Starting Problems On 8100

[JRayls2500hd]

hey guys hope you can help

yesterday on my 8.1 at work i started it and it started right up as always but the rpms dipped down to 200 and then it revved right back up to 700 and was fine. later that day after leaving my deer stand it would start and die it did this 3 maybe 4 times and then i gave it some throttle and it started but had i not been given it gas it would have died again and every time it does this it resets the clock to 1200 but all my radio presets stay. and on the way home from the stand once we got going all my dash lights came on like when you first start it. hope i can figure it out it makes it hairy to shift gears when its tryin to die all the time you let off it.

[longhorn_giant]

This may be totally irrelevant since it was on a Dodge Durango, but it sounds like your battery may be dead or dying. On the 'Go it was dead and I had to have it jumped. After I had it jumped the truck wouldn't idle, I had to keep reving the engine. If I let it go it'd die. The dealer told me that if the batteries so dead the truck won't actually stay running.

 

Like I said that may mean nothing for a GM and I've never had it happen with any of my trucks. But the fact that the clock resets makes me think that may be the problem.

[longhorn_giant]

or maybe the alternator.

[bert55441]

Depending on the year of your truck, may be a crank poison sensor?

[Hulk1999]

I know mine takes a while to start up. if the engine is cold it may take two or three tries to fire the beast up.

[dewfpo]

Have the battery checked, and check all the connections on the battery and the alternator, including grounds for tightness.

 

DEWFPO

[Burbman]

Couple things....the crank position sensor (CPS) on the earlier '01-'02's was a weak point. As it wears down, it creates a random dies/no start condition. I had this on my '01 last summer (1000 miles from home in NC). However, there have never been any reports of the clock resetting to 12:00 as part of this, so I don't think that's causing this problem.

 

Agree that the battery may be worth looking at. More importantly, look at the cables and connections to the battery. GM has had a recurring problem with their side post batteries. Overtightening of the cables can cause the lead fastener to crush, leading to possible cracking of the battery case at the bolt bottoms in the hole and a connection that is not sufficiently tight. Battery acid can cause corrosion on the lug, but can also wick down under the wire insualtion and corrode the battery cables a foot or more away. More detail on this issue here.

 

Best is to pull the battery and check for cracks in the case around the cable connectors. If more than a few years old, consider just replacing. Remove the lug from the positive cable and slide the plastic cover off of the terminal. Inspect carefully for corrosion and also look for signs of any acid wicking down the wire. Replace positive and/or negative battery leads if you see signs of corrosion under the insulation.

 

Clean all connections good and reinstall with protective grease and that should fix the problem. DO NOT overtighten the cable lugs when installing.