Hi everyone, new to this site. I recently bought a 71 skylark that has a issue no crank issue. i was able to get it running by tapping into the starter wire and jumping to the battery. i was hoping it was the ignition switch but replacing it didnt solve the issue. i have the steering column dropped and can access the rod that acctuates the switch. if i turn the key as far as i can then grab the rod with plyers and push a little further i can get the "hot" light to turn on(wich is im assuming what happens normally when starter is cranking) Any advice/tips/direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jerry
You need to have the steering column bolted up in place and with the back rod from the transmission hooked up to the steering column linkage on the engine bay side of the firewall. The gear shift lever (assuming you have column shift) must be in park or neutral for the starter to receive voltage. There is a neutral safety switch mounted on the column that passes voltage to the starter solenoid only when in neutral or park. It might be might adjusted. The colors of the wires on the neutral safety switch are purple and purple/white. You might also have a bad ignition switch.
awsome, thank you for the reply. it is a column shift, i was having this problem before i dropped the column to change the ignition switch. i have only tryed to turn key with column still dropped since replacing switch so i will try what you said. thanks again and i will let you know if i have any luck
I'm still trying to get this figured out but just wanted share most recent findings. I jumped the purple/purple white wires from the NSS hoping that it would start up telling me the problem was the NSS but it did not start. I then dropped the column so i could access the ignition rod. With the jumper still in place i turned the key while i grabbed the ignition rod with a pair of pliers and pushed farther forward and got it to crank. Once i removed jumper wire i could no longer get it to crank while pushing forward on the rod with pliers. So doesn't this mean i have two problems? One with the ignition rod and one with the NSS? I know the NSS could be misadjusted so i was wondering if i could use the continuity funtion on a voltmeter while moving the NSS back and forth waiting for the beep? would beeping tell me that it is adjusted correctly? Not sure if replacing the ignition rod or column or what would be the best route for that issue. Hope this isn't confusing, any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
do you have a volt meter? checking voltage is better than jumping wires. i would check the fusable links. one is for the accessories and the other is for the starter. might be blown.
I will definitely look into that. I'll see if i can find it on the wiring diagram. You don't by chace no the colors of the fusible links do you?
I'm still trying to get this figured out but just wanted share most recent findings. I jumped the purple/purple white wires from the NSS hoping that it would start up telling me the problem was the NSS but it did not start. I then dropped the column so i could access the ignition rod. With the jumper still in place i turned the key while i grabbed the ignition rod with a pair of pliers and pushed farther forward and got it to crank. Once i removed jumper wire i could no longer get it to crank while pushing forward on the rod with pliers. So doesn't this mean i have two problems? One with the ignition rod and one with the NSS? I know the NSS could be misadjusted so i was wondering if i could use the continuity funtion on a voltmeter while moving the NSS back and forth waiting for the beep? would beeping tell me that it is adjusted correctly? Not sure if replacing the ignition rod or column or what would be the best route for that issue. Hope this isn't confusing, any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
