No start when key is turned

[JacobA]

I’m having an intermittent starting issue. It happened once over a year ago went to leave a campground turned the key and engine wouldn’t turn over, everything else seems fine , dash lights, transmission panel, etc. Kept cycling the key and it eventually started. Thought it could be a bad switch so I replaced it when I got home and hadn’t had it do it again until this evening. Same thing turn the key and nothing, I hear the series of relay in the engine bay but no start. After cycling the key several times it works. Starts immediately, let it run for a few minutes turned it off and it started right back up, did it several times and it worked every time. Failing relay? Any thoughts on where to start would very much appreciated. 
No work has been done, stays plugged in and battery voltage is fine, two bad switches? Anything is possible.
 

06’ Camelot 400ISL

[timaz996]

I would guess your ignition switch is on it's way out. 

[JacobA]

It’s possible but it is new. Probably hasn’t been cycled 30-40 times. It was replaced because the last one did the same thing. 

[jacwjames]

Does you Camelot have a rear start option???

[JacobA]

Not that I’m aware of 

[jacwjames]

I have a side radiator,, the rear start switch is located in a ~6X6" box and mount near the front (pulley end) of the engine drivers side.  There are 2 buttons, on is Front/Rear and the other is start.   I can turn the key to on, don't start engine, go the back and toggle the switch to rear and then hit the start button and the engine will start. 

[Georgia Mike]

Jay, I had your exact symptoms for a while. It started happening more frequently as time went on so at first I change the ignition switch but it still kept happening, then after talking to many people on the site they said it is probably the starter. I got the starter rebuilt and haven’t had a problem in almost 2 years. 

[Tom Wallis]

Since you've replaced the switch already I would try Jim's suggestion and if that doesn't help it's likely a relay or the starter solenoid. If it is the solenoid it's a lot less expensive to just replace it than the whole starter.

[JacobA]

Thanks for the ideas, I do have a 6x6 box in the bay but it’s screwed shut and I never opened it, always just thought it was where they wired the outlet that is in the bay. I will open it and check!

I can’t get a pic right now but there is three breakers and three solenoids on the pass side in the engine bay is one specific to the start? I was thinking that one closed there to power the starter solenoid and the Spence wire triggered the starter. The one in the bay would be an easy swap.

 

thanks again for the help

[Dr4Film]

Jay, the 6x6 box would have two switches on the FRONT of the box, not inside. One labeled front-back and one labeled start. The start one is a momentary switch.

[Benjamin]

It happened twice, a year apart.  I'd expect it to take another year, very roughly, to re occur, if nothing is changed.  And take about two years to know if what you change has fixed the issue.  Not exactly the kind of thing I'd want the dealer putting a lot of hours into...

One way to approach it would be to run another wire from the small terminal on the solenoid, either to the cab, or to an electrical junction near the rear and leave it capped, so you could test it when the problem occurs. Or the wire inside the rear of the "house" with a buzzer, so if you turn the key someday and it doesn't crank, you can hear the buzzer if the solenoid is getting the start signal, or no buzzer means no start signal.  Then you can either precede with diagnostics, or supply power to the wire and crank the starter. 

 

[jacwjames]

1 hour ago, Dr4Film said:

Jay, the 6x6 box would have two switches on the FRONT of the box, not inside. One labeled front-back and one labeled start. The start one is a momentary switch.

Yup, inside the box there are several relays that switch the start function from from front to back.  I know a Moncaoer who was having a similar problem and checked the connections on the relays, can't remember if he swapped any out, but that solved the no start function.

Not sure if Monaco would have prewired for the option or not, but easy to check, take the cover off and see what's in the box. 

 

 

[lake49068]

Had a "no start" episode last winter which then progressed to a "won't go into gear" issue. Chased it with Allison in Fort Myers and they replaced a harness buried in tranny sump.  Problem continued and "played chopsticks" on the shift pad all the way back to Michigan.  After a few tries, it would start and finally go into gear...never shut it down except for overnight stops.  Got it to Fort Wayne Allison and they found a faulty shift pad and that solved the problem.  Just one more possibility!

