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doobie123
hi all,
just received a new ignition switch from auto atlanta, those guys are great!

installed it but still no start. the car will start by jumping the battery to the solenoid with the key in the run position but still wont start with just the key. i should say that i have not put the rest of the steering wheel/ directional switch back together in case it did not work.
could this effect it?
also it looks like someone before me took the large yellow and yellow/red stripe wire under the passenger seat and hooked them together to bypass the seat belt switch. in addition that relay under the seat and the wires going to it are in bad shape and the mount for the relay has rusted.
i'm looking for any suggestions that i could try so please, any help would be great.
thanks
nditiz1
The bypass is fine. Steering wheel off is fine.

Check continuity from the wire on the starter to your wire on you ignition switch. You can also test power goes to it with a volt meter and an extra person.

Definitely install a Ford relay. It costs maybe $50 to do the whole thing. Relay, wires, connectors and that's it.
doobie123
QUOTE(nditiz1 @ Aug 5 2022, 06:20 PM) *

The bypass is fine. Steering wheel off is fine.

Check continuity from the wire on the starter to your wire on you ignition switch. You can also test power goes to it with a volt meter and an extra person.

Definitely install a Ford relay. It costs maybe $50 to do the whole thing. Relay, wires, connectors and that's it.

forgive my ignorance but do you know what part number ford or what i can ask for at the parts store or maybe what to search for on line?
i did find a replacement porsche relay. $178.00!
i'd really rather spend $50.00
doobie123
something i didn't say was that there are 4 wiers coming off the battery hot side which makes me wonder if the previous owner, (now departed) had a "magic button" by pass set up. any reason why there would be that many wiers coming off the terminal? hardly seems "factory"
porschetub
QUOTE(doobie123 @ Aug 6 2022, 10:59 AM) *

hi all,
just received a new ignition switch from auto atlanta, those guys are great!

installed it but still no start. the car will start by jumping the battery to the solenoid with the key in the run position but still wont start with just the key. i should say that i have not put the rest of the steering wheel/ directional switch back together in case it did not work.
could this effect it?
also it looks like someone before me took the large yellow and yellow/red stripe wire under the passenger seat and hooked them together to bypass the seat belt switch. in addition that relay under the seat and the wires going to it are in bad shape and the mount for the relay has rusted.
i'm looking for any suggestions that i could try so please, any help would be great.
thanks

So your ignition switch sounds fine,just make sure the rear lower plug is fully on to the column terminals ,mine wasn't and I lost most functions .
Questions are ;
Are all your battery red terminals nice and new in good connection,
is the earth cable from battery to body good,
whats the wiring on the starter like,
battery good ? ,should be atleast 12.7V sitting,
is the connection for seatbelt bypass a good one,
did it run previously by bumping the starter,
have you checked all body to ground connections by relayboard ,
others on here will ask further.
All these things in good condition should solve your issues if sorted go on to Markhenrys guide to fit Ford solenoid as it works a treat and cheap ...did mine for pocket change.
Click to view attachment.




nditiz1
Any ford relay will work, 1970 ford galaxy, usually run about $20-30.

As for the "magic button start" I'm not sure. I had one in my last 914 because the ign switch was broken. He already has the relay which was good. That was the first thing I removed. I think even my latest one had it too lol. Anyway, post some pics of what you have hooked into the switch. I don't know what type of injection you have, but I do recall at least 2 additional wires going to the battery for relay board and clock maybe. The continuity test will help you determine the flow to your switch. The wires goes from your ignition switch start terminal to the relay board and then from there to the starter selinoid. If you can test at the starter to your switch then at least you know that path is good.
doobie123
ok, here is an update on the ignition.

Click to view attachment
what i found was the large large black wire goes to the battery hot, the yellow goes to the relay under the passenger seat, the red wire goes to the hot side of the battery, and in the bottom of the pic, you can see 2 wires with a sort of plug on them. one grey, one grey with a red stripe. they both go to the ignition switch but both were disconnected. when i jump the grey and red wire to the solenoid, presto! the key works. no change with the grey wire. so is that it
, problem solved? connect the grey and red to the solenoid and happy days! but, why were they disconnected? what is the grey wire for and whats with the plug ends? was the solenoid a aftermarket one without the correct plug?
nditiz1
I'm not seeing your grey wires with the plug. If you are talking about the ones in the forefront of the pic with the bullet connectors those are the reverse lights and go into the trans right behind the axle. I believe those are grey/grey red and are solely for the backup lights. Maybe when you were under there you joceled the yellow wire and it has a better but temporary connection and or the one under the seat.

