Clicking Relay, I think

[winemaker]

I hear a rapid clicking sound now and then, just about every time I drive my truck. It sounds like a relay opening and closing quickly. Sometimes it'll click 2 or 3 times, sometimes many more times. It's coming from the lower-middle area of the dash, perhaps behind the cigarette lighter plugs, and I believe it is somehow related to the interior dome light. I had the door open with the truck running, so the dome light was on, then the clicking occurred with the dome light going on and off "to the beat". What is it and what negative effects can I expect to develop if any in relation to this? Thanks, Brett

[garre1tt]

Most of the relay sounds that you hear on the 6.5 are the ones you want to hear. It is when you dont hear them that you should be weary.
Good relay sounds are the lift pump. Both before starting and after shutdown.
Glow plug relay, even after starting it may cycle.
These are just a couple that I was checking on my own vehicals tonight.
If you can narrow it down we can help more.
Michael D

[sailun]

It's gotta be in the "door open" plunger switches. My Burb makes the same clicking and dome light flashing when the front passenger door is open, or the rear hatch is unlatched. It's a great indicator that I forgot to close the rear hatch.

Always goes away when I close the door or hatch. :-)

Now, if I could just find and destroy that darn noise-maker that squeals relentlessly whenever a door is open and key is in the ignition.

[Dvldog8793]

Howdy
The "darn noise maker" is a 3"box plugged into the lower power panel at the drivers left foot area. open your door and put your head down there and listen. find it, remove, throw away!
L8r
Conley

[sailun]

Thanks, Dvldog. Nice and quiet, now.

[winemaker]

Thanks for the confirmation of symptoms, Sailun.
Michael D: please excuse my ignorance, but aside from location on the vehicle, description of problem, and observed affects, what kind of narrowing down can I provide that might help you and others tell me what part is in question? Thanks for your help, folks! Brett

[garre1tt]

Well you caught me not paying attention to the details.
I read relay and skimmed the rest.
What I should have asked is: does this only happen when the dome light is on. How long was the truck running. If you shut the door does this stop the clicking. Does the dome light turn completely off or just dim to off then back on?
I have had my dome light surge from bad batteries when the glow plug controller cycled. When the glow plug controller went bad and when I had bad connections on the batteries.
These were easy fixes. Hope yours is too.

[redbird2]

My 98 extened cab started that trick recently only on the passangers door it was the plunger switch for the dome light replaced it problem stopped also stop wife from complaining that she can't see to get in at night.If that all it would have taken I would have pulled dome light years ago HAHA. good luck

[winemaker]

It's happened while I'm loading my 2 year old into the back seat having not yet started the truck, while driving, while idling....pretty much any time other than completely parked (not running & doors closed). The dome light will shut off completely, not just dim. Shutting the door does stop it with the truck not running, but not when it is running. The glow plug light on the dash (I assume it's lit when GP relay is on) doesn't coincide with it at all. A few times I have been putting my son into car seat and it goes off completely so I reach up and turn on the manual light switch at the ceiling. It never affects the manually controlled dome light either on the ceiling switches or the dash switch. The clicking might still occur but the light stays on.
I installed 2 new matching batteries a few months ago (top of the line from a battery only dealer) and did the fix I read about here on the DP ie:removed the old fasteners and rubber and bolted them in. Connections are clean. Also, this occurred before and after the new batteries.
Thanks again for your help. It's not a big deal at all, but I hate having to say "I'm not sure" when my wife asks "what's that noise?" It doesn't instill a great deal of confidence in her at the start of our 1000km trips every long weekend! Cheers! Brett

[winemaker]

Thanks Redbrid! I was busy typing the above reply while you where posting, I guess. I guess Sailun was right. Funnt how something way over there fixes a problem way over here.
So the part is the switch loicated in the door pillar by the hinges? How much was the part? Straight forward re & re, or was there any trick to it? Thanks! Brett