Need help 98 5.7 just dead and I'm clueless.

[GreenZ98]

Went to crank truck this morning, hit the key and nothing. No clicking or dragging like with a dead battery it's just dead. Headlights,dash lights, radio everything electrical works fine. Hooked jumper cables to it hoping the cold drained the battery but still nothing. I replaced the fuel pump Saturday and it's been driven everyday since with no issues cranking until this morning.

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

I'd start with a starter solenoid.

 

[redfishsc]

Doesn't the starter also have a fuse?

Ive also seen the linkage on the shifter handle cause this. Hold the key in the "crank" position and jiggle the shifter. Obviously be sure it's in Park.

Same thing if it's a stickshift. Push the clutch all the way down and jiggle your foot while holding key in crank.

 

[GreenZ98]

Thanks for the ideas guys. My shifter has been a little looser lately but that thought never crossed my mind. I'm actually going to run out and try that right now. If that's a no go I'll start trouble shooting the fuses and starter tomorrow after work.

 

[GreenZ98]

Doesn't the starter also have a fuse?

Ive also seen the linkage on the shifter handle cause this. Hold the key in the "crank" position and jiggle the shifter. Obviously be sure it's in Park.

Same thing if it's a stickshift. Push the clutch all the way down and jiggle your foot while holding key in crank.

Just checked shifter and I believe that's my issue. Park indicator doesn't light up with shifter in park position but if you barely touch it the reverse indicator lights up. Jigged shifter around in the park position but indicator would never light up. With shifter all the way up I can push the truck and it rolls so I know its not going into park. It also wont shift down to first, shifter goes all the way down but dash indicator only shows it to be in 2nd. How would I go about tightening all this back up?


EDIT: Shifter or linkage is 100 percent the problem. Forgot you could crank in neutral went outside and tried and it fired right up.

 

[Urambo Tauro]

Check the range sensor/switch on the side of the transmission. As you (or an assistant) move the shifter, it should rotate the plastic collar in the middle of the switch as it activates the different circuits inside. I expect you'll find some play between the manual shaft and that collar, which you won't be able to adjust out. I just went through this on my '95, and had to get a new range sensor/switch for it to resolve the problem.

 

[GreenZ98]

Check the range sensor/switch on the side of the transmission. As you (or an assistant) move the shifter, it should rotate the plastic collar in the middle of the switch as it activates the different circuits inside. I expect you'll find some play between the manual shaft and that collar, which you won't be able to adjust out. I just went through this on my '95, and had to get a new range sensor/switch for it to resolve the problem.

Thanks for the info, hopefully the rain clears up here by the weeked so I can crawl under and get it figured out.

 

[redfishsc]

Glad you sniffed out the problem a little closer, GreenZ98, let us know what the main fix turns out to be.

I had an old Riviera that occasionally needed a little lift on the shifter to get it to crank lol. Only when it was ice cold outside though.

 

[GreenZ98]

Thanks I'll definitely up date as soon as the weather allows me to work on it. I'm glad it's not a major issue but would've completely over looked the shift handle if not for your comment.

 

[mike73]

Hook up test leads to starter solenoid and see if there is the constant 12v on the big wire from the battery. If yes, check if small wire has 12 v when attempting to crank. If yes, you either have a bad starter or bad engine/starter ground connection. You could try tapping on the solenoid to see if it will free up and start (works, but not permanent fix). If no, then you know the problem is elsewhere, and as others have said you could then check your ignition switch, wiring, neutral interlock, etc.

Edit: Take note whether or not the lights dim. I'd expect they don't, as the starter is probably not drawing power. If the engine was completely locked up, there wouldn't be much noise, but the lights would dim and the volt gage would drop when you turn the key (starter drawing power but not turning). That happened to me once, but I was well aware the engine had suffered a serious problem before turning the key- it suddenly stopped running and make a crunch/bang noise. It doesn't sound like that's what happened to you, but I'm just mentioning it in case it's relevant