What the heck is this???

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cosgig

cosgig

MoBro Inc.
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OK all you 73 and up owners, it's time for a little identity question. What the heck is this "relay" mounted on the drivers inner fender ion this 73 Duster I am working on. It has what looks like a red button on the side, but it doesn't push in. It turns but doesn't do anything that I can tell. Thanks for any ideas, Geof

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my dad said its a bypass switch, in case your seat belt switch doesnt work you stick a pen in the end of the red thing to reset it. there is a button in there. at least thats what he said...i think it was something on those lines lol, its been awhile since he told me
 
i can not for the life of me remember what that does. i can't find it on the diagrams either.
 
Well first let me say that RPMlegend is right in the sense that if you stick something in the end, it pushes in a spring loaded button. Good call RPMlegend, I would have never known by looking at, thats why you're the "legend". Next, the wiring colors are yellow, yellow/black stripe, black in the 3 prong harness and black in the single harness. I'm gonna harken back to Abodyjoe's wiring diagram and see if I can find that yellow/black stripe wire somewhere. That would tell what circuit it's on at least. Thanks for all the ideas so far. Geof
 
RPMLegends18 said:
my dad said its a bypass switch, in case your seat belt switch doesnt work you stick a pen in the end of the red thing to reset it. there is a button in there. at least thats what he said...i think it was something on those lines lol, its been awhile since he told me
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you may be right.

what color are the wires going to that thing??




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OK, my next question. If this is the seatbelt bypass switch as indicated in the chassis electrical picture, would not having the seatbelts installed at all keep the car from starting with the key?? Could this magic red button somehow make this car start with the key? It will turn over and start with the key on and bumping the starter relay. ARRGHHH, stupid government regulations...circa 1974. Oh and my mistake, I think this Duster I have IS a 74, sorry!!! Geof
 
cosgig said:
OK, my next question. If this is the seatbelt bypass switch as indicated in the chassis electrical picture, would not having the seatbelts installed at all keep the car from starting with the key?? Could this magic red button somehow make this car start with the key? It will turn over and start with the key on and bumping the starter relay. ARRGHHH, stupid government regulations...circa 1974. Oh and my mistake, I think this Duster I have IS a 74, sorry!!! Geof
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i would think that could be a possibility. looks like it is wired into the neutral safety switch so i would think that it could keep it from starting.
 
My 74 Satellite had the same relay with the red button, I took it out. I still have it somewhere, I can get a pic if you like. I was told it was a 1974 thing.

Yup, that pic is correct, my Satellite had it on the passenger side firewall.
 
My '74 E-body had it, too. Eliminated a long time ago. Think I still have it around here somewhere. It was a government thing, supposed to keep the car from cranking unless the seatbelt was hooked. Got dropped after a year or so because of it's unreliability. Seems that even the government types had issues with it. Stranded Senators and Representatives got pissed when something they forced the manufacturers into backfired on them and their own cars wouldn't start even with the seatbelts hooked, just like the rest of the motoring public. Makes you wonder if the manufacturers built in the unreliability just to prove a point.
 
I knew that you guys would come up with the answer. Thanks to all of you for coming to the rescue. The car did not start with the key, but I am changing all of the wiring anyway as it is a tangled mess of splices and electrical tape. I will try again tomorrow though.

Greendart72, thanks for the instructions on how the thing works, it really helps a lot to know the correct procedure!!! That page should be a sticky for all 74 owners!

Ramenth, I love the picture in my mind of all of the gov't. officials all standing around scratching their collective heads wondering how to get those 74 Fury's started!!! Serves them right!!!Thanks again, Geof
 
does it crank when you try to start it and not fire or does it just not do anything when you turn the key over
 
All early 74 cars had a seatbelt-starter interlock. Should be a TSB out there issued in late 74 on disabling this feature. On most cars you could simply unplug the seats.
 
RPMLegends18 said:
does it crank when you try to start it and not fire or does it just not do anything when you turn the key over
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Heres where the car is at right now. I got this car after watching it sit for the last five years. It had a 318 and trans in unknown condition in it when I got it. I changed the motor and trans to a 318 and auto that I know runs and drives, and after I installed it in the car I got it to crank over and start by bumping the starter relay with a screwdriver and the key in the "on" position. I would not turn over with the key. After bumping it a number of times and dumping gas down the carb, it started to smoke at the positive battery terminal and now turns over very hard and will not start again. The wiring in this car is a mess, and I have a complete replacement set from another Duster. So far, I have changed the negative battery cable, the motor to ground cable, and the engine forward harness. I am going to change the positive cable next, and if all else fails, the underdash harness.

The seatbelts are not in this car and I thought that this bypass switch may have something to do with the car not starting with the key, either because the seatbelts are not installed or for some other reason. I need to change the positive cable before I try to use the bypass feature of this switch, but I thought someone would be versed in how this thing works, and if it is possible to bypass it. I appreciate all of the replies. Thanks everyone, Geof
 
Well I took my stock seat and seat belts out of mine and its always started no problem, it had an annoying buzzer as well that I unplugged, if you look under the seat between the springs and the cushion there is a pressure switch that grounds out on the springs when you sit down. Then from there if you, or the passenger are sitting and the belts arent locked in the buzzer goes of and it will not start, I dont think the thing will even crank over, not 100% on that. Could it be the starter relay is bad? I know when I did my slant to v8 I changed the starter relay, nothing was wrong with it other than old. I also installed a new ballast resistor and battery cables. I was thinking maybe something to do with the neutral safety positioning switch...? But I am not sure, wiring and electrical are a PITA lol
 
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