Also the red wire in your pic should be going to the alternator. The big black wire should be going to the battery. The starter acts as a junction point for your alternator to charge the battery.
dr914@autoatlanta.com
bosch makes their wr1 hot start relay to install if you have voltage drop to the starter. If the trans ground strap is making good connection and the battery is charged and the yellow wire to the solenoid if firmly connected and lights a test light when the key is moved to the start connection, you need the bosch relay kit OR a new starter. We have begun to sell the heavier duty sr68 x in place of the old sr17x
doobie123
yes the 2 wires with the bullet connectors are what i'm talking about. so the red wire could be going to the alt before going to the battery? that would still give me continuity at the battery right?
as for moving the yellow wire, i don't think i did but i'll check it.
if the wire is tight and intact, why would the reverse light wire make the key functional? could it be a neutral safety thing?
i'll check the yellow wire, the ground strap and see if there is a drop but if the starter is bad, would i still be able to start the car using a jump switch\wire between the solenoid and the battery?
also i have cleaned the battery terminals and ground strap and the battery is new.
thanks for the help with this guys. as you can tell, i'm pretty green when it comes to this stuff.
nditiz1
The grey red making it work is just a coincidence. If you leave it in the same place as your pic the key will most likely work.

As for the red wire it has continuity to the battery because it is connected to the battery via the starter, both on the same post.

Definitely check the yellow connector is firm as well as the bypass under the pass seat. If you have a helper you can test power to the yellow wire when the ignition switch is momentarily moved to the start position. If your helper holds it there and you have leads on the yellow wire while disconnected you should get 12v.
doobie123
ok, thanks i'll give it a try and keep ya posted.
doobie123
just another question.
i thought there was a wire from the ignition switch to the starter. is that incorrect? is there a resource where i can find a simple diagram of the ignition circuit?
nditiz1
That wire is the one that goes under your seat. It travels from the switch to the seat relay, which Is now bypassed, then to the relay board via a 14 pin connector, then out of the relay board via a 12 pin connector to the starter solenoid.

Search on here or Google. I think it might be in the how to section as well. It's for a 74, but pretty much covers them all. You'll want the relay board diagram as well so you can map it through that as well.
doobie123
ok great, thanks

doobie123
ok guys here is a bit of an up date. i cleaned the trans ground and all the wires to the starter. the yellow has continuity from the starter to the under seat splice with the yellow/red stripe wire and the connection between the 2 are good.
at the starter, i have 14 V and with a load, 13.4 V.
after doing this i decided i'd try the two wires that should be going to the trans for... reverse lights? i jumped the grey/red stripe to the terminal on the solenoid which has the yellow wire attached and the key works. i removed it and no start, replaced it and the key works. these wires do go to the trans because i located the plug but when they are plugged in nothing changes.
the grey/red stripe wire has continuity with the pole on the ignition switch marked "S" the grey with a pole marked "P".
so what is the deal here? what else can i check or do? should i just run a new wire from the solenoid to the ignition switch pole marked "S"? it seems like it would fix the issue but what is the problem causing this?
thanks again for your help. tomorrow i'm gonna order the ignition circuit pamphlet from auto atlanta but i'd sure like to find a schematic before that comes in the mil. its driving me crazy!
Superhawk996
Something is mis-wired in your car.

I suspect that someone may have mis-pinned the connector that goes from the relay board to the starter / trans reverse lights.

When you turn the key to start position, you should be getting 12+ at the yellow wire. If that is not happening when you turn the key to start - something is mis-wired assuming that you have continuity in the yellow wire as you state.

Verify that both connectors (top coming in from cabin) and the right bottom (going out to engine / starter) are pinned correctly.
Superhawk996
QUOTE(doobie123 @ Aug 7 2022, 07:03 PM) *

should i just run a new wire from the solenoid to the ignition switch pole marked "S"? it seems like it would fix the issue but what is the problem causing this?



No -- do not start cutting things and/or running new wires.

