Car Won't Start with Key

[markbob]

Hello all,

I had my 1969 coronet at the transmission shop.....he fixed my tranny leak, but told me he thought the starter relay had burned out. He started the car by jumping the relay on the firewall, and delivered the car to me.
I picked up a new relay, installed it, and turned the key....I hear a clicking sound under the dash right behind the fuse box by the glove box.
The lights work, and I tried jumping the new relay, and the car does turn over.
Is there another relay under the dash by the fusebox? I don't have my shop manual here at this time...

thanks for the input....

Mark

 

[Lionized]

Check the ignition wire from the bulkhead connection to the relay.
Also, since there was transmission work done, check the neutral safety switch.

 

[mr. b]

sounds like the neutral safety switch on the trans check the plug to see if it is pluged in to check it make a jumper wire from the yellow wire on the relay to ground it should crank make shore it is in park when you do that because the car will move if not

 

[Ranger16]

Unless it's a restored car, check all the electrical connectors for oxidation.

 

[Darthomas]

Keep track of your troubleshooting time, note their shop rate, and if possible withold the appropriate amount from payment by putting stop pay on check and issue new check in corrected amount.
"Hey, I fixed this problem but created another," is not acceptable business behavior.
There's always small claims court, and now you can use the internet to advise others of exactly what sort of service can be expected.

 

[Shorthorse]

There's a possibility the sound you hear is the starter relay. Since it's bolted to the firewall outside, it may appear like it's coming from under the dash. But, the starter relay is a good place to start. I'm guessing you have an automatic.
The starter relay is a nice easy way to begin. First, you've proved the car will start if you short the starter relay main posts. Now to check if the starter relay is activating.
1. With the car in Park, remove the yellow spade connector from the starter relay. Short the large 12V terminal to the spade lug of the terminal you just removed. If it cranks, your going to have to look inward toward the starter switch/key mechanism and like Lionized suggested, bulkhead terminals are always suspect.
2. If it doesn't turn over, you now need to check for ground on the other terminal (from the neutral safety switch). Remove the connector (Brown/yellow tracer). Use a jumper wire and connect the empty spade lug to a good known ground. Repeat step #1. If it doesn't turn over, it's the neutral safety switch or the harness for the NSS. Since they just worked on the transmission, I'd be suspect about that. Make sure the NSS harness is correctly plugged into the transmission.

 

[markbob]

Check the ignition wire from the bulkhead connection to the relay.
Also, since there was transmission work done, check the neutral safety switch.

Lionized
Thx for reply....
I grounded the NSS stud on the relay.... Car fired right up
Will have to check the canon plug on the NSS
Is it possible the plug is on backwards?

 

[Lionized]

Lionized
Thx for reply....
I grounded the NSS stud on the relay.... Car fired right up
Will have to check the canon plug on the NSS
Is it possible the plug is on backwards?

The plug only fits one way. It's possible the shop broke a pin attempting to re-install the plug. You could pop it off and check.