I have a 79 Dodge 1/2 to with the 318 and 4 barrel thermoquad all stock. Recently my starter will not turn. I did the Haynes test and jumpered the relay and the starter is fine. Sometimes I turn the key and nothing, and sometimes it starts. I replaced the relay switch but the problem still lingers. I have checked most of the wiring and have torn my steering wheel apart looking for shorts or loose wires. I have checked the neutral park switch and it is fione. Sometimes when I turn the key on the dashboard is dead, and other times I will turn it on and the dash comes alive but no starter. I can usually turn the key on and jumper the starter relay and it will start, any ideas pleas email me at [email protected]ks

Try checking the Ballest Resistor it may be going bad.

T

After THOROUGHLY checking the starting relay, Check the following: Bulk head connector pins, these were a major trouble spot
on the older checks, next time it dies, connect a set of jumper cables from the brake master cylinder to the alternator bracket(basically
from the body to the engine, and see if starts, if this is the case this is a bad chassis to bofy ground, there is a ground strap that
connects from the body to the back of the engine, see if its still there. Another problem is a bad fusible link, when they burnt up they
can sometimes sit in such a position that they will connect themselves inside the insulation, but will arc out when a load is put on
the wire..they are located mostly in the main harness near the battery and soft insulation usually about 12"long..check them for
continuity while moving them around..One of these will probably be your problem or put you in the right area..Maxt

I had a similar problem with my '73 W100. Turned out that there was a bad connection in the wiring harness just at the base of the steerring column. I had lights and stuff but no starter.

cLAY

cLAY

Check for continunity though that pesky ignition switch also, they can be a problem.

As Maxt pointed out, the starter relay should be checked. It would be just as easy to replace it at this point. I always carry the following extras:
starter relay
control module
voltage regulator
ignition ballast resistor
It is very cheap insurance. Also, as pointed out by my esteemed colleagues, disconnect and clean the bulkhead connections. THEN, dab some petroleum jelly on those connections and reattach them. I have found this makes for an excellent corrosion reduction method. If I remember on a 79 (at least the one I had w/ tilt wheel) the actual ignition switch is further down on the steering column and is actuated by a rod from the key, the connector to that switch is also another weak point to be checked.

Well I have a 78 d150 4x4 with the same symtoms, so far I have found that when there is no power to the key or dash or starter, I found that the connection to the Amp meter was open,(a temp fix is to bolt the two wires together, all power to the dash and key is thru the 2 wires) of course you have to remove the face plate to get to it. know i back to orginal problem of not starting w/key. I install a 30 amp push button from the battery to one side of the push button switch, and from the other side to the relay wire going to the starter as a temp fix, until I find the open.

If you own a dodge check this out. The ammeter on the dash was built too close to the plastic housing, it heats up, melts and shorts out the ammeter. The ammeter power supply directly works and helps power the starter system in some weird way. For now I bypassed the meter with a connector and everything works fine. I will have to get a new housing and ammeter but this is the problem if you have weird starting problem and own a dodge truck around the 76-79n years. At least I know how my truck works now. thank you everybody for your help.
Kevin