Help Starter key won't start engine

[JeffreysDart]

I have a 69 Dodge Dart GT the interior is all stock and nothing looks changed. The guy I recently bought the car from added a new 318. When I went to fire up the car after all finishing touches that the pervious guy didn't complete. Like Carb fan and belts. The starter switch key would not trigger the starter. I then put the key in run position and started the engine up for the first time jumping the starter relay.

Any idea why the ignition key won't kick the starter over but the relay will? What am I missing?

 

[70DartMike]

From my experience that usually means the starter relay is bad.

 

[67Dart273]

Could be several things. We know "from the relay down" is OK because you jumpered the relay. You say 69, so no clutch safety switch, but is this stick or auto

If stick, the relay must be grounded, OR if it has a four terminal relay (two pushon terminals) one of them must be grounded.

Otherwise, check the yellow "start" wire, see if you have power. If it's an auto, you will have two pushon terminals. The second one goes down to the transmission neutral safety

Try holding the key to "start" and pulling the shifter through P R N as you hold the key.

If no go, make sure that terminal is getting grounded, or temporarily jumper it to ground. Be careful, it will start "in any gear"

 

[JeffreysDart]

it seems brand new but its possible i guess... its an automatic

 

[JeffreysDart]

thanks for your input, ill have to go through it a couple more times