: http://www.4x4parts.com/ubbthreads/showfla...p;vc=1&nt=2 Definately worth a shot. That looks like a great fix to exactly the same problem I'm having. I suspected it was lack of power to the starter, but I wasn't sure how to find the location of the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsTheBone Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 (edited) You might try this: http://www.4x4parts.com/ubbthreads/showfla...p;vc=1&nt=2 So I got some time tonight to work on the truck. I went down to Schuck's and found the cheapest accessory relay with 30-85-86-87 terminals which was $9 and for a '90 Chrysler/Dodge. I used 10 gauge wire for power, ground and extensions for the black/pink wire. It took about 30 minutes to cut the wires to length, connect them and drill a hole in the sidewall for the relay to be mounted (i suggest getting a mountable relay.) Turned the key and VROOOM! First start was strong and quick! Tried it 10 more times and it started just as fast and quickly! The dreaded click is cured!! (a year later and many hours of trying to find a short/open circuit of some sort) It got dark quick tonight so the next time I get to work on it I'll snap some photos. I've also got to clean up the loose wires and tape it all up. Thanks again for the link GrimGreg! Now if you happened to have a link that would fix my heater blower....the blower works but the panel won't activate it! my next project awaits..... Edited August 21, 2009 by ItsTheBone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Thanks again for the link GrimGreg! Now if you happened to have a link that would fix my heater blower....the blower works but the panel won't activate it! my next project awaits..... Your welcome, for the blower, does it only work on high? If so, then it is probably your resistor, it is located behind the glove box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsTheBone Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 (edited) Your welcome, for the blower, does it only work on high? If so, then it is probably your resistor, it is located behind the glove box. Well the thermostat works fine, but the setting for off-low-hi doesn't work. I made a bypass switch to turn the blower on-off with, but I'm going to be selling this pathy (its gonna be tough letting my last pathy go) so i want things to be in working order. I'm thinking it might be a resistor or the switch in the dash. I'll have to dig in and see what I find. Edited August 21, 2009 by ItsTheBone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsTheBone Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 I checked the resistor with my multimeter and its seems fine. The correct resistance comes up between terminals and there's no open circuits that shouldn't be. Could it still be bad? I'm wondering if its the switch in the dash or one of the many other relays. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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