No start....again

[Jeepwm69]

Ok, got a new starter on the 83 (the old one tested good, but tge guy said the bendix had a little play so he warrantied it).

Get it in, install it....nothing.

Start looking at wires going to starter. Have 12+V at starter, so check the purple signal wire to make sure it's in place, and it fires right up.

I look at what's left of the loom around the wires going from firewall to starter and think "somewhere that wire has rubbed bare and is grounding out".

Put new loom on all the wires going from fusebox, across back on engine, down to alternator, and then to starter.

Fires right up. Great!

Drive around the block, come home, try to restart, and nothing.

So would a bad ignition switch cause no power to the solenoid?

When I turn the key the idiot lights in the dash go off when the key is turned to start, and them come back on like when I let off like they normally do.

[craig113]

Have had this issue, the problem is the wire from the switch to the starter. Replace this wire from point A to B. You can do an OHM test and volt test all day and it will read fine. But if you do and AMP test it will fail. Sounds to me is that the wire is burnt or broken inside the coating and not allowing the full current to pass through.

[chengny]

In 1983, the NSS (neutral safety switch) was still being used - on trucks equipped with an automatic transmission.

Later models used a mechanical interlock within the steering column. It's design wouldn't allow the key to be turned to the START position unless the gearshift was in either P or N.

But, with the electrical interlock, the lead from the ignition switch doesn't go straight to the "S" terminal on the solenoid.

Power to the starter solenoid comes out of the ignition switch as a yellow wire. That yellow wire is lead down inside the column and is connected to a switch mounted on the outside of the column. The switch is on the upper half of the column almost at the firewall penetration.

If the gearshift is in the P or N positions, the contacts in the NSS are closed and power leaves the switch on the purple wire. After that, the purple wire continues through the firewall and then on down to the solenoid as usual:



You might want to check the setting of the NSS or temporarily jump it out as a test.

[greg64]

I agree with chengny, I would take a good look at the neutral interlock switch. You could try putting a jumper cable to bypass the neutral switch and then see if it'll crank. These switches are mechanical, and are finicky at times.

[Dead Parrot]

Another possibility: The starter brushes haven't fully worn in yet. When I put new brushes in my old starter to avoid having to re-measure for proper shims, I had something similar happen. Replaced brushes, tested starter before installing, installed, started great. A couple days later, would not start. Thumped the bearing end where the brushes are, started right up. Problem has never re-occurred.

[Jeepwm69]

Truck is a sm465, so shouldnt be a safety switch. I know most standards have a clutch safety switch. Anyone know where that would be and if it might be the culprit?

I'll do some more poking around. Hate wiring issues.

[greg64]

Well, the transmission itself doesn't have a neutral switch (I have an sm465 too), so the interlock switch must be at the clutch pedal under the dash. The wire colour is purple.

Good luck!

[Jeepwm69]

Found the problem, or at least part of it.

The connector on the interlock switch on the clutch pedal was just barrrely hanging on. Just enough to where moving/jarring the truck would make the terminals touch the spades, so sometimes it would kinda work, sometimes it wouldn't do anything.

Pushed it back up on there and drove it around a bit yesterday and never had a no start issue. The starter is still dragging a big when the truck is warmed up. Spins it fine when it's cold. New starter/ solenoid, so think I'll try running a dedicated ground to the starter and either a new + cable or at least cleaning the crap out of the original cable's ends.

When I ran new looming on the underhood wires, I took the distributor cap off to give me room to work. I'm wondering if I didn't get it back on exactly straight. The truck runs ok, but tends to bog a little more easily in higher gears than I'm used to. On my Jeeps there is a clamp that holds the distributor in place and one rotates the distributor to change timing. The cap is keyed so it will only go on exactly straight.

I had trouble getting the cap in place where all the retaining clips would hold it down on this truck. Could I have possibly not gotten it quite lined up and thrown the timing off a hair?