77 m880 with no crank after a 3in body lift. help!!

[digitalchi]

Ok so i have a 1977 auto trans m880. The truck used to crank all the time(had problems firing cause of the carburetor but already got a new one on the way). I can previously lift the truck bed about a week ago and decided to lift the cab yesterday.

Got all the blocks in place but not without some wires stretching as i figured. The cables to the starter from the relay were stretched pretty bad so both were rewired. But no crank when key is turned, Nothing!. When ignition is turned on all lights turn on,radio etc. I can jump the starter solenoid with a screw driver and it cranks.

Just discovered today the Neutral safety switch wires were also stretched and broken so i ordered and new switch and wire harness. hopefully that fix's the issuse.

But now i have other problem. I didn't losen the steering column when lifting the driver side and i thought it extended itself no problem..but i cant shift the truck passed reverse. It goes from park to reverse but wont go passed it. Anyone know what could be causing that?

If anyone has done a 3in body lift did you have to extend the steering column or adjust the shift linkage after lifting the cab?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

just to recap

-No crank..starter, starter relay, and battery have been ruled out.

Cant shift passed reverse after lifting the cab.(nothing done to steering shaft or shift linkage).

will upload some pics tommorow

[712edf]

I have done a 2' body lift on several Dodges, and there are headaches. I would avoid a 3", but since you already have it, here's the run-down.

You must make your shifter linkage longer to accommodate for the lift and have the full range of motion needed to be able to select all the gears. I'd imagine your steering is going to be in a bind as well. Are the brake lines stretched taut? Can you turn the wheels or articulate the suspension without damaging them? Is your parking brake now locked due to not having enough slack? How about radiator alignment with fan, does the fan clear the hoses?

On the automatic equipt trucks I have lifted (again 2"), I fabricated a longer shifter rod from the column down to the selector lever. About the only thing that I don't remember being a hassle was the speedometer cable. It had enough slack to reach.

I suspect your transmission isn't really in the gear that the selector indicator says its in. Which may be causing the no-cranking issue.

Bucky

[digitalchi]

THanks alot for the info.

[digitalchi]

ok so here is the extension that came with the kit...3inches



Here is the steering column


Where did you cut on weld the extension to the shift linkage. Closer to the bottom near the trans or closer to the steering shaft. Also if the linkage is stuck how exact will i be able to weld in the extender.

thanks again

[712edf]

You will need to remove that linkage rod. Once you have it out, move the shifter selector arm on the transmission all the way back (towards rear of truck). This should be the PARK position for the transmission & the truck should crank/start now, assuming good & properly connected Neutral safety switch, plus all wiring elsewhere being functional.

I didn't use the 3" rod that was enclosed with my body left kit. I made my linkage from 2 separate rods, spliced on the lower section with some overlap. I didn't keep this set-up very long as I ditched the automatic for a 4-speed.

I have manual steering, so the angle change wasn't as critical on mine.

Bucky

[digitalchi]

took the rod out today through it in park and got it to crank and start.. Just finished up the last 2 blocks of the body lift and im gunna weld in the extension monday. Everything worked like you said it should...

[pieter]

My two thoughts on your conversion...

Cable shifter - about $120 from summit last time I bought one. Body will flex off-road and will pop you out of gear when you least want it to happen.

Borgenson steering shaft - if your truck still has the traditional rag joint and you did a 3" body lift, you are gonna be running larger then stock tires. That joint will fail when you least want it to. Hopefully on a trail where you just roll into a tree or something and not on the street.

Pieter

[digitalchi]

ok so got the alternator wired up and the rod in plus a new NSS and harness,and it cranks up everytime..



But sigh now i have a new problem. The alternator is a http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PWM-17509/ and i have it hooked up with a high output wiring kit.

the problem is when i start the truck the volt meter is a lil below the mid range the more things i turn on the lower it goes till the truck just cuts off.

I also have a new optima battery in so im not sure what the problem could be.

One guess i had was in the pic you can see the belt is slanted a lil back toward the alternator pully making it not so tight..plus the belt is cracked and makes a faint flapping noise.

Would this cause the alternator to not preform well? I have new belts on the way and will try to pull the alternator towards the radiator a little more so its aligned better with the fan pulley.

Thanks for the help

[712edf]

When you say "volt meter" could you be meaning ammeter. That's what I think the truck would have came with, don't know since it was a military truck once.

Are you doing this test at idle? Will it still die if you turn everything on at a higher rpm?

The pulley alignment problem could cause alternator slippage, but will cause it to toss the belt at high rpm's.

If you disconnect the battery with the engine running at fast idle (no electrical load whatsoever, everything off), does it die?

Glad to hear it starts!

bucky

[digitalchi]

yeah i did mean ampmeter and while at idle with highbeams on the lights will just fade in and out slowly like it wants to turn off. Anything more than that such as wipers or heat will cause it to turn off. Will update later in the week when i get new belts and fix the pulley alignment problem

[Deathdeelr]

My 880 came with the ammeter in the stock dash but the Army installed a voltmeter in the left side dash plate over the headlight switch (the military multifunction light switch was in the other plate on the right side of the dash cluster).

I had this alternator alignment problem on my truck after I rebuilt the motor. Between my brother and I working on the truck stuff got lost. I couldn't find the stock bracket. I ended up making a spacer from some 1/2" steel dowel from Tractor Supply and got a longer bolt for the pivot. This got the pulley lined up but now the problem was the adjustment bracket didn't fit. I got lucky and found a bracket in the junkyard when I did the power brake/power steering conversion that attached to one of the water pump bolts. I then made a small triangular plate that attached to the water pump bolts to strengthen the pivot point bolt as it was flexing from being so long. If you like I could take some close up pics.

[sluggo]

I noticed in your pics you didnt lower your radiator,I would relocate the radiator 3" lower the same as your body lift. Also have someone floor the throttle (Not Running!) and watch your kickdown lever doesnt hit or bind on the firewall. And the last tip I got is the wiring harness that runs down the inner fender well and under the cab,make sure its not tight against or rubbing the sheet metal lip were the floor pan joins to the firewall,over time it will cut through the harness. I installed a 3" body lift on my 79 W200 and these were a few issues I ran into. Good Luck!