Hey. Just got a 73 duster n it wouldn't turn the motor over from the keyswitch so I decided to swap out the ignition switch just to see if that was it. It would turn over from the relay fine(motor wont fire but that's another thread) Anyway, when I took the old one out it was burnt up on the red wire. What can I do to be as assured as I can to know its not gonna burn the new one just like it when I put power on it? Thanks.
Fried Ignition switch, why?
- Thread starter derekm803
- Start date
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67Dart273
Well-Known Member
These cars are REALLY underfused. But it may have gotten hot from bad connections right in the switch, or in the connector.
First get yourself a HEAVY test lamp, like a stop/ tail lamp or a headlight. This is to limit current flow so that you don't burn something up if shorted.
Try your test lamp between the battery feed and the other connections. One of course will be the starter so be careful there---out of gear.
Use some "judgement" If the lamp lights up as bright as it does direct on the battery, that circuit probably has a short.
If this does not show anything, get a heavy fuse holder from autoparts and some 20 / 30A fuses. Use that to jumper between the circuits. Make sure your accessories, heater, wipers are off during this test
If the fuse does not blow, next jumper from the battery feed to the accessory line (red to black) and check out your accessories, turn signals, heater, etc, and look for fuses that blow.
If all this shows up nothing, I would assume that the connector or old switch is the problem
If the vehicle side of the harness connector seems damaged and loose, you will likely have this problem all over again. Youll have to replace it, bypass it, otherwise repair it.
First get yourself a HEAVY test lamp, like a stop/ tail lamp or a headlight. This is to limit current flow so that you don't burn something up if shorted.
Try your test lamp between the battery feed and the other connections. One of course will be the starter so be careful there---out of gear.
Use some "judgement" If the lamp lights up as bright as it does direct on the battery, that circuit probably has a short.
If this does not show anything, get a heavy fuse holder from autoparts and some 20 / 30A fuses. Use that to jumper between the circuits. Make sure your accessories, heater, wipers are off during this test
If the fuse does not blow, next jumper from the battery feed to the accessory line (red to black) and check out your accessories, turn signals, heater, etc, and look for fuses that blow.
If all this shows up nothing, I would assume that the connector or old switch is the problem
If the vehicle side of the harness connector seems damaged and loose, you will likely have this problem all over again. Youll have to replace it, bypass it, otherwise repair it.
BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
Most cars have the big red and/or black wire terminals melted in the bulkhead. You can just run a solid wire thru each melted terminal. Many posts on this and a number of permanent fixes.
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