Well, every once in a while my car won't even trun over. The battery ain't dead, because a few minutes later or a little while later it'll start right up. When I go to crank it, nothing happens, no clicking, nothing. Other times it'll work perfect.

Anyone know what this is? I'm thinking either ignition switch or starter solenoid, however I just replaced the starter solenoid a little while ago, about a month or so because mine went bad. I made sure everything was hooked up fine and the solenoid still seems to work fine other times. Could it be the ignition switch?

-Thanks, Brandon

 

 

Yes to the ignition switch?

 

A helps, try this!
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...gnition+switch

 

Indeed it does, thank you. Thankfully I don't run a ECM, so I shouldn't have to worry about some of the things that poster did. An igntion switch would be an intermittant problem I'm guessing right? It seems that this is sorta an on/off thing since it first happened about a month or 2 ago.

 

could be a loose wire thats causing the problems.

 

I got that yesterday actually and it happened to me prolly 6 months ago. I turn the key and nothing happens, no click, no crank no nothing. Then come back to the car in a few mins and it fires right up. Yesterday was the first time its happened in about 6 months i thought it had gone away. I actually tinkered with the ground for the battery and it started up after that it was a little rusty, but i have no idea if this was the problem or just a coincidence...

I was actually gonna have my work diagnose the problem but the car fired right up for them when they went to turn the key...go figure(6 months ago). Keep us posted on what you find.

 

The same thing is and has been happening to me and I searched until I found the answer. Now what is really strange is up to last week I would turn the key up to 20 times and nothing until around the 21-25 crank, now it starts first try

 

I was having same issue. Replaced battery, alternator, starter switch and still had the issue. I finally found that it was my clutch switch. Now I'm checking to see how to by-pass the clutch switch. I don't need it anyways.

 

I have a friend with an 80 camaro and his prob was the hot wire to the starter had a short in it where the previous owner had wire tied it to the dipstick. the kink in the wire made it intermittent. I replaced the wire all the way up to that point because the wire "looked good" there on. that kink took me and him three days to figure out. I went thru three starters and alot of frustration. I just ended up replacing all the wires to the starter. She starts perrrrrfect.

 

Well all my wires going to the starter are fine, they look good and I ran my hand along them to check and I didn't feel anything outta the ordinary. The starter was tested a short time ago and I re-built it with a few things like a new overrunning clutch, etc. The solenoid was just replaced about a month ago too. I don't run a clutch switch on my car, it was originally an automatic and when it was converted I didn't bother to wire one up.

So that pretty much narrows it down to either the ignition switch or a wire somewhere. Where should I look for the wires? In the column or what?

 

What about the starter switch that is accuated by the ignition switch. It sits down on the top of the steering column and is activated by a rod when you turn the ignition on?

Just an idea.

 

Never thought of that, maybe I'll check it too. I already have the steering wheel off, but I need the little adaptor thing to pull off (I'm running a Grant wheel and adaptor) and I won't be able to get a steering wheel puller till later on today (gotta borrow it). How hard is the ignition switch or starter switch to get to? Is it true I have to drop the column to get to them, and if so, what exactly do I do to drop it? Are there some bolts or something?

-Thanks, Brandon

 

Remove the plastic valance from below the steering column. 2 nuts , 1 on each side of column is all that is holding it up. Lower column and make sure that you aren't stretching or bindings any other wires when lowering the column. Switch is located on top of steering column, just past the steering column bracket.
I just dropped my steering column and disconnected the 2 wire plugs from switch. Removed the 2 screws holding it in and installed new one. Didn't have to remove steering wheel. Make sure that wire rod is seated properly into new switch. Check ignition switch operation and make sure that key turns to each position. If it doesn't, you can loosen the screws and slide switch back or forward to adjust.
Took me about 30 minutes to install mine.
Note: Ignition switch is stiffer, due to the new switch.
Hope this helps.

 

All the switches seem to be way back there, I don't really see any that are up close, I see one switch with one connector going to it, but I'm assuming that's not it.

 

Well for a crappy note the ignition switch on my 87 didnt click right one day and while driving the car my wiring burnt up, along with my brake booster and my hood. but inside the cockpit everything was kosher. So go thru the whole assembly its worth saving your car over

 

It's the only switch that is sitting directly on top of the column. It's about 4 inches long and 2 inches wide. It looks like it is made out of ceramic, with a curved metal plate attached to it. The plate is contoured to the shape of the column. 2 wire harness modules snap into it on right side. You'll see a metal rod going down to it from your steering wheel. The rod is going to the left of the switch. The screws are on the left side at about a 11:00 o'clock position.
I had to get to the screws from underneath the dash. The 2 wire harnesses are snapped in and held in by the metal plate.

