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No start- no spark

Posted By: dd340

No start- no spark - 05/25/14 02:37 AM

I'm having trouble with an 87 ram that I just bought. During a test drive last week it was running fine but just when we got back to the sellers place I put it in reverse and cranked the wheel and the car stalled dead and wouldn't restart. Looked under the hood and we could see the wires from the Mallory Hyfire ignition were wrapped around the steering column. It appeared the wires had been pulled out of the box. The seller agreed to replace the box, which he did and I had the truck towed home. Now it still won't start and we have no spark. Also the fuel pump is not working now, along with the radio and wipers. The starter cranks over fine. My thoughts were a blown fuse but they all look fine. I have a charger on the battery just to eliminate that. The wiring is no longer stock so I can't just follow a wiring diagram?
Where should I start to figure out the fuel pump and no spark?
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: No start- no spark - 05/25/14 03:28 AM

It'll crank with the key correct? Pull the yellow wire/connector off of the "ign" terminal on the starter relay so you dont run the batt down with needless cranking. Not sure how the Hifire system is wired but normal OE the "point" of the pentastar ECU connector (plus another terminal if the 85 was a 5 pin ECU/4 terminal "dual" ballast system) and the coil positive primary terminal both need fire in ign2 (the cranking brown wire circuit) and in ign1 (run) the "point" of the pentastar ECU connector and thru the ballast "coil" half to the coil positive primary needs fire. All the physical damage to the wiring/terminals etc was done under the hood so I would seperate the bulkhead halves & check continuities & want what needs fire to be hot in ign1 (run) the blue wire circuit and in ign2 (crank) the brown wire circuit. That ain't nothing specific but it might get you started. Holler back. EDIT added the schematic

Attached picture 8154796-leanburnschematic.jpg
Posted By: dd340

Re: No start- no spark - 05/25/14 10:01 PM

One problem is that the wiring has been modified quite a bit for things like an electric fuel pump, aftermarket distributor and the Hyfire ignition. I have discovered that the ignition box is not getting the 12 volts that it should be with the key in the run position. That along with other items that aren't working but need to be in the run position to work, I am starting to assume that it is the switched power source that is the problem? Could it be the ignition switch? How do I trouble shoot the switched power source? Could it be the starter relay?
Posted By: therocks

Re: No start- no spark - 05/26/14 01:29 AM

Starter relay is just for the starter.If you dont have voltage look at the diagram.You should have hot into the key and when on it should be coming off the run wire on the switch.Look at the bulkhead connector and the fusiable link also.Rocky
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: No start- no spark - 05/26/14 01:49 AM

See if www.mymopar.com has wiring diagrams for that 87 truck. The ign system pretty much just needs (3) things (A) the dist pickup to trip the ECU (we should be OK there) (B) fire to the coil in crank and run (C) fire to the ECU in crank and run. Seperate the bulkhead half & see if the blue wire ign1 (run) circuit has fire with the ign key in "run" and see if the brown wire ign2 "crank" circuit has fire with the key held to "start". This'll direct you to work back inside to the ign sw for the open or downstream on the eng side (likely) to the devices that need to be fed. Pull the yellow wire off of the starter relay so it does not engage the starter till we get it sorted out (no need to run the batt down & we know the starter circuit works).
Posted By: hp383

Re: No start- no spark - 05/26/14 05:42 AM

Check your fusible links on the drivers inner fender. When the wires got tangled, it may have shorted out one of the links.

Attached picture 8155870-FusibleLinkDodgeTruck.jpg
Posted By: dd340

Re: No start- no spark - 05/26/14 01:16 PM

Thanks guys, I will take a look at all those suggestions and report back.
Posted By: dd340

Re: No start- no spark - 06/03/14 12:02 AM

I have a follow up question for the wiring harness. There is a u-shaped harness connector under the dash that runs up to the key switch in the column. My question is how many of these wires should be hot when they travel up to the key? Right now when I pull the connector apart I just have one live wire of the 6 or so that make up the harness.
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: No start- no spark - 06/03/14 04:37 AM

I would think there'd be just the main hot wire in. You could trace em out in the schematic for your vehicle/year at www.mymopar.com
Posted By: skicker

Re: No start- no spark - 06/03/14 02:44 PM

Quote:

Check your fusible links on the drivers inner fender. When the wires got tangled, it may have shorted out one of the links.




This is where I would be looking. If when the wires came out they were hot and touched anything here is where the damage will be.
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