Well, it happened. I started the truck and heard a strange noise from under the hood. Turn the key to off and it won't shut down. Sooo, I try to pull the plug on the shutdown relay and it is now still cranking and shaking and then finally quits. I ahve to get home, so I restart it and it's fine. I tried restarting it a couple of times in the driveway and cannot duplicate the problem. After looking at similar posts, it appears that either the starter contacts are sticking or the shutdown relay is going bad. Am I on the right track? Is there any way of disengaging the started other than pulling both battery cables? Is there a way to determine which is bad?

 

Yep, sounds like the starter contacts. One way to get the starter disengaged is to knock the heck out of it with a hammer.

 

Thanks for the reply, I'll pull the starter tomorrow. Hopefully I can get contacts on Monday.

 

There was a recall on the ignition switch and wiring circuit for your truck. I do not know if you had the work done or not, however If it is done improperly or only part way, it can hang like that. The switch get's hot and you can actually see a discolored contact on the switch if it has.<br> Many electrical fires have been attributed to this as well as damage to starters, flywheels, batteries etc.<br> Check to see if the recall work was done, some places only did half the job by changing the route of the fan wire. The complete job included removing the ignition switch harness and splicing in a new one along the bottom of the steering column.<br> Mine was done incorrectly and did the same thing as yours, I looked into the TSB from DC on the repair procedure, found it was not done as stated and Hammered my Dealer for causing me loss and trouble and billing DC for work he never did.<br><br> Bottom line I got a brand new starter, the wiring harness repaired properly, a new ignition switch and a very nice check for my trouble!. The dealer made out too as I did not sue him or turn his false claim over to DC! who by the way was very helpful when I called and acted naive wondering did I have the repair done? I can't remember : They told me the date he said he did the job as well as the procedure they paid him for. ;D<br> Believe me when I showed him the photos of the untouched wiring harness, they were most eager to set it straight!.

 

you will need a 10mm 12point socket or wrench to take the starter off. When I bought my 95 dually last year as soon as i got it home the thing wouldnt start. So I pulled it and the contacts were worn to a wafer thin piece of copper. I live in a small town and called the parts place and the guy said that I'd have to get a whole new starter. yea right!!! called napa in vancouver and had a set of contacts sent overnight $10 for contacts and$10 for shipping.

 

Yomitch,<br>Did you go to Triton or Lordco? I find Triton has much better service and patience... Just my oppinion...

 

I went to triton this summer because I had a loose trans temp sender connector and the ******* (Carter dodge) parts idiot couldn't match the connector to the sender so I went there and they had it in their display rack, couldn't believe it as I was about to drive to Shushwap lake with the tranny hunting back and forth between 3rd and 4th gear. I swear going to the dealers is like trying to deal with the federal government!