Looking for one answer to hard start (not typical suspects) problem

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Bill Jeppesen

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Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Posts
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Location
El Dorado Hills, CA
Ram Year
2002
Engine
5.9 gas
About a month ago, I got to start my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Quadcab, 5.9L gas (64k miles) truck and I get a loud CLICK. So, first thing I think is dead battery (yet no dimming of lights or tell tale click, click, click...).

I jump the battery and CLICK, retry, CLICK, retry, CLICK, catch for a sec. Retry, CLICK...start! Lights never dim. Except for jumping that one time, the above describes every time I start the truck, sometimes two three key on off cycles, sometimes 10.

I thought alternator was going bad due to odd sound coming from right there. I took the truck to auto parts store and they test the battery, alternator and starter and all pass as good. The sound? It was pure coincidence...tension pulley ($14 fix - also battery reads 12.6v and 13.5 +/- when idling)

I replace the ignition switch and problem is the same. Key on/off on/off on/off...start.

Three days ago, I notice, shift will not go down to 1st while idling. It stops at 2nd like that is the end of the shift-run. I tried shifting up into park and down to 1st aggressively 2-3 times and it drops into 1st like everything is fine on the last try.

Yesterday, same thing with not going down to 1st, re-try aggressive up/down park/1st and it drops into 1st, but now I see "4wd service" (or something like that) below the gear indicator. I've never seen that before. Next time I start the truck, same key on/off, etc. but alert is gone.

I suppose it could be the starter or component there is is beginning to fail, but the shifter has always been sketchy since day one, looking like it's in park but isn't actually without a little harder push up on the shifter. Also, a couple of years ago, it would not shift out of park. I ended up disconnecting the safety switch (???) that I think requires you to have a foot on the brake before you shift, and that fixed that.

Signs point to bad connection at the shift indicator level. Googling my problem results in typical suspect failure (battery, alternator, starter). I don't think it is one of those.

Anybody recognize this problem and how did you fix it?

thanks,
Bill
 
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Bill Jeppesen

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Posts
2
Reaction score
0
Location
El Dorado Hills, CA
Ram Year
2002
Engine
5.9 gas
Swapped out the starter motor as it may have tested good, but think the CLICK was coming from that area. Turns out, $78 bucks later, that was the problem. Truck fires right up with gusto.I don't like coincidences, but there were two, the tension pulley and the shifter.

For anybody else reading this, I used a 5/8 box wrench, about a foot of 3/4 PVC pipe and my floor jack to break free the lower nut and then the upper bolt fasteners. Worked like a charm. Just had to have the patience of turning the wrench a little more than 1/8 but less than 1/4 turn until fasteners were finger loose.

Box wrench sits on nut or bolt head, PVC pipe cradles up and is in contact with open end of box wrench, other end of PVC pipe sits on jack's lift pad, simple to work floor jack while under the truck. Upward pressure vs weight of truck made it so only thing that could give was the nut and bolt.
 
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