Neutral safety switch

[mxmattd]

I have a 66 with a 289 and C4 thats been very slow starting lately. I discovered that the wires leading to the neutral safety switch were in contact with the exhaust and may have been damaged, i'm thinking this might be causing the starting problem, as i have checked everything else. Is it ok to bypass the switch with the C4 still in there? I'm planning on a T5 swap in a couple months so i'll have to do it then anyways.

Here is what I've checked as far as the starting problem: battery is very new and working fine, battery cables and all ground wires are new, starter is new (replaced it when the problem started, old starter was working intermittently). Everything was working fine, then all of a sudden it started cranking VERY slow, especially in the mornings or when the engine is cold. I had the starter tested, found it was bad, and put in a new one. the problem is still there, however. I think i'm gonna bypass the possibly damaged neutral safety switch and hope that works. Sorry for the long post, but I'm very confused and this is my daily driver! I need to get to class! does anybody have any other suggestions of things to test? charging system is find and engine is running beautifully, just cranks like the battery is dead (slow, off and on).

 

[mustangdave]

Posible. The n.s. switch usually works or it doesn't. Check your alt. belt to see if it is tight and keeping your battery charged. Another very likely possibility is that you have something draining your battery while it is sitting. What does a voltmeter say your battery is at when you cut it off? Is it the same before you crank it after it has set overnight? Should be between 13.5 and 14.2 at either check.

 

[mxmattd]

i have taken my battery out in the morning about three times since this started happening before i tried to start it. I hooked it up to the charger and it immediately read "fully charged". I don't have a voltmeter but I'll get one and check it out, but i think the battery and charging system is fine. its an optima red top, so it puts out plenty of cc amps

 

[mustangdave]

If your freshly charged battery turned the engine over slow then you are probably right in suspecting the n.s.s. The wiring may also be damaged so check everything and let us know what u find,

 

[84convertablegt]

i doubt its the neutral safety switch. it is just an on/off switch between the starter solenoid and the ignition switch. if it was bad, either your car would start in any gear or wouldnt crank at all.... as long as the solenoid is engaging and it is turning over, its not the neutral safety switch. how is the wire running from the solenoid to the starter. if it has a somewhat bad condition it can cause low voltage to the starter... check your engine ground wire too!

 

[mxmattd]

the engine ground wire is brand new, and the wire from the solenoid to starter is less than 6 months old