Trouble shoot what you have to the underlying issues and repair.
doobie123
ok hope all you guys are still out there and are still following this thread. was a bit busy and off the 914 but back on with a few questions.
so after talking with george at auto atlanta, its amazing to me that he finds time to sleep he is always available with help and even saved me some $.
anyway after talking with him decided to put a hot kit starter on my car to see if it would solve the problem. when it came i reviewed the instructions and i decided to see if i had continuity in the yellow wire coming out of the starter. i was able to establish continuity with the yelloy wire in the relay board bottom right plug, #6. i have continuity with the yellow and red striped wire under the passenger seat to the ignition. my question is should i have continuity with the yellow wire from the solenoid to the under seat relay yellow or is that only when i turn the key? also, just to confirm the blue wire from the hot start harness connects with the yellow wire that now goes to the solenoid black wire goes to the terminal the yellow wire went to and red to battery terminal.
oh yes one more thing. there is a second spade terminal on the solenoid that is bare does not have anything connected is that the right solenoid?
i'm a bit confused at this point as when i go back and reread my prior posts, i seem to have had continuity from the solenoid to the under seat relay.
thanks ya'll for any help.
emerygt350
I would start with just installing the hot start kit. You need it regardless of any other issues. You should be able to wire it without issue. yes, one pole will be empty.
doobie123
thanks emerygt. i gotsa ta know. should i have continuity between the yellow wire at the solenoid and the bypassed relay yellow under the seat?
nditiz1
I would not add anything new until you resolve the connection first. The hot start kit will not fix the issue. All the hot start kit does is make it so current does not pass through your ignition switch.

The way that relays work are they have power flowing to them. When a signal is sent, usually from a switch, it tells the relay to continue sending power on its journey. In the hot start kit you are simply turning your ignition switch into a messenger instead of the deliverer.

Can you post a pic of the wire setup under your seat? I am not sure if the relay is being bypassed. You should have continuity from your ignition switch to the starter if it is bypassed.

Your ignition switch is hooked directly to the battery. When you turn your switch to the ON position it provides power to several things. When you go 1 more turn it is the START position which only sends the battery power to the solenoid on the starter. That solenoid is like a relay. It is already grounded and has power. Anyone that has ever bypassed a broken solenoid is jumping the two leads to complete the circuit and the starter engages.

Check these items first before throwing new parts.
emerygt350
Since you have the hot starter kit, put it in.

See if your yellow wire at the solenoid is getting voltage when you turn the key while you are down there. Remember, it's only going to be hot when you try to turn it over.
doobie123
ok so i installed the hot start kit and...nothing changed.
when i turn the key, i don't get power to the yellow wire at the solenoid. also, i don't get power to the by pass wires under the passenger seat when turning the key.i have continuity with the yellow and red striped wire from under the seat to the ignition switch and there is power at the switch. so what do i need to check?
nditiz1
Your switch could be bad. Over time this is what happens when the current is carried through it to the starter. The fact that you are not getting power to the wire under the seat from the ignition switch is an indicator of this. You could test directly at the switch lead and even jiggle the switch once in the start position to see if the contacts inside will give you enough contact to read power at the terminal on the switch. Next thing to do is swap out your ign switch with another one. They are fairly cheap and should be replaced if it is the factory one. 914 rubber has one that they have put through tons of tests and is still going to my knowledge. AA, Amazon, and several others have an aftermarket one that works. If you want to go Porsche that is also an option, but haven't been found to be any more usable than an aftermarket.
emerygt350
I believe he put a new switch in already. I would suggest you double check your install of that ignition switch. Maybe something came loose?
doobie123
yes, the switch is new both the plastic plug and the key part.
here is a shot of the bypass. i have continuity from the ignition key switch plug yellow to the yellow solenoid but no power when i turn the key to startClick to view attachment
nditiz1
Sorry missed that about the new switch.

Ok so now back to basics and how I would trouble shoot this. I would make sure that the harness that connects into the switch is decent, no cracks or loose wires. Was this working before the new switch? Why was a new switch purchased from AA. Can you provide a picture of the harness that connects into the switch? Have any additional splices been put in to possibly bypass hot power running through the switch like a start button somewhere else on the dash or under? I would also ensure the wires that are going into the harness are the correct ones.

As I said before an ignition switch is a very simple piece of tech. It has power running to it via the battery. When the key goes to the on position it provides power to those devices, horn, lights, instrument panel, etc. When you turn the key to the start it sends the power to the starter via the yellow and yellow/red wires. That is why it was easy for criminals back in the day, cover your eyes kids. Twisting the power to the "on signal" wire turns the car essentially to the key on position. When you see them in movies swiping the wire on the other wire, usually the spliced, they are mimicking the "start" key position.
doobie123
ok so heres further the switch was replaced to see if it fixed the problem. the key part was rekeyed at AA.
the plug into the ignition switch looks fine no cracks etc. there are 2 reds,1 yellow, 1 grey, 1grey brown or red stripe, 1 black.
one red is constant hot, when the key it turned to start position the other red gets hot, no other ones get hot.
could it be the plug is wired wrong?
i'll check for splices in the wires to the plug.
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