Ok was pulling the Grabber out of the shop, everything was fine, got about half way out the door and it just shut down, tried to restart and the key does nothing but light the lights on the dash, ok so I get out leaving the key in run position, jump solenoid with a screwdriver and it starts, pull it back into the shop, this was a while back, yesterday tried to start with key of course, same problem which I expected, tried the screwdriver jump, engine will turn over but will not run, it's like it has no spark now, checked a few wire connections coming off the Duraspark to make sure nothing disconnected, still nothing, kinda reminds me of long ago, those dang ignition modules going out and leaving me stranded, what ya'll think? What do ya'll suggest I start with?
Agreed, the ign system has zero to do with the starter not operating, you could toss the duraspark and the dist in the street, it will still crank... BTW the ign sw should be on the top of the column, directly under the cluster...
The Red w/ Ltblue stripe wire is the solenoid start signal wire, if that helps. It should get 12V in the START position of the ignition cylinder. It connects the ignition switch to the starter solenoid S terminal, through the neutral safety switch (if equipped). Start at the solenoid end, then work backwards using a buddy and a 12V test light.
Ok, the seats are out and seatbelt wires disconnected, but it was this way from the first time, it's a 72' so there should be no belt lockout right? It was I guess at one time an automatic column shift and I also thought of that, you know the shift collar not being in the right place, but it's good, like I said I was moving it, it had started with the key many times along with that time and just quit as I was moving, I will check the ingition switch in a few, a little worn out right now I just roped in the windshield, it seems to be progressive, first switch won't crank it and then solenoid won't start it but cranks it over, and both worked fine at first, also gonna pull a plug and see if I have spark at it. Thanks for the suggestions so far
74 & 75 (early) were the only years with seat belt interlock. I'd be checking out the ignition switch first.
When mine did this same thing I just needed to adjust the ignition switch on the column, after 40 years it had moved some. There's a preocedure on here somewhere.
You would be wrong. There are 4 positions in the switch that can fail. And, the part that gives the run power is seperate from the starter power, so you can crank and not have power to the coil. Mine recently failed in a way that when you put it in the first position it would power everything, then when you clicked to start cranking it would crank and crank but not fire, then when you released the key there was no power to anything. The part of the switch that went from start to run had broken cutting the battery positive power to the system.
Ok got it!! most of ya'll were close to being right, it was at the ignition switch but not actually the switch, let me explain if I can.....dropped steering column, started looking at wires, found one coming from the ignition switch plug that was cut but had the end exposed like it was connected to something (red wire with lt. blue stripe) started looking for the other end, found a fat blue wire about 17 inches long laying in the floorboard, and it was connected to the other side of that cut wire but it was still attached to the plug, I stuck them together just to see and turned the key, it fired right up np, so I just took the extended wire out of the picture and wired the two together with some crimp on plugs and got it done! why the long wire I have no idea, of course I have no idea why the PO did most of the stuff I found he did. Thanks for the direction to go everyone.
Which wire was it? one of those is the resistance wire that gos from the ignition to the distributor, a lot of people bypass it at the ignition switch. And if I remember right the resistance wire is red or pink.
I believe it was the wire that eventually ended up at the solenoid ign. post...the red with light blue stripe.
of course I should have read better, thought it said red and a blue wire attached to it... feh I should keep my foot out of my mouth.
