On the side of the road for the night.

[mdbuschsr]

I had to leave my 72 Satellite (318/auto) on the side of the road for the night. Car was running fine, but I was having trouble getting it to turn over throughout the day. I cycled the trans and it would fire. On my way home, it stalled (bad fuel filter?). I had to cycle the trans again to get it to fire. Drove about 50 yards and it crapped out again. Now it won't crank at all, nothing on turn of the key. My feeling is that I have a bad neutral safety switch.

My understanding is that the switch only provides ground to the starter solenoid (center pin). Can I get away with just grounding the circuit to the frame to limp home the quarter mile? Hopefully just pull the wire connector off the switch and shove something creative in the center pinhole.

Does the switch do anything after ignition? I know the outside pins are for the reverse lights, but will disconnecting & grounding it allow me to get home (assuming this is in fact the issue).

I tried to search as I am sure this has come up before, but it looks like search is broken tonight.

Matt

 

[daredevil]

yep. just ground the wire off the relay. I think its brown. Might be yellow cant remember for sure.

 

[mdbuschsr]

yep. just ground the wire off the relay. I think its brown. Might be yellow cant remember for sure.

Thanks daredevil. Don't mean to be a pain in the A$$, but can you give a connector description? ALL of the wires under my hood are brown, greasy.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

yep. just ground the wire off the relay. I think its brown. Might be yellow cant remember for sure.

Its the brown one, at least on a 69 and 70. Yellow wire is hot wire from ignition switch to activate relay.

Once the engine is started, the NSS (or your manual ground to starter relay) has no other purpose and does not affect the engine running. Its for "cranking" only.

 

[daredevil]

Just dont crank it in drive.

 

[moparmarks]

Using a screw driver or wrench just jump between to 2 large terminals on the relay. That will ingauge the starter. Be sure the key in the run position and tranny in park.

 

[mdbuschsr]

Thanks everybody. I found it in the wiring diagrams of the manual.

 

[moparmarks]

Yes it is the brown wire which is the one towards the front of the car but you can just jump the battery and starter terminals together with a metal tool. Done it that way for 35 years and has always seemed to work pretty good.

 

[mdbuschsr]

That did the trick!! I got her home. Really glad the breakdown was only a quarter mile from home. I didn't mention before I also have a flat tire. Being so close and on steel wheels I just did the death walk.

I do have to ask the stupid question though. I'm struggling to understand what it was that I shorted together and why it worked to turn the engine over. Leaving out the bad neutral switch, can someone please educate me on 12V electrical theory. As near as I can tell I applied 12V to both sides of the starter.

OH, and thanks for the help!!!

 

[Dennis H]

Next time, try to break down with the right woman in the car. And near a bar with happy hour, and a nearby motel. That's what I did when my 79 5th Avenue took a crap in Reading. Was not a bad night.
That was in 1987. I have not forgotten.

 

[moparmarks]

Glad you got her home alright.
The large terminal is the Hot battery lead to the starter. The smaller terminal goes to the starter solenoid in the starter. Jumping them together sends power to the solenoid thus activating the starter. This is what the relay does, sends power to the solenoid. Jumping it like this by-passes the ing. switch and the neutral safety switch.

 

[mdbuschsr]

Glad you got her home alright.
The large terminal is the Hot battery lead to the starter. The smaller terminal goes to the starter solenoid in the starter. Jumping them together sends power to the solenoid thus activating the starter. This is what the relay does, sends power to the solenoid. Jumping it like this by-passes the ing. switch and the neutral safety switch.

Thanks. I'm glad I got it home too. Much appreciation to ll who helped last night.