starter relay
Agree RRR. The YELLOW wire comes from the KEY. It IS the "start" voltage that triggers the relay. By disconnecting that, and jumpering from battery power to the "push on" blade terminal on the relay......you said it cranks, right?
THAT PROVES the relay, starter, are OK
Now you must find out why you have now power on the yellow wire in crank.
Might be the bulkhead connector. Wiggle the connector try again. Remove the connector and inspect. "Work" it in/ out several times to scrub the terminals
Access the ignition switch, find the yellow and check it there With your meter connected to the yellow, twist the key to "start." Voltage?
Yes.......the ignition switch is OK, you are losing it between there and the relay. REcheck the bulkhead connector, is most likely
NO voltage at key, might be right in the connector or bad ignition switch
YEP I found it, the connector at the column. the big hot wire was feeding in HOT , but the connector was not connecting for the yellow ign wire. . I probed the test light needle in yellow wire and it started, then not start for a few times, but after probing some more it finally got to starting. the column was out of the car when got it for how?? many years. no doubt the terminals there need a better cleaning. I thought I did so pretty good when put it back in. guess not. maybe some dielectric grease would be good there ??
I understand now that the red big hot wire feeds the ign switch and that feeds the yellow wire that activates the starter relay. (duh?)
I admit I have never been any good at auto wiring, though I read the diagrams in the FSM.. my youngest daughter, will be 41 this July, was diagnoses dyslexic ( spelling?) as a child. well she graduated with good grades and scholaristic scholarship for 2 semesters, (though didn;t use,,, am still pissed).
me, I gradated with a BS in Ag in 1970. now Ag is not the easiest or hardest, but I graduated. so I must not be completely stupid (???? HA).... point to all this is I am, I guess, NO doubt dyslexic as I invest numbers, letters, and see many things backwards, up side down etc..... does this make me so darn dense when it comes to auto electronics???? I have NO idea!! ha
thanks for the help and ( not making fun of me!!!! especially RRR! HA)