No start by key,but works when jumped.Help!!

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pettybludart

pettybludart

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Went out to fire up the 66 Dart today,no power to ignition,no lights.Checked all gounds cleaned and put back on,nothing?So I jumped it through the starter relay,it fired up and everything works.Hmm!I traced power into car put isn,t getting any to the ignition.Car started yesterday by the ignition.Could the voltage reg have gone?Or what about the light switch?Everything works when I jump it.HelpAnybody got any suggestions?
 
Check on both sides of the bulkhead.

If you have a wiring schematic, find where the coil + run and start power wires are located in the bulkhead and probe it there. My Dart has/has a real issue sometimes with this.

Bad connection or the switch may be bad.

Trace it back from the point you know it's live.
 
crackedback said:
Check on both sides of the bulkhead.

If you have a wiring schematic, find where the coil + run and start power wires are located in the bulkhead and probe it there. My Dart has/has a real issue sometimes with this.

Bad connection or the switch may be bad.

Trace it back from the point you know it's live.
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Switched starter relay,got power to coil,under dash I have power running in from bulk.have power to horn that,s it.No power to ign. or lights.I spent a couple hours testing for power coming in at bulk.I,m stumped cause it worked 16 hours before.
 
The Newport used to do this every now and then. I could never figure it out but it went away when I changed the entire harness (and everything else) because of something unrelated. Maybe a bad ballast resistor?
 
res1vw21 said:
The Newport used to do this every now and then. I could never figure it out but it went away when I changed the entire harness (and everything else) because of something unrelated. Maybe a bad ballast resistor?
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Nope tested good.I have power to coil also inside car.Limited to the horn though.
 
Petty blue, I can't remember the symptoms for sure but when my amp meter burned out I diddnt have any juice except to the starter when I jumped the solenoid. You can bypass the meter by connecting both amp meter wires together to try. Don't forget to disconnect the battery. I tried to melt my watch to my wrist when I grounded out against the dash frame. LOL

toolmanmike
 
If there is any power at all inside the car, Horn , Brake lights, etc.., the fusible link and stuff is good. Everything else gets its hot through the ignition switch. If you turn the switch to the on position and signal, radio, wiper fuses dont get hot, the ignition switch is the most likely culprit.
 
toolmanmike said:
Petty blue, I can't remember the symptoms for sure but when my amp meter burned out I diddnt have any juice except to the starter when I jumped the solenoid. You can bypass the meter by connecting both amp meter wires together to try. Don't forget to disconnect the battery. I tried to melt my watch to my wrist when I grounded out against the dash frame. LOL

toolmanmike
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Ouch a friend of mine did that tightening a battery!The amp meter is which of the 2 boxes on fire wall,the big black on?or little silver.Thanks Mike.
 
RedFish said:
If there is any power at all inside the car, Horn , Brake lights, etc.., the fusible link and stuff is good. Everything else gets its hot through the ignition switch. If you turn the switch to the on position and signal, radio, wiper fuses dont get hot, the ignition switch is the most likely culprit.
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Only power to horn Red.Thanks.I have read your responses and am glad to see you chimed in.You really know your electrical,which I only know some basics.Thanks I,ll try switching ignition,cause I have a spare with keys.
 
Sorry, the dash gauge. There are two posts in the back if the gauge that should have curreat on both posts with the key on. You can yest with a test light. toolman
 
Disconnect the negative battery cable or the fusible link connecter before you start under the dash ! Tere may be melted terminals on that switch or connecter. Good luck
 
Small Block said:
Neutral safety switch? Pull it down in neutral and try it.
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I pulled the plug from starter relay and grounded,which worked earlier this week.Now I have power running in,only the horn works,has power coming in.I have to screw with it tomorrow.Thanks.
 
The amp gauge is in the instrument panel. Mopars with an amp meter (not a
volt meter) run all accessory current through the gauge in the dash. If you have a 50 amp alternator and it's charging at maximum output you have 50 amps going from the engine compartment through the bulkhead connector
(where all the wires enter the passenger compartment {by the master cylinder}) and then through the charge gauge on the instrument cluster.
toolman
 
Small Block said:
Neutral safety switch? Pull it down in neutral and try it.
Click to expand...


that was my suggestion. i had an issue with mine aswell doing this from time to time due to the trany linkage being out of adjustment and not allowing it to start unless i pulled it into neutral or poped the hood and pulled the linkage back into its correct place at the collum. though if i remember right i still had power.
 
pettybludart said:
Went out to fire up the 66 Dart today,no power to ignition,no lights.Checked all gounds cleaned and put back on,nothing?So I jumped it through the starter relay,it fired up and everything works.Hmm!I traced power into car put isn,t getting any to the ignition.Car started yesterday by the ignition.Could the voltage reg have gone?Or what about the light switch?Everything works when I jump it.HelpAnybody got any suggestions?
Click to expand...
I had this same problem after putting my car back together. I believe I found a wire at the bulk head not making a good connection and at the ignition switch wire not contacting when the clip was pushed on the clip pushed out the back. I also could start at firewall. Jayson
 
Thanks guys,I,ve had bulk head apart and back together 10x checked under dash 8x power in.PO has jinxed me on this one.Waggin has some wiring harness,s I think I,m going to get,just to know I won,t have any electrical problems in future.I was trying to just be lucky but I can,t look at her today!It,s best I don,t.Know what I,m sayin!Tomorrow,s another day!Step back!Wish me luck!All with test light.
 
ive seen the inside of the ignition (key) switch wear out too.good luck.
 
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