no power at the key

[namehater]

I still haven't been able to get this car to turn over at the key. Its a 72 demon 340, 3 spd. I really don't know where to begin. I looked for a fusable link as advised in my first post, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for. Any and all help is appreciated.

The short story on the car- I drove it daily for years, parked it for about 5 years, thought about selling it so I made sure it started and drive fine (it did), parked it for another 4 years, now there its nothing when you turn the key, but if you bypass the ignition it will crank.

 

[67Dart273]

What/ where have you checked?

You have a wiring diagram?

you can download a complete service manual here:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=132309&highlight=manual,+download

A somewhat different style of diagrams are here:

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=18

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1972/72DartA.JPG

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1972/72DartB.JPG

Does anything at all work with the key? That is, heater blower, radio, etc, or does it just "not crank"?

 

[namehater]

all i have done is checked all the wiring visibly and everything looks to be fine.

when you turn the key, nothing happens at all

 

[Oldmanmopar]

do you have power in the car or is it just the starter thats not working.

 

[namehater]

If I bypass the ignition it will crank, but there's no fire from the coil. I believe my coil is bad, but my main concern is it not cranking from the key

 

[67Dart273]

when you turn the key, nothing happens at all

What does this mean? Does it mean the engine does not crank, or does it mean there is no power to anything else as I asked you earlier?

If you turn on the key, and the radio/ gauges/ heater blower/ etc does not work, this means a "main feed" is likely not there

You need to get a test light and meter. Look over the diagrams I posted. Get down to the ignition switch connector under the column and see if the biggest wires there have any power. Look out under the hood and see if the bulkhead is getting power from where it picks it up at the starter relay, and there should be a fuse link there

 

[namehater]

What does this mean? Does it mean the engine does not crank, or does it mean there is no power to anything else as I asked you earlier?

If you turn on the key, and the radio/ gauges/ heater blower/ etc does not work, this means a "main feed" is likely not there

You need to get a test light and meter. Look over the diagrams I posted. Get down to the ignition switch connector under the column and see if the biggest wires there have any power. Look out under the hood and see if the bulkhead is getting power from where it picks it up at the starter relay, and there should be a fuse link there

Sorry, when I turn the key nothing is getting powered, almost like it doesn't even have a battery in it.

Thanks for everybodies input thus far!

 

[dusterdan]

my car does THE EXACT SAME THING!!! replace the starter relay and problem solved! i never though that it would be the cure but mine was 41 years old and sure enough that was the culprit! even wiggling the wires on the starter relay and making the connections tight should allow it to turn over

 

[67Dart273]

Sorry, when I turn the key nothing is getting powered, almost like it doesn't even have a battery in it.

Thanks for everybodies input thus far!

OK if EVERYTHING is dead sounds like the ignition switch is not getting power from the engine side of the bulkhead. You have any headlights?

Look at your starter relay. Should be some wires hooked to the big stud, one is the fuse link. Should be blue/ dark blue Goes back to the bulkhead connector. Hope it's the same here:

Look on the left where it says "fusible link", wire no A1C-16DBL, which means "wire no A1C, no 16 size, dark blue" it comes in FROM the starter relay large stud (out of the picture) and goes to "J" of the bulkhead connector. Then if you look to the right, there's a diagram of what the bulkhead connector should look like. You should be able to probe "J" and see that it's "hot" all the time. If not, check the wire/ fuse link I mentioned.

If it IS hot, you have troubles "inside the car" from there. It COULD be right there IN the bulkhead connector, so if "J" shows "hot" go inside the car and try to probe there on the inside. If it's hot there, we have deeper problems.

 

[slimjim]

I had this exact same problem with my 68 barracuda. When i bypassed the ignition it would crank. For me it was the connector at the firewall. It looked fine from just looking at it but when i unplugged it I notice that part of it had melted and that the prongs had been set back and where not making a good connection. hope this helps