Adam

2010 Neptune 37PBQ (retired)

[JacobA]

You guys are awesome this definitely gives me some things to look at and try. Still a working stiff so I probably won’t get back to it until this weekend when it should be a balmy 20 degrees.

Really curious what in that box now. 

 

Thanks again to everyone 

[diplomat don]

Another thing to try is get under and try wiggling the wires/bolts  on the starter solenoid while someone holds the key in the start position. Those studs are actually bolts from the inside out. Twice in my lifetime I have had this be the cause of no start, once on a gas pickup and once on my 8.3ISC 01 Diplomat. 3 times on the Dip for old memory to kick in. That bolt/stud can get loose in the housing even though the wire eye is tight. Double nut the end of the stud/bolt, loosen the wire connection and tighten the nut locking the bolt to the solenoid housing then retighten the wire eye to thee stud. On the Diplomat that was 6 or 7 years ago and to my knowledge still going, and was the same with the pickup, never again. Not saying that is your issue, but can happen. I drove trucks for about 4 million miles never happened on a truck I drove but still a possibility and an easy and inexpensive thing to check. Good luck, Don

[jacwjames]

I have another box that is a junction box, there is a piece of conduit going up and one to the drivers side and then back into the coach.  This was used when the root/ceiling was dropped onto the house, the wiring was all installed in the roof portions and then the cable bundles were pulled through the voids. 

TMI but here goes. >>>

When I was have trouble with my bedroom 120 volt circuit I had a short in the ceiling (mice) but was able to redo the section that was bad.  Funny thing it would trip the breaker but I could not run the generator, it would die.  I figured out which circuit by shutting off all the circuit breakers from the inverter and then flipping on one by one until the generator died.   The circuit started in my main service panel and went toward the rear drivers side in the ceiling through the junction box to under the bed to the outlet on right side of bed in the cabinet and then back out, back up through the ceiling to the outlet behind the TV in the bedroom.   Had to redo the wiring to eliminate one of the two wires in the junction box.   Took a while to figure out what was going on and then figure out how to fix. 

[windsorbill06]

8 hours ago, JacobA said:

You guys are awesome this definitely gives me some things to look at and try. Still a working stiff so I probably won’t get back to it until this weekend when it should be a balmy 20 degrees.

Really curious what in that box now.

Thanks again to everyone 

I have a 6x6x6 junction box, but it's just that. Connects cord reel to transfer switch.    No switches inside.    My rear start switch looks like this.  I thought camelots back then had it, but maybe not.

[Happycarz]

Camelot’s don’t have a rear start box, they only start from cockpit.

[windsorbill06]

On 11/26/2024 at 7:46 PM, Happycarz said:

Camelot’s don’t have a rear start box, they only start from cockpit.

Thanks Harry for clarifying that.   

To this day, I occasionally bump that button.  Go to start up a few days later,  and I get that 'bad feeling'.  

[johjim397]

I had that issue a long time ago and my cure was going under and removing any and all ground wires, cleaning the terminals on the wires, cleaning the post for the terminals and re-tightening the fasteners for the connections. Have not had that problem again; however, I do a visual on all grounds and clean them when I see any signs of corrosion.

Hope this helps

Jim Hood

02 Endeavor 

[JacobA]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have another ignition on order and I’m going to swap that again. I tried starting it again and  still didn’t turn over in the start position so I cycled the key back and forth from acc. To on several times and then tried the start position and it turned right over. Then I turned it off and it started right back up. Might be wishful thinking but it’s a cheap easy test. The last one I ordered was the standard motor products 84T which I learned that it is the cheaper version or there 84 model and the 84T had some bad reviews for not working consistently and coming apart. So it’s worth a shot.

Thanks everyone

i will update as I work through the process.