66 Valiant - dead at ignition (key) switch?

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leonfreddy

leonfreddy

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Hello,

i just recently fixed my charging issue, by repairing the connection between my ALT and the ammeter. Everything was great, went on a nice drive and all.

Next attempt to drive... dead at the key. Turn the key, not even a click. This car has always started beautifully. Here's what i've checked:
- No Headlights
- i have 12 volts at both posts on the ammeter
- i pulled the plug off the ignition key switch, 12 volts on the bat lead (it does look like it melted a bit, but it doesnt appear\smell recent)
- check my Q3 to the fusebox (its junctioned with the headlights and ignition switch for 12v)... 12 volts there.
- battery is good.
- starter relay? do i have one? i cannot locate this item in the car. Its on the wiring diagram, where my fusable link, battery and horn leads meet, there is only a post that connects them... from what i've read on here this maybe it? Where is it?

- why are the headlights out if there is power to the ignition switch?
- am i missing something with the starter relay...?

Help. Please. I just want to drive this car... :angryfir:
 
Persistence pays off. I re-seated the connections on the ignition ballast... and BANG. She runs. I suspect i will fight bad connections for a while. (i did pull these off to look at them at one point)

Still curious about the difficulty in locating the starter relay... or if i even have one.
 
Can you post some photos of the engine bay? It did have one unless someone somehow eliminated it, or replaced it with a different relay somehow. You probably have multiple problems. A VERY good place to start is the "bulkhead connector."

Hasn't your wiring been "chopped up?"
 
Hi, I will take some snaps tomorrow and post. I've looked high and low... maybe the previous owner moved it inside? The post with the fuseable lead, horn power and battery connection is mounted right next to the bulkhead connector in the engine compartment... no sign of the other leads and to Sol connection... or a relay. The horn relay is clear as day.

The wiring has definitely been "handled". That was part of my charging issue. But generally the color coding and connections have been true... the radio is another story, speaker wire jumped from the fuse box as 12v to his stereo.
 
Here are some pics of my engine compartment... still no sign of a starter relay.
 

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Looks like some serious rust/ corrosion. Is it possible the one you posted is what someone put in there for a start relay? Or is that the horn relay?
 
OMG, I would clean up everything! Start with those crimp-on connectors. Solder and shrink-wrap them and replace all your rusty relays then move on to cleaning up all connectors that look corroded.
 
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