Car can start even in gear! What's going on?

[Woodsman341]

I *just* got this new-ro -me 75 Dart home, and it stalled when backing it off the hauler. Without thinking I turned the key again and it fired up, even while still in reverse. What's missing?

It's surely a used track car, 75, 360/727, 3.91 Sure Grip.

The guy I bought it from said he replaced the old ignition with an MSI (I think). Anyway, any thoughts? I did Google it, bit the first few pages are all things like how to start a manual in gear, how automatics cannot be started in gear...all that.

 

[Mr. Sinister]

Look at your starter relay it’s probably grounded to the chassis or has a ground wire going directly to it that’s wrong the relay should go to the neutral safety switch on the side of the transmission if it’s an automatic

 

[Woodsman341]

Look at your starter relay it’s probably grounded to the chassis or has a ground wire going directly to it that’s wrong the relay should go to the neutral safety switch on the side of the transmission if it’s an automatic

Excellent, thank you!

 

[67Dart273]

I have no idea what you are doing. 85 Dart? No such thing. Neither is a 350.

As above and addtional.......

Run over to MyMopar and download the service manual. If it is newer than 73, there won't be one there. HOWEVER go to the wiring section and there are two-page aftermarket diagrams.........these leave out some details, but are certainly better than nothing.

Possible troubles:

As above........been modified and eliminated
Misadjusted shift linkage or damaged "rooster comb" in the transmission. Neutral safety on a 727 is a 3 pin switch ON the transmission. Center pin is neutral safety, it grounds in park or neutral

This ground goes up to the (proper) starter relay and grounds one end of the coil, allowing start signal from coil to activate relay

 

[Woodsman341]

I have no idea what you are doing. 85 Dart? No such thing. Neither is a 350.

As above and addtional.......

Run over to MyMopar and download the service manual. If it is newer than 73, there won't be one there. HOWEVER go to the wiring section and there are two-page aftermarket diagrams.........these leave out some details, but are certainly better than nothing.

Possible troubles:

As above........been modified and eliminated
Misadjusted shift linkage or damaged "rooster comb" in the transmission. Neutral safety on a 727 is a 3 pin switch ON the transmission. Center pin is neutral safety, it grounds in park or neutral

This ground goes up to the (proper) starter relay and grounds one end of the coil, allowing start signal from coil to activate relay

Typing too fast and too tired! I corrected it.

Thanks for the other info!

 

[67Dart273]

OK, 75. The wiring changed over the years, and 73-4-5 changed quite a bit every single year. So don't trust the 73 manual there at MyMopar which is quite different. "Some" of it might be good for reference, like the connectors, etc. Otherwise, until/ if you can get a 75 manual, use those aftermarket ones. The OEM starter relay is a very simple circuit. The correct one will have two small flag terminals, a big "square" looking screw terminal, and a larger hex nut terminal.

The largest terminal is always hot, is connected to one of the contacts, and also used for a junction. The "square screw" is the other contact, and feeds down to the starter solenoid. So if you need to "bump" engine, you can just "screwdriver" those two together.

One of the small flag terminals gets start signal from the key, and the other runs down the firewall, over the transmission hump, and connects to the center terminal of the transmission neutral/ backup switch, on the driver side of the transmission.

 

[Tanker]

My Duster would crank while in gear as well. I had thought about fixing it, but then one afternoon it stalled on the southbound five just past Victory in Burbank and I was able to use the starter motor to get the car out of traffic and off to the shoulder. After that incident I decided not to fix it.