Greetings diesel peeps,

Well a few weeks back i had a problem with my rig. I use to have to mess with my positive battery cable to start my rig. Then finally got tired of that so i bought me a whole new battery cable and also replaced my battery. But now my rig wont start or even turn over. Then i was told it was my clutch switch what ever that is and told to by a whole new thing. So I am at a lost here. Is that really what the cause is? THe rig is a 93 dodge diesel, manual tranny, 2wd............

 

First off, does everything else work? Horn, lights, wipers, radio, fan? If not you may have burned a fusible link.

Do you have a 12 volt test light? If not go buy one. Clip the lead of the test light to the small wire on the starter, and poke the pointy end between the negative battery cable terminal and the battery. With it set up like that you ought to be able to see it from the seat with the hood up. Push the clutch in and hit the key. If the light lights, the problem is in the starter - most likely burned contacts. They are an inexpensive easy fix.

If you get no light, the easiest thing to try next is swapping the starter relay. There are 3 relays (2 if no A/C) lined up in a row on the driver's side fender. With 3 relays, swap the middle with either end. With 2 relays just switch them. If the truck starts, go buy a relay.

The clutch switch is on the clutch pushrod under the dash, it's a simple matter to unplug it and put a jumper wire between the terminals for a test. Install the jumper wire, make sure it's in neutral, and try to start the truck. If it starts, you have a bad clutch switch. Fix it if you want to.

Failing that, it's the ignition switch.

 

The clutch switch problem bit me on the way back from Texas where I bought my truck. There's a bushing in the linkage where the pushrod joins the clutch pedal under the dash. That bushing is worn out on mine so I replaced it with a piece of copper tubing as a temp fix. I had to really stand on the pedal to start it. I need to get the real bushing eventually.

Edwin

 

my clutch switch is bypast with a bolt in the one end of the connector for the clutch switch. Its really quite easy to bypass it, its been like that ever since i started driving it 2 and 1/2 years ago. Should probably get to fixing it one day but I always start the truck with the clutch in and making sure its in neutral.

Btw welcome to the site! Do some reading!

 

my clutch switch was by-passed by the PO, and I try to be real carefull to have the clutch depressed when i start it.
It rather embarrasing to start the truck and have it jump forward and run into something, likea light pole, which it will knock over......not that this happened to anyone I know or anything.....

 

FWIW, I have my switch disabled, and I always start my truck in neutral, with the clutch engaged. I figure the thrust bearing doesn't need to work so hard before the oil pressure is up. I also like to be able to move the truck with the starter motor in an emergency . . . It is true, however, that the truck will go through most anything in first gear on start-up, so care must be taken . . . .