Trouble with starter

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dustya_383

dustya_383

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So I bought a starter that's from a 92 Dakota and hooked it all up to my 74 duster and when I turn key over I'm getting nothing. I have a 73 column (auto on the floor) and it is now 4 speed I hooked the starter up like normAl but nothing . I already know it's not my ignition switch because when I turn key my light on my msd box comes on. Not battery cause radio works maybe I have something wrong have pos. Battery cable to starter than smaller cable to positive on the relAy then negative to relay and then to neg. On starter. Why in the world isn't the starter turning over .. ????
 
pettybludart said:
Safety Neutral switch?Try grounding it.
Click to expand...

I would guess so. Look up your starter relay on the firewall, since your's was an auto, it should have two "push on" terminals. One should be a yellow/ combo color, and with a test lamp, should be "hot" when the key is twisted to "start."

The second terminal must be grounded to actuate the relay. On vehicles equipped with a clutch safety switch, this second terminal was routed through a separate little grommet in the firewall and to the switch on the clutch pedal.
 
So I grounded the other "push on" connector but still nothin. I have no wires
Going to the trans cause the prongs on the reverse light switch broke. So now here is what I got.

Battery- negative to block and another smaller wire to chassis

Big pos. Cable going to starter smaller pos. going to pos. on Starter relAy
Neg. On relay going to neg. On starter

Fusible link from bulkhead going to pos on relay

Then solid yellow from bulkhead going to landed terminal on relay

And brown/ yellow going to vertical terminal on relay. Am I missing something I tried grounding brown and yellow wire but nothing gives.
 
I don't understand your terminology. Your relay should look something like this:

5972353_bwd_s77_pri_detl.jpg




Two push on terminals (In photo, the two near the bottom)

Either one of these goes to the yellow "start" signal wire

Remaining is grounded, either directly, or through neutral safety, or through clutch safety switch

One "square" screw terminal (in middle)

This should have approx no12-10 sized wire from it ONLY to the small "solenoid" terminal on the starter

Large stud (on top)

This is a junction point. If the battery goes directly to the starter, there should be some sort of wire connecting this to the battery, and also from here to the bulkhead connector via the fuse link

It sounds from your description:

dustya_383 said:
Big pos. Cable going to starter smaller pos. going to pos. on Starter relAy
Neg. On relay going to neg. On starter

Fusible link from bulkhead going to pos on relay

Then solid yellow from bulkhead going to landed terminal on relay

And brown/ yellow going to vertical terminal on relay. Am I missing something I tried grounding brown and yellow wire but nothing gives.
Click to expand...

Maybe you have it miswired.

Try jamming a screwdriver between the only two bare terminals, (big stud and "square" screw terminal) That should cause the starter to crank

If so, disconnect both wires from the "push on" terminals. Ground one "push on" terminal ON THE RELAY with a clip lead

Then jumper the remaining bare "push on" terminal of the relay to the big stud. Again it should crank

If this works, find the yellow / yelow/ stripe wire from the bulkhead and connect it to the bare push on. Leave the clip lead on the other push on. Twist the key, it should crank.

If not, use your test light ON THE WIRE you just hooked up. You should get a light when you twist the key to start

If not, either you have the wrong wire, or there's a problem between there, the bulkhead connector, and the ignition switch.
 
Yes that is what my relay looks like When I try the screw driver trick I get nothing. the starter is brand new But again when I turn ignition to start, my light on my msd box comes on. So it can't be the ignition switch correct?? Would it be a good start to replace the relay?? I'm gonna get my starter tested make sure it's ok
 
If you shopped the same source for the "new" starter that I did, it's probably bad. What was advertised as the same starter used for replacements by Chrysler dealers, was nothing more than typical Chinese $%^%$!

You can test it yourself by using jumper cables and hooking it up ouside the car. Just short across the two starter leads with a screwdriver and the solenoid should operate, and the starter spin.
 
dustya_383 said:
When I try the screw driver trick I get nothing.
Click to expand...

It's not the relay you are BYPASSING the relay when you do this.

IT COULD BE the wire from the relay to the starter solenoid, see if you can get clip leads on the two starter terminals and jumper them.

If not, time to test the starter separate.

Gary S has a good suggestion above. take it out, hook one booster to the starter frame, the other booster to the big stud/ connection, and then jumper across to the smaller connector. It should snap the gear in and spin.
 
thanks ill test starter then go from there hopefully its that easy my starter is already out of the car wanted to test before i bolted it up . glad i did
 
my nephew took a starter off a Ford Explorer and had it tested 3 times at 3 different part stores. The starter would run. I tgook it off the forth time and jumper cabled it myself. He says "See there it works". I said "nope, its no good" A good starter will nearly roll itself over with torque when it starts while laying loose. Simply running doesn't mean it will turn an engine. He sure wished the burger flippers at the part stores new this. Could have saved a lot of bolt wear. LOL
 
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