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Starter doesn't disengage

  • Thread starter Thread starter sj9ers
  • Start date Start date Jul 26, 2009
S

sj9ers

Member
May 19, 2007
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Jul 26, 2009
#1
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #1
I have a 69 coupe that was an c6 auto and 302 that ran fine and I swapped a roller 302 and a t5 into. Now every time I start the car by using the ignition switch the starter stays engaged and won't disengage however if I start the car using a remote starter hooked up to the starter solenoid it starts fine. When I started the car with the ignition switch I put a wire in the plug at the firewall of the neutral safety switch between the two posts to jump it, and I think this is where the problem is because I opened up the ignition switch and it was fine. So I guess my question is how do I bypass the neutral safety switch since there's is nothing plugged into it now that I'm running a manual transmission?
 
2

2+2GT

10 Year Member
Apr 25, 2009
3,333
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79
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Jul 26, 2009
#2
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #2
sj9ers said:
I have a 69 coupe that was an c6 auto and 302 that ran fine and I swapped a roller 302 and a t5 into. Now every time I start the car by using the ignition switch the starter stays engaged and won't disengage however if I start the car using a remote starter hooked up to the starter solenoid it starts fine. When I started the car with the ignition switch I put a wire in the plug at the firewall of the neutral safety switch between the two posts to jump it, and I think this is where the problem is because I opened up the ignition switch and it was fine. So I guess my question is how do I bypass the neutral safety switch since there's is nothing plugged into it now that I'm running a manual transmission?
Click to expand...

That's how Ford rigged the bypass of the NS switch. Seriously, there was a wire loop in the plug for the BU switch.

If your ignition switch causes the solenoid to stay engaged, you have other problems.
 
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sj9ers

Member
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Jul 26, 2009
#3
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #3
2+2GT said:
That's how Ford rigged the bypass of the NS switch. Seriously, there was a wire loop in the plug for the BU switch.

If your ignition switch causes the solenoid to stay engaged, you have other problems.
Click to expand...

What could be the other problems? The wiring harness has only been altered with couple of splices for a modern radio, aftermarket gauge lighting, and an electric fuel pump. But I did eliminate the voltage regulator by installing a 3g alternator so maybe the wiring is screwed up there? The ignition switch seems to be fine because it functioned fine when the other motor and trans was in the car and it turns on all the accessories and springs back after I start the car, and when I opened it up there was no bad connections melting or anything.
 
2

2+2GT

10 Year Member
Apr 25, 2009
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Southeastern Pennsylvania
Jul 26, 2009
#4
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #4
All? That's a lot of cutting.

Try this. Hook everything up, and hit the starter. When it fails to disengage, pull the S wire from the solenoid. If it stays on, the wiring is OK, the solenoid is faulty and we're looking at coincidence.

If it stops, then the wiring in the car is faulty in some way.
 
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sj9ers

Member
May 19, 2007
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Jul 26, 2009
#5
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #5
I tried that already and when I pulled the S side the starter disengaged so the wiring is faulty somewhere I just don't know where to look.
 
2

2+2GT

10 Year Member
Apr 25, 2009
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Southeastern Pennsylvania
Jul 26, 2009
#6
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #6
Be sure your jumper at the NS/BU plug is wired properly.

Try again, except this time disconnect at the firewall.
 
S

sj9ers

Member
May 19, 2007
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Jul 26, 2009
#7
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #7
Ok so I started the car with the jumper wire connecting the two posts of the neutral safety switch plug at the firewall. When I started it the starter stayed engaged, so I had my dad pull the jumper wire out of the plug and the starter disengaged and everything ran fine. So is the neutral safety switch wired wrong? O and is BU back up lights?
 
2

2+2GT

10 Year Member
Apr 25, 2009
3,333
10
79
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Jul 26, 2009
#8
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #8
sj9ers said:
Ok so I started the car with the jumper wire connecting the two posts of the neutral safety switch plug at the firewall. When I started it the starter stayed engaged, so I had my dad pull the jumper wire out of the plug and the starter disengaged and everything ran fine. So is the neutral safety switch wired wrong? O and is BU back up lights?
Click to expand...

OK, now you know where the problem is. Now you need to use your test light to diagnose what went wrong with the plug setup on the switch. Or you could just buy a stock manual trans wiring harness, which has the bypass for the start circuit, and can connect your back-up light switch.
 
S

sj9ers

Member
May 19, 2007
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Jul 26, 2009
#9
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #9
Ok now I feel like an idiot. Thanks to advice from another forum turns out I was jumping the two wrong posts this whole time and I was back feeding power to the starter solenoid circuit by connecting the red and black wires and not the red and blue ones. I connected the red and blue ones and now everything is fine. Thank you for the help anyway.
 
2

2+2GT

10 Year Member
Apr 25, 2009
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79
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Jul 26, 2009
#10
  • Jul 26, 2009
  • #10
Nahh, we've all been there, sometimes it just takes a fresh look.
 
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