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Help--Neutral Safety issues

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matts89LX5.0
  • Start date Start date Dec 19, 2004
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Matts89LX5.0

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#1
  • Dec 19, 2004
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ok, finished my conversion car....BUT, i can only start the car by jumping the solonoid and shut car off by ground out the positive battery terminal....ok hahaha-- anyway, car was oriiginally 4 cylinder auto, and no carbed 5.0 spd.
But it looks like the neutral safety plug is different from auto to 5 spd or am i missing something in between??? anyone have some pictures of this? and does this sound like my problem with not being able to turn the car off with the key? thanks in advance
 

hllon4whls

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Just jump the switch out temporarily. Then hook it up the clutch switch and it will work like normal. Not sure what AOD's had, but on a C4 is goes around the shift shaft. It is just an open and closed. No real trick to it.

I do recommend hooking it up the correct way to keep yourself from getting hurt.

The neutral switch has nothing to do with shutting the car down. It only affects the starter circuit.

By grounding the positive, you are putting a killer load on the alt. You may have blown fusable links on the charging circuit (there are some, right?)
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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well i think one of the wires that come out of the dash harness (one that should be grounded) is on the positive terminal of the solonoid, keeping my corner lights on when key is off. I'm thinking that may also be keeping the car on since power is staying to the solonoid
 

hllon4whls

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The solenoid on the wall ONLY engages the starter and acts as a power pickup for accessories. It has nothing to do with the car continuing to run, the headlights, marker lights, etc remaining on.

You have a wiring issue that should be fixed before you burn something up.

Is the car fuel injected or carbed?
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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car is carbed
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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did i use the wrong power wire to wire to my msd possibly? i used the red and green wire
 

hllon4whls

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That looks right from this diagram if you are using a duraspark type ignition system. What sort of dizzy are you using?

http://www.msdignition.com/pdf/pdf16.pdf
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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i'm using the msd ignition 6al on the 87 coupe
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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i used the magnetic pick up to wire to the vaccuum advance stock ford distributor, maybe i put those wires backwards on the dist. to msd????
 

hllon4whls

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A TFI or a Duraspark Dist?
 

hllon4whls

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The run on problem I believe to be simple.

The small red wire for the MSD is probably staying hot all the time. Meaning the MSD is on all the time. The heavy red wire should stay connected to the battery.

If you had the dizzy part backwards, I dont think that it would run.

http://www.msdignition.com/pdf/pdf17.pdf
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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car cranked up and started either way with distributor wired both ways....but i couldn't keep it running because i had a fuel problem...which i fixed
 

hllon4whls

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Take a look at the diagrams again. Veryify that things look right. Check the small power wire to the MSD to see if it has power with the key off. Since the car runs, you have a lot of it right. The thing that concerns me is the lights and other items staying on. I am concerned about a backfeed that is hard on electronics.

Is the computer plugged in or unplugged?

Are you using an EFI or Duraspark dizzy?
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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i'm using the duraspark distributor...stock dist from my 85....i used most of my 85 GT drivetrain (carbed, vaccuum advanced) for this swap, minus the 7.5, i used an 8.8 rear....the weird thing is, as soon as my battery is connected, without the key on, the lights on my speedo gauges all stay on along with the corner lamps....hmmm
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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ttt
 

hllon4whls

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I beleive that something is backfeeding, which is bad. Unhook the small power wires for the MSD and see what happens with the lights. Obviously the car will not run.

You have the heavy power wires going directly to the battery, correct?
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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#17
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i have the heavy black grounded to the frame, heavy red mounted on positive terminal of the solonoid...i think i have a ground going to power which is keeping the msd on
 
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Matts89LX5.0

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#18
  • Dec 22, 2004
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well i figured that part out...one of my ground ignition wires were on the solonoid, gettting constant power with key off, which was draining the battery and at the same time keeping the MSD on. Now car turns off with the key, just have to figure out how to start it with the key haha. Anyone have neutral safety wiring diagrams or anything like that? My transmission doesn't have the wiring, and i don't see any extra grommets to plug it into under the car either.
 
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