Starter does not crank.

[Horus]

My truck had been sitting for a couple weeks when I went out to start it. I hit the key and there is nothing. No click or anything. The battery is fully charged and the terminals are clean. I had wanted to go through it anyway so I replaced the plunger and contacts as well as cleaned up the connections inside there. The old contacts were about half way worn down.

The small wire post on the starter is not getting power with the key. Is there any fuseable links or relays I should be looking at? Ignition tumbler a common failure? I did some searching but everything I come up with says its the neutral safety switch on the auto. I have the Getrag , so that's out. Anyone have a good wiring diagram? Just looking for help before I start chasing wires through the steering column.

Thanks.

[Richie O]

Does your truck still have the clutch safety switch?

[Horus]

Does your truck still have the clutch safety switch?

Clutch safety switch, eh? I was not even aware it had one! This would make sense as well given my symptoms. Every so often my truck would not want to start. Pushing the clutch fast and hard to the floor would sometimes cause it to kick over. That trick has simply quit working, granted I haven't really "slammed" the pedal this time. When it failed to go on the key this time I pulled and went through it.

Thanks Richie, I'll check into it.

[Horus]

I looked for it briefly on the way out to work and couldn't find it. It occurred to me however that I can start my truck without pressing the clutch. Nonetheless it has given me some direction for tomorrows hunt.

[Richie O]

If it was always a 5 speed it would have a switch from the factory on the clutch pedal. Maybe it has been removed or bypassed, but there still will be 2 wires that need to be connected to crank.

[Tacoclaw]

I believe there is a small relay on the drivers side inner fender, near the fusible links. I think the start wire for the solenoid comes out of it. Might want to check it out.

[Horus]

It rained on me all day so I only played with the truck for a bit. The clutch switch on the pedal has been unplugged. The harness that used to be plugged into it has a jumper lead connecting the two orange wires. It looked like a good connection and I wiggled it while trying to start the tuck. No dice.

I cannot seem to find a starter relay. Some of the searching I've done seems to point to there not being one. It looks like it might go straight from the key to the small post on the starter through a fuseable link. Someting tells me I get to take apart the steering column.

[Richie O]

The relay is on the drivers side fender. I had one get crusty inside and stop working.

[Tacoclaw]

It's the silver relay in the upper right of the picture, labeled "K".

[Richie O]

It's the silver relay in the upper right of the picture, labeled "K".

That may be different then what his 91.5 has. Thats the non intercooled style. The location is correct just the same. He may have the small 1 inch square black relays like my 92 and 93 have.

[Tacoclaw]

Oh, I didn't know there was any difference.




One of those three then?

I'm just grabbing these off DTR, from the wiring writeup.

[Richie O]

I have never seen a 91.5 so I am not sure which one it is. But you have ALL the bases covered. Its one or the other.

[Horus]

Thank you Tacoclaw. I do have the same relay as in the picture you posted. While holding the key on I wiggled it and smacked it with a wrench with no results. Its still pissing down out there so tomorrow I'll get out there with a test light and see where the power stops. Now I know what is what in the system this should be resolved shortly.

Thanks again guys.

[Horus]

Okay guys, once again thanks for the help. I replaced the starter relay and the truck fired right up. Tonight I went to take it to work and got nothing again upon hitting the key. Looking under the dash I noticed the little U shaped piece of wire with the two female ends was gone. Odd as I could not find it on the floor or anywhere. It took me awhile to even decide I was looking at the same connector as I was two days ago in the rain. It must have fallen off after I started the truck this morning.

I used a chunk of .03 thick steel shim to fashion what is essentially a double wide female terminal. It came out and fit perfectly to bridge the two male terminals inside the plastic connector body.

Now the truck fires every time. It really felt good to row through the gears in that pig again. This had to be a combination of the starter relay and the jumper lead used to delete the clutch safety switch.

This week I'll be resealing the pump top and adding a 366 spring. I have all the parts for a purple dot piston lift pump and an Isspro fuel gauge to go in as well. All these cool mods were held up when the thing would not fire.

Thanks again.

Mike

[Tacoclaw]

Glad to hear it's worked out.

Nothing worse than some electrical bug ruining our mechanical truck's reputation.