No power to starter relay.

Thanks, 67Dart273! That's exactly the kind of detail I need. She appears to be fine now but yesterday, I experienced the below answers to your diagnosis questions.

test light?
multimeter?
test clip leads?
service manual?
wiring diagrams?

All of the above!

A clear idea in your head of the "wiring path" that is the source, the path, the terminations along the way that the starter relay takes?

I believe I can read the diagram well enough to trace the wires.

You can download service manuals in this thread....

That's where I got what I have :)

THE PATH of the relay wiring. This is where I'm vague.

Is the start signal actually "leaving" the ignition switch? Is it coming through the switch connector? Yes

Is it getting "out" into the engine bay through the bulkhead? No

Originally, it went through the contacts of the hated reset device for the seat belt interlock, and then went on to the start relay "push on" connector, yellow, yellow tracer, whatever. Is this the connector under the seat? I'll have to locate that.

You need to check this. "Catch" it when it failed, and check it with your light. START clear out at the relay and see whether you get a "start" signal. I don't understand the "clear out at the relay"

HINT.............Check BOTH small push on terminals for power in "start." ONE should go to the transmission NSS. IF YOU HAVE power on that terminal, then the NS switch, or wiring, or connections is / are bad, or the linkage is not engaging the switch. I'll do this after I locate it.

To put that another way, the push on terminal going to the NSS should NOT show power, as it should be grounded in park or neutral You mean the one on the transmission?

EASY way to eliminate the switch TEMPORARILY. ID the start wire (yellow) and then remove the REMAINING "push on" connector at the relay, and GROUND that relay terminal with a clip lead. CAREFUL as now it'll start in any gear. Does it work? Concentrate on the NSS wire and circuit. That would be the "G" terminal on the starter relay, correct? Gound to chassis or battery -?

OK so what? You don't? have start power at the relay yellow? Where to check next? Pick the EASY TO GET TO places. Crawl under the dash, and access the ignition switch connector, check that wire at the dash harness side of the switch connector......Power? Yes

Yes? Then look for trouble at the bulkhead connector I think this may be the culprit.

No? Check the ignition switch side of the switch connector. WIGGLE the connector. Wiggle the key. No power? It's the switch at fault. All is good here.

Let's say we are OK clear out to the bulkhead connector.........what then.......? You don't? have power at the yellow relay wire at the relay? That was the original problem.

LOOK AGAIN for that reset box under the dash. Maybe it's there and you missed it. Maybe someone removed it BUT MAYBE they did a crappy job bypassing it, and the wires are taped together, crappy connection.

Here, the relay/ reset........

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/...ad.php?t=14304

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/...p?p=1969624169

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/...d.php?t=292463

Great! The pics are just what I need!

More........

So you've checked for power at the relay, you've checked the NSS is grounded, what then?

MAYBE the relay is failing. sometimes they get rusted inside, etc, or just corroded conacts. Hey it's old. I don't like "throwing parts" at a problem, but intermittent troubles are always.........troublesome. Consider buying a relay. All Chrysler 4 terminal start relays work the same. The brackets can be different. Had a new relay already so went ahead and installed it yesterday. Still no start then. But this morning started up no problem and half a dozen different times today.

I can read the wiring diagram well enough to trace wires and find connections. My weakness is in understanding the path the current is taking. I knew that the relay was triggered across the two bottom terminals thereby engaging the circuit providing power to the starter solenoid, I just didn't know how it was triggered and from what source. Your detailed instructions are perfect and have explained the start circuit very simply for me. Thanks!