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I have a dodge neon 2000 that will not crank. I have check voltage to Bat. 12.8 , Checked stater it cheked fine. put it in car and jumped tested starter it turn engine over. did a ohm reading on grounds they read .01. I checked all fuses in fuse block everyone is getting power and they are good. I replaced ignition switch. car will not crank.
Country: United StatesMake: DodgeModel: NeonYear: 2000Engine: 4 Cyl Already Tried: Tested Battery, Checked Starter, Checked all fuses in fuse block, Checked grounds with Ohm meter, Put starter in car and using a jumper wire jumped it and engine cranked, Replaced the ignition switch.
Hello and welcome to JustAnswer!
Have you swapped the starter relay with another?
Do you have an automatic or manual trans?
Do you have a test light or voltmeter to do some electrical testing?
I'm sorry i did swap relay also 2 weeks ago it did start and run and 2 days ago it died. I have a volt meter but not a light.
A voltmeter would actually be preferred.
Remove the starter relay, ground the black lead of your meter and set it to 20v DC. Use the red lead to probe each of the terminals that engage the starter relay, see if there is one that has battery voltage all the time.
Thanks I did that yesterday there is voltage. It is an automatic. Today it is raining real hard here. I'll have to go out when it quits.
John
If one terminal does have voltage all the time then the next step would be to see if a second terminal has voltage when a helper holds the key in the crank position.
If so, turn the relay over and find pins 87 and 30. Use a short piece of wire or heavy paperclip and jump between these two terminals in the fuse box. Make sure it's in park, turn the key on and quickly bump the starter a couple times and see if it engages.
Let me know what you find and we'll go from there.
Ok I do that. Can I get back with you when rain quits? I forgot something else 2 weeks ago when I had this problem I changed starter relay it started so i found the old one and to double check it I put it in .. But it also started the car.
Take a close look at the connections at the relay to make sure there is no burning or corrosion. If they look ok then replacing the relay and having it start a couple weeks ago may have been a coincidence.
When you get back to the car just come back and reply to this same question just as you have been. I will get notification that you replied and we'll pick it up from there.
Thank you I check soon.
You're welcome!
I just went out and did that check between 30 and the 87 there is still no cranking. All lights on dash come on.
We needed to first see if a second terminal at the relay had power with the key in the crank position.
Yes it did. than I took a paper clip and used it as a jumper.
Let's put the relay back in and disconnect the small wire at the starter solenoid. See if there is battery voltage there with the key held in the crank position.
I would say I'm not I only get 1.6 volts
And you did have full battery voltage at the relay, correct?
If so then you have a large amount of voltage drop in between the relay and the starter. There is corrosion in a wire or connection, etc.
Was the terminal at the stater clean? Make sure it was shiny metal where you took the reading.
If ok, go back half an inch or so from the terminal and pierce the wire, do the same test again. If you show full battery voltage there but not at the connection then there is voltage drop where the terminal crimps to the wire.
If voltage is still low back from the terminal then you'll have to work your way back toward the fuse box or work your way from the fuse box toward the starter, looking for the area where voltage is being lost. After testing you can seal up any holes you make in the wiring with liquid electrical tape, nail polish, etc. If you don't find anything very near the starter then you might start from the fuse box end, especially since disturbing it when replacing the relay a couple weeks ago may have caused it to start again. There may be a problem very near the fuse box or inside it.
Yes, Battery voltage is 12.8 right now. I'll check shorly. I know that the main battery wire is clean the small wire on solinoid is in a connector. I took my paper clip and hooked my meter to that, it should have given me a trure reading right?
Yes, that should have definitely given you a true reading. Take a close look at the terminal inside the connector (where I assume you inserted the paperclip). If it looks clean then your next step would be to pierce the wire a little behind the connector and see what you have there.
Experience: ASE Master and Advanced Certified, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Master Certified, Trans and Hybrid Specialist
It still is not working but I'll keep looking by piercing the wire.
Good luck with it!
Sprinkles08, I just checked the fuse block again where the Start relay goes and I'm not getting power to the other side when turn it crank. I must of read the relay backwards.
So there is only one terminal that has power at the relay at any time, no second terminal powers up when the key is in the crank position?
No, Can you tell me is there a fuseable link in line somewhere? just asking because i'm looking at a Haynes book also.
No, there is no fusible link.
Let's go to the ignition switch and see if there is power on the yellow wire when the key is held in the crank position.
On the yellow wire I do have power when in the cranking position
If you have power there but a second terminal at the relay doesn't power up in the crank position then you have an open circuit between the ignition switch and relay.
Where would you suggest I start?. Have you ever seen the PCM go bad.? If the PCM is bad would it still crank
PCM's can definitely go bad but you don't have a PCM problem. The PCM doesn't control your starter. You have an open circuit on the yellow wire between the ignition switch and relay. Much like when we thought there was a wiring problem between the relay and starter, you're going to have to move along this circuit and try to find where power is being lost in between.
Ok, thank you sound like its going to take a lot more time checking in to it. I'll keep checking when the rain quits again.
Good luck!