Truck Died = Won't Crank

WAG = Ignition Key Switch

Ignition cylinder lock, or battery connection, or grounds.

Key

Drove an hour to get a new lock/key cylinder. Changed it out. No difference. Should I try the safety neutral switch? Are there starter/ignition relays?

Check the fusible links on top of the left fenderwell, probably a orange one.

Running But Not Right

I got up this morning and started tinkering with my truck. I checked all the wires coming out of the "duckfoot" fusable link with a tester. They were all hot. I took down the fuse box under the steering column. The red wire in the center was hot. The blue one and the black with white stripe was not hot. Don't know whether they are supposed to be. I ran a wire from the hot red to the blue and the truck will start and the rest of the electrical works. I had to put a switch in the wire to kill the truck when running. Not right but will work until I can figure it out.

Did you check the wires at the firewall end of them the fusible part that burns out is about in the middle of the exposed parts of the wires.

Still sounds like a bad fusible link. Are your grounds clean and tight?

Grounds

This is my first diesel. They only ground I'm aware of goes from the battery to the body. It is good and tight . Where should I look for others ? Should I untape the wires along the fender well all the way to the plug at the firewall?

beachfisher9 said:

I ran a wire from the hot red to the blue and the truck will start and the rest of the electrical works. I had to put a switch in the wire to kill the truck when running. Not right but will work until I can figure it out.

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You're right about that. At this point I suggest going through all the wiring you can find checking for continuity, clean connections, add a ground from the voltage regulator to the block and another from the body to the frame. Clean the battery terminals. Do a good, thorough check and cleanup on everything electrical you can find until you get it fixed right.

X2 on the fusible links. Same thing happened to me and I thought they were all good. Had to look closer to find that one was burnt up.

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There's a ground from the battery to radiator support, battery to engine, engine to body at the firewall.

You don't need to untape the wires that goes into the loom. The fusible part of the wire is in the exposed part of the wires. Just check the wires right next to where they are wrapped and go to the firewall.

beachfisher9 said:

Should I untape the wires along the fender well all the way to the plug at the firewall?

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Stop saying "this is my first diesel!" Electricity does not come in diesel or gasoline flavors. :thumbsup:

I would unplug that bulkhead connector at the firewall and clean up the contacts.