So I've had the starter rebuilt, and everything was fine for a while.

I ended up installing new brake lines, hoses, wheel cylinders, etc. and when I finished bleeding the brakes, I couldn't start the car anymore. Battery is charged, I've cleaned the ground cable - when I turn the key, the idiot lights come on and there is no clicking sound at all.

With the key turned, using a test light, the coil to distributor looks ok, and when I touch the starter with the test light it starts to crank / turn over...

Is my problem the ground, or something like the ignition or neutral safety switch?

This electrical stuff drives me nuts...

-Justin

 

Are you talking about jumping the terminals on the starter? If so you are not getting power to the solenoid. If that is the case you need to see if power is getting out of the ignition switch when in the start position. Pretty much what you need to do is get a wiring diagram and see where the power goes to from the ignition switch to the starter and see if it has power at all of the components that is in that circuit. I would think the first place you would look is to see if it has power to the nuetral safety switch with the key in the start position.

Sorry if this sounds confusing, I am not that great at explaining electrical diagnosis over the internet.

 

If your test light is connected to the battery what you are doing is supplying voltage to the starter solenoid when you touch it. I think Dan is right.

 

I think effectively I am jumping the terminals on the starter, but really what I was doing is using the test light to verify that there is power getting to it.

I will try checking the ignition switch and neutral switch etc. as you suggest. I've got a 61 and 62 manual but it doesn't tell me where to find the neutral switch. Is it near the transmission or is it somewhere on the firewall?

-Justin

 

Ground your test light and touch the probe to the "S" side of the starter solenoid, should be the only small post with a wire on it. Try to start it with the key, if the light lights up, then the solenoid is bad, not uncommon to get one bad from the parts store. If the light doesn't light up, go under the dash and look for four purple wires going into a two plug connector about 12 inches from the firewall just above the column shaft. Disconnect them and jumper one side of the two wire connector together, it if cranks the neutral safety switch went bad or your transmission rod is out of adjustment. If it doesn't start, the ignition switch is most likely bad. I'd give about 90% chance to the neutral safety switch. gl

 

If it is the Neutral safety switch, can it be re-built by an electrical place?

I wouldn't know where to order one, can't find one for the '62 in any of my Fusick, Kanter, USA etc. catalogs.

-Justin

 

Once they fail, I always bypass it, they are useless, they just keep you from starting the vehicle in gear or leave you stranded when you least expect it. No it can't be repaired, it is along the lines of a micro switch on the shift leaver.

 

Sounds like a good idea. Does it kill the backup lights when bypass it?

- Justin

 

You can leave the backup lights connected to the switch and they will still function (usually) as they fail much less often than the higher-amp NSS contacts.