Car won't start

[Bowers]

Hi guys,
Here is the issue, went to start the 1970 Charger this morning and nothing happened. Not a single sound or click. Battery was checked and it is fully charged. Took out the starter and benched tested it, no issue. Flip up lights work and gauges work. Any ideas? I am completely illiterate when it comes to cars. It won't start so I can't take it to my mechanic lol. Please use general terms and speak to me like I'm a child. lol

Thanks

JB

 

[Beekeeper]

Check the starter relay, it's a small box on the fire wall should have a hot wire from battery and a wire going down to starter solenoid
And a couple of smaller brown wires I believe.

 

[A383Wing]

did ya have it in park? Lots of issues with shift linkage..try it in neutral....or move the shifter

bad neutral safety switch? Bad starter relay on firewall? Bad ignition switch? Does anything else not work?

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Well, the starter spins when bench tested then it should turn over the engine when you turn the key. Obviously there is an issue with supplying the starter with current. Do you have a test light? Need to check for voltage at the starter. Either the positive cable from the battery to the starter or the wire from the switch to the solenoid

 

[Bowers]

No test light. Put it in neutral and rolled it back and tried to boost it, still nothing. How do I check the starter relay?

- - - Updated - - -

Put it in neutral and it started! What am I looking at now?

 

[Beekeeper]

Well it would be hard to do with out a test meter or light. But you need to make sure that it has a good ground first, then the small wire on it comes from the ignition
When the key is turned it has contacts that get closed sending voltage to the starter
Solenoid via the heavier wire coming from the battery then thru the wire going to the starter solenoid.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Try going back to park and see if it starts. If so maybe it just wasn't all the way in. If not I would say neutral safety switch is bad

 

[Beekeeper]

Basically it keeps the current that the solenoid pulls from going thru the ignition switch

 

[Bowers]

It did start in park again. You guys rock!

 

[Beekeeper]

Glad you got it started

 

[Bowers]

Hi Guys,
All was well this morning and it was running. Now it won't start in neither park or neutral. Any thoughts?

 

[A383Wing]

bad neutral switch, plug harness came off? Loose pins?

the list gets longer...

 

[Vonzy797]

Keep in mind - corrosion runs under wire insulation... I recently had this same exact problem as well. Peeled the insulation back from my hot wire on the battery... green is moving up the line... In my case my Relay on the firewall was not grounding... little wire that goes to firewall. Cleaned it up and fired it up. The corrosion will allow lights to work but won't supply enough power to get the old girl cranking. I would make sure your relay on the firewall has a GOOD ground and GOOD Wire contacts... Good luck!

 

[snakeoil24]

You need to spring for a volt Ohm meter! Without it and pigtail your pulling your pud!

 

[Bowers]

Ok I bought a test light and put it on this. Not sure but there is power running to the positive post. When the light hit both the positive and negative post the starter kicked over.

When I checked the positive on the starter there is power and when the light hit both negative and positive it turned over.

 

[Sixpactogo]

That is the starter relay in your picture. Get a new one. They can go bad and be intermittant. I have had a brand new one that would work a few times then not work. I thought it was a loose connection but it stopped failing when I replaced the starter relay. I would also clean the connections on the neutral safety switch on the transmission.

 

[Bowers]

Where can I find the neutral safety switch?

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Where can I find the neutral safety switch?

On th side of the trans. Drivers side near the linkage. Three wire connector

 

[billc]

neutral safety switch is on the side of the transmission. Should be on the linkage side of transmission. Just follow the wire down bell housing to switch.