Westernstar wont start

loss of ecm power most likely do you get a check engine light when you cycle the key?

 

Whoa, slow down a bit. Can you give a little bit more information? Try not to run it all together in one mile long sentence. 1. Is it cold where you are?
2. What kind of engine is it? 3. If the engine cranks over, your volts are probably ok, they usually drop when cranking, and then recover after the engine starts, and the alternator gets a chance to recharge the batteries, is this probably what you have been seeing? It's been 5 hours now, did you get it started, or, do you still need help?

 

Hi there,
I had the exact same problem!!! When it was cold, the only way to start truck was to warm up the ECM/ECU with a hair dryer. Long story short... turned out to be the ECM/ECU.

 

I'm glad that worked, but...whatever prompted you to try that?

 

It was cool and damp out, about 5°C and didn't want to start and no volts on gauge. The truck never had a problem when it was warm outside. So I was trying to figure out how to simulate a warm day.

 

I forgot to ask you.. how did you make out?

 

Well, it was one of those posters who asked for help and then never came back. (If you look by their name, it tells you they only did one post). Kind of wastes everbodys time when they do that, although in this case it led to our small conversation with the hair dryer which btw I think was a brilliant idea. Only thing about that which puzzles me, your battery voltage shouldn't change by warming up the ecm? Or was this a WS with the multiplex gauge system, which get their info from the ecm? That might explain it.

 

Yes it is the multiplex gauge system.