jayrose19
Member
I have a 1971 Dodge Dart that I am restoring. The car started fine when I first got it. Now it will only start if I jump the starter relay. I replaced the relay, but that didn't fix the problem. Any idea what's wrong?
Dodge Dart Starting Problems
- Thread starter jayrose19
- Start date
-
Stick or automatic?
If auto, may be the neutral safety switch or wiring, which grounds one of the small push-on terminals on the starter relay
If auto, try wiggling the shift lever between park and neutral while holding the key to "start."
Stick? Do you have a clutch safety switch? If so, it works the same way, one of the push-on terminals on the starter relay goes through the firewall to the switch.
You should be able to ID the two push on terminals. Have someone hold the key to "start" and probe the two terminals on the relay. Unplug one at a time and identify which one is hot. Normally this wire is yellow or a combo of. If you find the hot wire in "crank" put it back onto the starter relay, and use a clip lead to ground the other terminal. If the car cranks, the relay is OK, the trouble is in the neutral safety switch or wiring.
Look down on your (auto) transmission. Should be a plug/ wire harness plugged into the trans. This will be a three wire switch, the two outer wires are for the backup lights, the center one is grounded in park/ neutral by the transmission.
Don't ask me where the photo came from. The blue arrow is the neutral safety switch
If auto, may be the neutral safety switch or wiring, which grounds one of the small push-on terminals on the starter relay
If auto, try wiggling the shift lever between park and neutral while holding the key to "start."
Stick? Do you have a clutch safety switch? If so, it works the same way, one of the push-on terminals on the starter relay goes through the firewall to the switch.
You should be able to ID the two push on terminals. Have someone hold the key to "start" and probe the two terminals on the relay. Unplug one at a time and identify which one is hot. Normally this wire is yellow or a combo of. If you find the hot wire in "crank" put it back onto the starter relay, and use a clip lead to ground the other terminal. If the car cranks, the relay is OK, the trouble is in the neutral safety switch or wiring.
Look down on your (auto) transmission. Should be a plug/ wire harness plugged into the trans. This will be a three wire switch, the two outer wires are for the backup lights, the center one is grounded in park/ neutral by the transmission.
Don't ask me where the photo came from. The blue arrow is the neutral safety switch
jayrose19
Member
Ok, good idea. I can start it in nuetral, but not in park. Does that mean the neutral safety switch is bad?
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
-
