73 Plymouth duster ignition

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customduster73

Custom73
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I need help guys. Put a new coil spark plug wires and starter relay and now car won't start. It fired right up with old relay after replacing cool and wires but when I switched the starter relay it wouldn't crank. I took pictures and hooked up everything exactly the same and still not even trying to turn over and fire. What's going on. Could it be my ignition switch? I even put the old relay back on to make sure I didn't have a faulty part. I don't understand. It did this last week before I put the new parts on for two days then fired right up when I tried it on the third day.
 
So the new parts worked fine for two days...then it went bad?
Does the engine crank over when you turn the key?
Does it by chance fire while cranking but die when you let off the key?

73, that is electronic ignition, correct?
What engine?
 
No just replaced parts yesterday. Yes I believe it is electronic ignition. Also it's a 318. Nothing happens when I turn the key. That's what I don't understand. A friend told me I might have ground issues as well. I'm gonna check battery later. Last week it was not doing anything with key turned and checked it one more time just out of curiosity and cranked right up. Even with bad coil connection. Yesterday changed out the coil, spark plug wires and starter relay and again nothing.
 
you changed out the starter relay....make sure the terminal with a G on it is grounded to the neutral safety switch that comes from the transmission

or run a ground wire to terminal G ...while it is straight to ground it will start in any gear..so watch out..

have you tried to jump it at the starter relay switch to see if it will spin over....???
 
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yes, proper grounds are crucial to these old cars
check and clean the battery terminals, and make sure you have a good ground to the engine as well

then I would grab a screwdriver and try to jump it like 70aarcuda mentioned
just lay it right cross the two posts on the starter and it should engage

just be carefull the car is in park when you do so

that will tell you if the power is there to crank it, and if the starter itself if good

starter.jpg
 
just jumper the two post on the starter relay switch...
 
70aarcuda said:
just jumper the two post on the starter relay switch...
Click to expand...

Where is that located? Probably sounds like a dumb question but again I'm new to all this and learning as I go. I know almost nothing about the engine compartment. Usually pay people to work on even my lawnmower. Lol. Tired of paying so much though. Thanks guys. I'll try this
 
Do you have ANY power? Headlights? dome? Radio/ heater etc when key is on?

What started all this? Why did you change these parts in the beginning?
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You replaced the relay, you said, that's what he's talking about jumpering.

Relay should look like this

starterrelay.jpg


The two small "push on" terminals are electrically interchangeable. One goes to the neutral switch on the transmission, the other goes to the "start" signal coming from the key. Those two terminals are the magnetic coil of the relay

The largest stud terminal is a battery junction point and is also one relay contact. The "big square" terminal feeds a wire down to the starter solenoid and is the other contact

You should be able to jumper the two largest exposed terminals and get it to crank

You have a 73?

Auto or stick? Stick cars should have a clutch switch which must be working.

If you jumper the two relay terminals and the engine cranks MAKE SURE IT'S IN NEUTRAL!!

then find out why the relay does not work.

Pull the "push on" terminals loose and one wire is normally yellow. IF not put your meter or test light on first one, then the other wire. Twist the key to start. One of those two wires should be "hot" when key is in "start"

Put that wire back on the relay.

Take an alligator clip and ground the remaining terminal. Try the key, does it crank?

If so, you have neutral switch problems or transmission linkage. With neutral switch hooked up "as normal" hold key to start and work shifter from park to neutral and back. Listen for cranking or a "click"

NONE OF THAT works?

You might have a defective relay. To find out, take an alligator clip lead and ground either of the "push on" terminals. Take a second clip lead or a screwdriver and jumper the remaining "push on" terminal to the large battery stud. You should hear the relay click or the starter should crank. If not, and if you did this correctly, the relay is bad
 
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Check the fusible link on your engine harness at the firewall. Its a wire with a tab on it. If its not obviously burnt wiggle it around and try to start the engine.
 
67Dart273 said:
Do you have ANY power? Headlights? dome? Radio/ heater etc when key is on?

What started all this? Why did you change these parts in the beginning?
==============================
You replaced the relay, you said, that's what he's talking about jumpering.

Relay should look like this

starterrelay.jpg


The two small "push on" terminals are electrically interchangeable. One goes to the neutral switch on the transmission, the other goes to the "start" signal coming from the key. Those two terminals are the magnetic coil of the relay

The largest stud terminal is a battery junction point and is also one relay contact. The "big square" terminal feeds a wire down to the starter solenoid and is the other contact

You should be able to jumper the two largest exposed terminals and get it to crank

You have a 73?

Auto or stick? Stick cars should have a clutch switch which must be working.

If you jumper the two relay terminals and the engine cranks MAKE SURE IT'S IN NEUTRAL!!

then find out why the relay does not work.

Pull the "push on" terminals loose and one wire is normally yellow. IF not put your meter or test light on first one, then the other wire. Twist the key to start. One of those two wires should be "hot" when key is in "start"

Put that wire back on the relay.

Take an alligator clip and ground the remaining terminal. Try the key, does it crank?

If so, you have neutral switch problems or transmission linkage. With neutral switch hooked up "as normal" hold key to start and work shifter from park to neutral and back. Listen for cranking or a "click"

NONE OF THAT works?

You might have a defective relay. To find out, take an alligator clip lead and ground either of the "push on" terminals. Take a second clip lead or a screwdriver and jumper the remaining "push on" terminal to the large battery stud. You should hear the relay click or the starter should crank. If not, and if you did this correctly, the relay is bad
Click to expand...

Yes I changed these part because its been have problems starting and the wires to distributor wasn't fitting snug. Also the coil wire and coil wasn't properly attached and burnt up the connector somehow. Changed those and it cranked. I should've left it alone after that cause it cranked up and sounded good. It did take a few try's to get it started so I thought it might be good to go ahead and change relay. Once I did that it just did nothing. So I thought part was faulty. Put old relay back on and still didn't crank. That's why I thought maybe bad ignition switch or battery but someone also said the ground may not be good. I'm gonna try all this later. Thanks.
 
Also it was a four speed and person before me switched it to an automatic three speed on the floor. Think they were getting it ready to drag it. Has traction bars under it as well.
 
OK we need to determine what's going on. Try cranking it and listen close....and clicks buzzes, etc? Try again with headlights on. What do they do when trying to crank? Stay bright? Somewhat dim? Really dim? Go clear out?

What happens when you jumper the relay terminals?

You have a multimeter? You need one to work on these. And a 12V test lamp and some alligator clip leads.

Also do you have a shop (factory) service manual? You can download them free from MyMopar. Several of them posted there came from the guys on here
 
customduster73 said:
Also it was a four speed and person before me switched it to an automatic three speed on the floor. Think they were getting it ready to drag it. Has traction bars under it as well.
Click to expand...
Neutral safety switch or its wiring
 
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