Bad starter relay?

[StewsDart]

I just got finished up installing the new 408 in my dart. Now I can get the car to fire up my jumping the starter relay with a screwdriver but I get nothing when I turn the key. Does that mean the starter relay is junk? Or did I miss something along the way?

 

[67Dart273]

Stick, or stick with clutch safety switch, or automatic?

IE how many 'push on' flag terminals does the relay have?

ONE flag terminal means there is no safety device AND THE RELAY must be grounded.

TWO flag terminals means the second flag terminal goes "to ground" through a safety switch, either the neutral switch or the clutch safety switch

I see you say 69 Dart so that should not have a clutch switch, but is it stick or automatic?

START by probing the connector on the YELLOW wire flag terminal at the start relay. Twist the key to start and see if you have a light/ 12V

If so, move the meter to the second flag terminal which (automatic) goes down the firewall to the transmission NSS. This should GROUND in park or neutral

If you have power at the second terminal, IT IS NOT GROUNDING which is needed to activate the relay

OH............and check the transmission linkage.......Twist the key to start and wiggle/ move the shifter see if it cranks or "tries" to

Then go down and be sure the connector is installed on the transmission

 

[StewsDart]

Stick, or stick with clutch safety switch, or automatic?

IE how many 'push on' flag terminals does the relay have?

ONE flag terminal means there is no safety device AND THE RELAY must be grounded.

TWO flag terminals means the second flag terminal goes "to ground" through a safety switch, either the neutral switch or the clutch safety switch

I see you say 69 Dart so that should not have a clutch switch, but is it stick or automatic?

START by probing the connector on the YELLOW wire flag terminal at the start relay. Twist the key to start and see if you have a light/ 12V

If so, move the meter to the second flag terminal which (automatic) goes down the firewall to the transmission NSS. This should GROUND in park or neutral

If you have power at the second terminal, IT IS NOT GROUNDING which is needed to activate the relay

OH............and check the transmission linkage.......Twist the key to start and wiggle/ move the shifter see if it cranks or "tries" to

Then go down and be sure the connector is installed on the transmission

It is an automatic with a hurst promatic ratchet shifter. I don’t believe it is a neutral safety switch problem but I will double check that. Thank you for your help

 

[67Dart273]

You can easily test the relay if you have a couple of jumper clip leads. Just clip one flag terminal to ground, and jumper the other to the big stud which is always hot. BE CAREFUL that it is in park!!!

 

[Dfr360cuda]

Also.....
It may be too late for this but, there is a thread on here somewhere that shows how to put a diode between the 2 terminals that will protect electronics. I'm probably going to be doing it to my cars.

 

[d1970]

being an automatic, try to start it in neutral, if it starts you might have to adjust the linkage because the transmission is not in park to let you start the motor

 

[RSP69]

Hello, been away from the site for some time now but still have my 69 Dodge Dart 340. I have a starting problem with my car that is similar to the above. My Dart has a 727 automatic trans. The relay is of the 2 push on wire connectors type. (yellow wire and brown wire) I checked the yellow wire with a test light and when the key is activated I have a proper connection. The 2nd brown wire going to the trans.was also tested. The probe was placed into the brown wire and the key was activated the engine turned over and fired up immediately. Was this simply because the probe test light made the ground? And therefore I have a bad ground at the trans? Obviously I am a novice at tracking down electrical issues..
Thank you, bob

 

[67Dart273]

Hello, been away from the site for some time now but still have my 69 Dodge Dart 340. I have a starting problem with my car that is similar to the above. My Dart has a 727 automatic trans. The relay is of the 2 push on wire connectors type. (yellow wire and brown wire) I checked the yellow wire with a test light and when the key is activated I have a proper connection. The 2nd brown wire going to the trans.was also tested. The probe was placed into the brown wire and the key was activated the engine turned over and fired up immediately. Was this simply because the probe test light made the ground? And therefore I have a bad ground at the trans? Obviously I am a novice at tracking down electrical issues..
Thank you, bob

May be a bad connection, and probing it may have "made" the connection Check to see if the flag terminal is loose where it's riveted to the relay, "work" the flag connector in/ out a few times to scrub it clean and "feel" for tightness. Then recheck.

the current path is..................

from ground at the NSS, ----------up the firewall to the relay flag terminal,--------- through the relay coil, ---------- out the "yellow" start wire, --------- through the bulkhead connector ---------- and to the ignition switch.