 

Allright I found the switch, I can get it out now. It had a black harness and a blue one going into it. I got the black one off, but the blue is being a real bitch and I can't get it out, does the metal plate need to come off first?

 

Metal plate and switch are one piece. The metal plate is what the cable harness snaps into. It also is where the screws go through to attach it to the column. The metal should be flimsy enough, by the connectors, to bend it and pull the harness straight out. It's also possible that the male connectors on the switch are fused or corroded too the harness. Be careful and try not to twist or bend the harness, while pulling it off the switch.

 

Does your key happen to have the VATS chip in it?

On my 89, oil from my hands was messing up the reading so the computer would kill everything until it resets 5-10 mins later

 

No


The terminals were fine and not corroded at all.

Allright, I know it's been a while since I posted the question, but I've basically been gone for the last 3 weeks so I just started now. I got the old switch off but I have a few questions.

When I went to autozone I bought an ignition switch for a manual car since they didn't have and automatic ones in stock. The ignition switch I have I believe is for an automatic. My car was originally an auto but was swapped out for a 5 speed. Anyways, I pulled the old switch off and there was some white thing on the side of the switch that was held on with one screw and that a black connector went into. I just pulled it off the old switch and put it on my new one, but will this cause a problem? Would an automatic switch had come with this one it? Could this white thing have been what went bad and should I replace it? I can get pictures if you aren't sure what I'm talking about

Also, there's 2 rods giong down the column towards where the switch is. Does anyone know exactly where those go. I accidentally pulled off the old switch without knowing where they went and now I'm lost on where to hook them up or whatever, if anyone knows and could tell me that'd be great.

 

Have you inspected the factory plastic wire joints about 5 inches from the main 12 volt junction block beside the battery. If you have a higher milage car these are often corroded inside and need to be eliminated. Disassemble the the dis blok and cut off all the butt joints and install new ring connectors to the appropreiate wires then clean the dis blok and reattach. You will often find this makes for a quicker startup too.

 

I only post this because my daily has almost 300K on it and I had all the same probs as you till another member told me the trick! Now no more probs.

 

The car only has about 75,000 original miles on it, and only about 26,000 on this drivetrain. I just went out and inspected it, and all the wires appear fine and in perfect condition. I felt them and I couldn't feel any breaks or anything inside either that I may have not been noticing from the outside.

If anyone knows where the 2 metal rods go or if my ignition switch is okay to use as is then please let me know.

 

The same thing happens to me all the time. The car drives great, then you turn it off, and it won't start again. On my '92, the automatic shifter registers park but it must be off my a millimeter. Try wiggling the shifter while turning the key. Automatics won't start until they're in park. I have a B&M shifter, so it happens alot. I hope that helps.

 

I would.... but it's a stick car.

 

 

Anyone at all.....

 

Let me try this again.....

Well I got the ignition switch in and everything together, but still no go. The high beams work, but I'm still having the same no start problem. I'm guessing maybe I should have gone with the automatic ignition switch instead of the one for a manual tranny?

Also, for some reason now, my brake lights are on no matter what, whether my foot is on the brake or not. Anyone know why this is? Obviously it's something I did, but I'm not sure what.

Thirdly, there's one random loose red wire under there. I believe it was loose earlier, because I don't remember unhooking it from anything. There's one purple wire just like it that goes to something, and a similiar green one. The red one however, I can't figure out where it goes. It's just a small, 12 gage or so wire with a small connector on the end, not a huge 10 or 12 prong one or anything. Anyone know what this is and where it goes or if I should even bother? Could it be causing my no-start issue? If you'd like I can get a picture of it.

-Thanks, Brandon

 

Your brake lights are easy to adjust.Push in the pedal as far as you can.Then push in the switches as far as you can then release the pedal.They will automatically adjust themselves.As to the rest I'm not familiar with it.I've never dug into that part of my car.Good luck with it.

 

Yeah, I figured out how to do them today, thanks. I now need help on identifying what this red wire is, and the other questions in my previous post. If it helps, the red wire with single connector says "PED 6" on it.