73 Charger SE won’t start, won’t crank, won’t even try.

[Broseph69]

Hi everybody, new here, so I recently picked up a 73 charger SE. tan and drove pretty well the first day then it left me sitting at a gas station. As I was turning it over I stopped for a second to let it dry out and when I turned the key nothing. No crank, no click, absolutely dead in the water. Well I jumped the relay and it fired right up, but I noticed my turn signals no longer worked, my hazards still do, my gauges no longer work, my headlights still do, and my ignition is dead but still pulls power when I turn the key to run(the dome light dims). I’ve checked both sides of the bulkhead and it looks clean, checked the 8 pin connector on the harness under the dash and no burns there, jumped the ignition to battery on the relay and it turn right over, some knucklehead replaced the fusible link with just a regular piece of wire but it’s got good power. I am at a loss.

 

[Moparnocar]

Do you got full 12 v to the starter relay from the switch when cranking? ( Testing at the relay) I don't remember the color

 

[1967coronet]

Ignition switch.

 

[Rusty 72]

Neutral safety switch? I know that wiring runs near the exhaust. You may have burned it up.

 

[Broseph69]

Do you got full 12 v to the starter relay from the switch when cranking? ( Testing at the relay) I don't remember the color

Do you got full 12 v to the starter relay from the switch when cranking? ( Testing at the relay) I don't remember the color

No nothing going back to the relay from ignition from the engine bay side of the bulkhead

 

[Broseph69]

Neutral safety switch? I know that wiring runs near the exhaust. You may have burned it up.

I know it’s not the safety because if I jump the ignition post on the relay it turns over, if the safety switch wasn’t engaging I’d have no ground and the relay wouldn’t send power to the starter

 

[Broseph69]

Ignition switch.

Would that have something to do with the gauges and turn signals too? I took the wheel off last night and I’m getting power to the hazards but nothing to the turn signals

 

[Rusty 72]

I know it’s not the safety because if I jump the ignition post on the relay it turns over, if the safety switch wasn’t engaging I’d have no ground and the relay wouldn’t send power to the starter

If you jump the starter relay you are sending power to the starter directly from the battery and the starter is grounded to the block. If the NSS was burned up that is the ground for the relay, thus why you had to jump it to get power to the starter.

 

[1967coronet]

You could unhook the neutral switch feed off the relay to test.
Possible ignition box but I'm still betting on ignition switch since it will start by jumping it but your loosing lights ect.

 

[RemCharger]

I think those have a large single lead red wire with white connector near the start relay.
Try making sure it has a good connection.

 

[Broseph69]

If you jump the starter relay you are sending power to the starter directly from the battery and the starter is grounded to the block. If the NSS was burned up that is the ground for the relay, thus why you had to jump it to get power to the starter.

No I jumped battery to ignition post on the relay, basically making the relay work like normal without the key

 

[Moparnocar]

If no power, trace it back through the bulkhead, and to the switch, make sure you have 12v at the switch where needed per the wiring diagram

 

[Broseph69]

Figured it out gang, ignition switch is bad, no continuity between start and power when I turn it. Still haven’t figured out the turn signal switch or the gauge failure

 

[Broseph69]

Newest update, put that ignition switch in and now I have turn signals and gauges again. Evidently the accessory power on the old switch was bad and that controls gauges and turn signals. Thanks everyone for your help