Start circuit question

[19bee70]

Alrighty gents...my problem is no power getting thru my start/ ignition switch on my column. Here's what I know:
All new harnesses in the column with a new switch
12v at the large red lead from the dash harness to the column harness.
12v making it thru the .connector at the bottom of the column and presumably up to the switch.
Put the key to START and no trigger voltage at the starter post....hence no cranking.
What am I doing wrong or what should I be testing next??

 

[Geoff 2]

Check the connector at the bottom of the column. Sometimes the electrical lugs are not correctly locked & get pushed out of position....& no contact.

 

[Doorkicker]

You said, "12v making it thru the .connector at the bottom of the column and presumably up to the switch." Check the lead from the switch to the lug on the firewall.

 

[Don Frelier]

You wrote starter post.
The next place to check is the starter relay.
It may just be the neutral safety switch

 

[dvw]

Circuit; Battery + to ignition switch. Then power out on the yellow wire thru the bulkhead to the starter relay. The relay has battery + on the large stud. The black wire in the corner of the starter relay is grounded at the neutral safety switch when the shifter is in N or P. The brown wire on the small stud feeds the starter solenoid. The starter large stud is fed from battery +. The starter relay feeds battery + from the large stud (red wire) to the small stud (brown wire). When the key trigger signal (yellow wire) is energised and grounded thru the neutral switch (black wire) closing the internal contacts in the relay.
Doug

 

[19bee70]

You said, "12v making it thru the .connector at the bottom of the column and presumably up to the switch." Check the lead from the switch to the lug on the firewall.

Ahhh ....a ground lug?

 

[19bee70]

You wrote starter post.
The next place to check is the starter relay.
It may just be the neutral safety switch

Don....I think I left out a crucial tidbit. I can start with a remote start switch under the hood and that is without any worry of the neutral safety working or not. Yes, the trans is in neutral but I'm not using the 70 specific lock out device. I also have a bare post on my relay that, looking at my colored wire diagram, should have a green wire to it? Yes, it's an 833 trans too.

 

[19bee70]

Circuit; Battery + to ignition switch. Then power out on the yellow wire thru the bulkhead to the starter relay. The relay has battery + on the large stud. The black wire in the corner of the starter relay is grounded at the neutral safety switch when the shifter is in N or P. The brown wire on the small stud feeds the starter solenoid. The starter large stud is fed from battery +. The starter relay feeds battery + from the large stud (red wire) to the small stud (brown wire). When the key trigger signal (yellow wire) is energised and grounded thru the neutral switch (black wire) closing the internal contacts in the relay.
Doug

Sweet....thanks DVW....I'll follow the power flow you laid out here and see if this reveals anything!!!

 

[19bee70]

Check the connector at the bottom of the column. Sometimes the electrical lugs are not correctly locked & get pushed out of position....& no contact.

Exactly ....I pushed hard enough, I think, to connect and after checking for power by probing for power on the switch side of the connector I have hot power. I have the column partially disassembled now to follow power thru the switch itself.

 

[Doorkicker]

Ahhh ....a ground lug?

If I understand you correctly... you have power going up to column to (presumably) to the ign switch. And it appears you're not getting power to the relay. And there's not a lot between the two. I was thinking test the wire from the ign switch heading out of the column for power when the ign is on and on start. My first stop would be the starter relay and if no pwr, work my way back towards the switch. For example, remove the bulkhead connector in the engine bay and test the plug in the firewall. If nothing, then check the backside of the bulkhead fitting (which can be a pain to get to). If no pwr, then chase the wire to the base of the column... and so on.

 

[Doorkicker]

The line highlighted is the wire I "think" you're having issues with.
The blue highlights are testing points starting at the relay and moving in.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Don....I think I left out a crucial tidbit. I can start with a remote start switch under the hood and that is without any worry of the neutral safety working or not. Yes, the trans is in neutral but I'm not using the 70 specific lock out device. I also have a bare post on my relay that, looking at my colored wire diagram, should have a green wire to it? Yes, it's an 833 trans too.

You have a “bare post” on the starter relay? Green wire? You are not using the clutch pedal switch? You need to ground that “bare post” to be able to activate the relay from the ignition switch.

 

[19bee70]

The line highlighted is the wire I "think" you're having issues with.
The blue highlights are testing points starting at the relay and moving in.

View attachment 1947406

Good start....with the key in crank position, I have power at all of the blue marks including the solder point on the switch itself. Next?

 

[19bee70]

You have a “bare post” on the starter relay? Green wire? You are not using the clutch pedal switch? You need to ground that “bare post” to be able to activate the relay from the ignition switch.

Ohhhhh....so the wire that would normally connect there for the manual trans completes the circuit to ground?

 

[RemCharger]

Ohhhhh....so the wire that would normally connect there for the manual trans completes the circuit to ground?

Yes. Same as an auto.

 

[19bee70]

Circuit; Battery + to ignition switch. Then power out on the yellow wire thru the bulkhead to the starter relay. The relay has battery + on the large stud. The black wire in the corner of the starter relay is grounded at the neutral safety switch when the shifter is in N or P. The brown wire on the small stud feeds the starter solenoid. The starter large stud is fed from battery +. The starter relay feeds battery + from the large stud (red wire) to the small stud (brown wire). When the key trigger signal (yellow wire) is energised and grounded thru the neutral switch (black wire) closing the internal contacts in the relay.
Doug

Ok....so thanks again DVW. I have to do something with that post with no black wire attached ( I thought it was green) but I'll have to crawl under the car to find that wire.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Ohhhhh....so the wire that would normally connect there for the manual trans completes the circuit to ground?

Yes, to the primary side of the relay. The clutch pedal switch would provide the ground to activate the relay when the pedal is depressed only. If the clutch pedal switch is not used, will need to provide a ground and be careful not to start it while in gear. The same terminal would be used for the NSS on an automatic, grounded only while in neutral or park.
Typical color coding for the 4-speed clutch switch to relay is green, on automatic, brown with a yellow tracer is common for the NSS to relay.

 

[19bee70]

Maybe this helps?