76 Clipper (Dodge 440) will not start

[syd108]

I have an American Clipper on a 440 Dodge. It has 65000 miles on it. We just got it a few months back. It ran pretty good until the last couple trips. It looks like every time we use the lights the and stop the engine afterwards the engine will not start. The battery has good charge but when it will not even crank the engine. Even the lights will not turn on. We took it to a shop they said wire going to the ampmeter was loose. It drove great all morning but ***  soon as i turned on the lights and stopped for gas it died on us. I know its got to do something with the electrical but not sure. Will help me a lot coz right now its parked 100 miles from home in a KMart parking lot until i can figure out what is wrong.
thanks
syd

[handyman]

It sounds like your alt is not charging the battery and when you put on the lights it drains the battery to a point where it wont start it again. Id get another battery get it started then put a meter to the battery it should read 13.6 to 14.6 any lower the battery will not charge enoff to start the motor if its low over 12.6 leave everthing off and haul rear to home and get the alt checked and or the regulator good luck  

[handyman]

Forgot a thing make sure to clean the battery cables and the ground cable where it grounds to the body  

[syd108]

Thanks for ur advice Jim. That was exactly what i thought it was. But i was wrong. I dropped a brand new battery and still the engine will not crank. If i use the bypass starter it will crank but will not start up. It sounds like a weak wire or wiring problem. I was hoping someone can tell me what i should be looking to identify which wire(junction) when malfunctioning will totally cut the battery from the circuit coz even with a new battery in place the head light will not turn on. But the hazard lights work.(that is the only thing that works).
syd

[handyman]

Again check all your grounds next check the fuzable links they are special peaces of wire that if over loaded they burn in two, turn on your key and try jumping the starter also take off and clean all the wires to your stater did anyone check the ignestion switch when they checked the wiring? you said it cranked when you hit the emergency start switch ? did you have the key on when you did this let me know what this switch is and where its wired into the system    

[syd108]

I did check most of the wires i could see. They seemed to be secure.
There are 2 fusible links close to he battery they seem fine.
I tried jumping it but no luck.
What bothers me is that with a brand new battery in place alteast my headlights should turn on even if it seems dead when i turn the ignition.
The bypass starter i think is powered off the rv's battery in case of emergency, like a dead meain battery. That will crank the engine but will not start, kinda indicates that the engine is not getting any sparks.
Other than that iam clueless. If u have any ideas please let me know.
worst case what is the best way to tow it home. I have a dodge ram 1500 with a class4 hitch reciever.
I really appreciate you getting back to me promptly. Thank you.
syd

[syd108]

Forgot to add. I left the ignition key in the on position when i used the bypass starter.

[handyman]

Boy youv got a messed up unit  if the main battery dosent crank it but the house battery does then you have what I told you before power isent getting from the battery to the starter whitch could be a bad ignestion switch also you could have a bad ignestion modual. whith the key on jump the starter and see if the engine cranks that will tell you if the switch is bad or a bad fuzable link sometime a fuzable link can be burned but look ok the only way to really tell is put a meter on one end and see if you have power at the other as far as towing it with your dodge your looking at about 9000+lbs of dead weight and youll have to pull the drive shaft or youll mess up your trans  but again start at the beginning from the battery to the starter and the ignestion switch lets hpoe this helps  

[cat]

That fuseable link can be a killer.  I once was driving about 5 miles from home when everything stopped.  Wouldn't start, no lights, totally dead.  After fiddling with connections at the battery I discovered the fuseable link had a disconnect in the middle.  It had a little corrosion.  I pulled it apart, cleaned it and everything was fine.  When I got home I got rid of the connection and soldered the fuseable link together.  End of that problem.  Hope this helps.

[syd108]

thank you guys..I think my problem sounds exactly like what tiger cat describes. I will take a look at the fusible links again. How many fusible links are there that i should check.
9000lbs huh...i dont think my dodge can pull more than 9000 lbs for 100 miles. I guess i will cut off the fusible links and just twist the wire together and see if i can get it home. Also can you tell me what exactly how the second battery fits in the circuit.
1) does it only power the internal rv stuff and for the bypass starter?
(or)
2) does it sit behind the primary battery and help power the entire vehicle in case of a dead primary battery?

thanks guys
syd

[handyman]

the second battery is for the house only except if you have the emergency switch the isolater keeps the engine battery from being drained if the house battery goes dead but remember if you have the emergency switch on the house battery can drain the main.I think theres two or three linkes mines not here so I cant check it for you but like I said before just use a meter on eather side of the links and youll find the bad one

[HPotter]

There is a big multiple-conductor connector above the battery that carries battery power thru the firewall to the dash area. Try turning on the headlghts (which you say are not working) and watch them while moving that plug. If you see the lights come and go, clean the contacts with a good contact cleaner (Radio Shack sells it).
If this connector is intermittent, it can interrupt power to the lights and the starting circuit as well and could be the cause of your problem. A partial  connection failure (high resistance) could cause the sympton you describe, with low drain lights like turn signals working but failure of the head lights. Good luck!
HPotter

[Plante]

My guess is a fusable link - they can be burned with no outward sign.  I towed my Clipper about 5 miles with my '02 Ram 1500 4 x 4.  I had no problem but there were no hills and I went very slowly.  The wrong oil filter had been installed and I lost all oil pressure.

[cat]

Dear Syd #294:  Please let us know how you make out in solving your problem and what the "cure" was.

[syd108]

Thank you all for your advice. This weekend i will try to get my clipper running. As soon as i have solved the problem i will post what exactly was the problem.
Have a great week end.
syd