mmcpeck

So I come out of work today, the truck had sat all day long, I turn the key and all it does is crank and crank and crank, never once even tried to turn over, just steady crank.

Smelled gas, but no start, must be an ignition problem. Sit for a while try it again, no good. Check 30A fuse under the hood, take a look around at some other things, nothing seems wrong.

Get back in and just for the hell of it, push the shift lock release and put it in Neutral and try to start....turn the key and it starts up like it was brand new.

Drove home shut it off and started it back up a couple of times, no problem starting in Park or Neutral. Went out to a couple of places and it started perfectly every time in Park.

So my question now is WTF was that???!!!!

Wouldn't the Neutral safety switch keep it from cranking altogether?


Thanks.

mmcpeck

Nobody Huh?

ScottyC

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like the ignitor is going out. It will be random at times.

mmcpeck

So maybe switching into Neutral was a coincidence then?

Anyway to check the ignitor, a resistance test or anything?

fireman1559

yes check make sure it works mine went out on me and check the wires coming from it too my ignitor went out and teh wires in the plug that plugs into the coil were so loose you could pull them out of the plastic clip

mmcpeck

All wires and connectors are tight on the coil. Is there a way to ohm it out to see if it's going bad?

mmcpeck

Alright, it didn't have a problem for about a week, then yesterday morning it did the same thing, just crank away with no start. I pulled the shifter from Park down into Neutral and it fired right up.

What the hell is going on??? Is there anyway that this could be the Neutral Safety Switch?

mmcpeck

Nobody has an idea of what the deal is here?

Is pulling it into Neutral a coincidence?

How would I check to see if my ignition coil/ignitor is on the way out?

mmcpeck

Anybody??

abecedarian

might be an adjustment to the neutral safety switch is needed.
even though it's called the 'neutral safety switch' it senses when the transmission is not in neutral, or park, so that you can't start the engine when in reverse or D, 2 or 1 (or OD for that matter).

mmcpeck

Hey abecedarian, I figured it might be something with the Neutral safety switch, because as soon as I pull it stifly down into Neutral it will start right up.

But I always thought the Neutral safety switch kept the engine from cranking altogether, I can crank away all day when this happens, just seems like I lose ignition completely.

abecedarian

yeah... that may be.
the neutral switch should keep the starter from engaging, like the clutch switch does on the manuals.
now you got me thinking.....

mmcpeck

Yeah it's been making me think for a few days....of getting rid of it! Just kidding.

A couple of people mentioned the "ignitor", is that just a different name for the ignition coil or the igniton module connected to the coil? And is there a way to test that to see if it's on it's way out. I'd rather not have this happen when I'm out on the beach, if I can stick a new coil in it and be done.

abecedarian

the ignitor is that box on top of the coil

I'm gonna pour myself over some wiring diagrams.
(bet you didn't want that visual )

mmcpeck

It just occeured to me that there is an old aftermarket alarm that may still be in this thing. The valet switch doesn't work at all, and the little red LED stays on all the time, so I thought it had been completely disabled, but When I was putting a radio in, I thought I saw a little module under the steering coilumn, that could still be part of the alarm.

Would and alarm allow it to crank but just cut off ignition, or would it not allow it to even crank?