Connected previously installed aftermarket tach to ACC, now no more starting!

[jogirob]

Hello all,
Any reason why connecting a previously installed after market tach to the acc section on the fuse box ruin the starter relay? I was thinking the previous owner had the tach disconnected for a reason so I made sure to ask him what the deal was before messing with it. He said he disconnected it because he thought it might drain the battery if it sat too long. I hooked the tach back up and next thing I know the car is completely dead when it comes to trying to crank the engine. I d/c the tach from ACC and still nothing.

Through lurking this forum and the oem manual I came to the conclusion that the starter relay is bad. I jumpered battery to starter solenoid on the relay switch and the car starts, even with the tach hooked up. I jumpered from ignition switch terminal to the battery terminal on the relay switch and nothing happened. I grounded the neutral start/clutch start switch and performed the ignition switch to battery jumper test again and nothing happened. Bad relay switch.

 

[Don Frelier]

Just coincidence

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Check the neutral safety switch wire on the starter relay its common for it to get loose.
Bottom right wire with the odd connector.

 

[Shorthorse]

Just coincidence

Gibbs Rule 29: "There's no such thing as coincidence".
Always go back to what you were doing when the trouble started. Whether under the dash or in the engine compartment, moving and tugging on wires, especially if you have the old original wiring harnesses and often neglected bulkhead terminal, is always a recipe for disaster.

 

[jogirob]

Yup, I swapped out the relay and the car starts just fine with the tach and all. The thing looked like it was salvaged off the Titanic, all green and crusty...its time had come. Thanks all.

 

[Shorthorse]

Gibbs Rule 29: "There's no such thing as coincidence".
Always go back to what you were doing when the trouble started. Whether under the dash or in the engine compartment, moving and tugging on wires, especially if you have the old original wiring harnesses and often neglected bulkhead terminal, is always a recipe for disaster.

Don, I stand corrected.

 

[beanhead]

Thanks for follwing up. When I added the Autometer tach to my 68' it didn't start either...I had disconnected the coil wire to the distributor, for a little easier access to the nut on the coil terminal, and forgot to put it it back on...lol don't tell anybody

 

[jogirob]

Gibbs Rule 29: "There's no such thing as coincidence".
Always go back to what you were doing when the trouble started. Whether under the dash or in the engine compartment, moving and tugging on wires, especially if you have the old original wiring harnesses and often neglected bulkhead terminal, is always a recipe for disaster.

This is why I like doing things one step at a time! Easier to backtrack on my slip ups.

 

[Officer Higgins]

Just yesterday drove car to get tailpipes installed, started car several times during the day. Get home leave in driveway to cool off, go out to put it away several hours later no start. Have power, wiggle wires to starter relay started white up. Cleaned the connections and seems to be ok.