Hey Guys, Soo yesterday my 70 Buick left me stranded @ a Gas Station. I filled up the tank, got into the car, and turned the Key and nothing. No click, nothing but the light on the dash turning on when I crank the key. This happened before & I ended up swapping the Petronix unit for an Accel Points eliminator Kit and the the car ran fine. I also tested the ignition switch and it was working fine. Fast forward to yesterday, Left stranded @ the Gas station then towed it home. This morning, I figured it might be the starter since everything else was checking out. I look at the connections and the purple wire sis exposed and the yellow wire on the R terminal seems to be hanging on by strands. I pull the starter, I cut and clean up the connections and even use nice heatshrink wrap to make it nicer. I test the Starter outside the car by hooking it up to the Batt and everything checks out. I install it and then go to crank the car and it starts right up! Figured it was just the connections to the starter, possibly the R terminal wire. turn off the car, crank it over 4 more times. Everything good. Drive the car to work, where I currently am and park. Turn it off and crank it over and it's good. Go back out 30 mins later to drive a buddy down the street and no cranking again -_- Why?!!! Now I am stranded @ Work. I am thinking it is the Neutral safety Switch then. Could it be the safety switch not allowing the ignition switch to send juice to the starter? I actually bought one earlier today in case it wasn't the starter so I have it sitting in the car. How difficult is it to swap it in these cars? My car is not Column shift. I have floor shift., Do I need to get under the Shifter? Can I by-pass it So I can get home? Thanks guys, the new NSS has a white tab that is supposed to adjust it, I have not done this before. Everything has been going so well on this car and the smallest things end up beaching this boat
See if there is a thick purple wire running from the firewall under the carpet to the shifter. Also check to see if it is in the same place as on a column shift. Does your column shift collar move when you move the console shifter? If it does, you have linkage at the transmission. Try holding the key to start and move the column collar or the shifter lever. It may just be way out of adjustment. Push farther toward park and pull toward reverse without actually pulling the console trigger to see if that makes a connection.
To diagnose the issue, you have to know what is going on when you turn the key to the "crank" position. The ignition switch gives 12 volts to the purple wire going to the neutral safety switch. All the neutral safety switch does it prevent 12 volts from going to the starter unless the car is in park or neutral. So the purple wire goes into the NSS, comes out of the neutral safety switch and on to the starter. Clear as mud so far? So when you put the key to crank, your giving the starter solenoid 12 volts to the S terminal that the purple wire is connected to. Now, the NSS is connected to the bottom of the column. You'll see two thick purple wires connected to the switch. In park or neutral, the terminals that those two purple wires are connected to should have continuity. The voltage should pass through and go to the starter. You can test this on your new NSS to see how it works. You can test the switch on your car- Disconnect the connector on the NSS at the bottom of the column that has the two purple wires going to it. Now connect them together. To do this, make a jumper wire from a short length of 10 gauge wire and two crimp on spade connectors. You have now taken the NSS out of the loop. With the NSS jumped out, you car can and will now start in drive! MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN PARK AND WITH YOU FOOT ON THE BRAKE try and crank the car. If it now cranks, the NSS is the issue OR it needs to be adjusted You can also have a bad starter even though the starter tested good out of the car. Why? There could be a dead spot on the armature. It all depends on if the starter stops on the bad spot. If it does, you usually get nothing, no crank, nothing. If its the starter, you can try tapping on the starter with a hammer while a friend tries to crank the engine from inside the car. Again, make sure the car is in park and your buddy's foot on the brake. Don't get run over! Safety first!!!!
Alright guys, left the car @ work in the parking lot, I will go armed with tools and 10G wire to make the jumper. I did not notice the column turning when shifting. I will crawl under the dash and locate the switch, If it is not there I am guessing it is on the center console shifter. I think the best bet is to attempt to rule the safety switch out. The starter might be next. I totally see how it can also be that. Thank for the tips guys, I've never dealt with this issue before, I will walk away knowing I can correct this as well haha, gets frustrating but I guess this is the fun part about working on your own cars VS having them built. I will know it inside and out by the time I'm done! I will keep you guys posted on the progress as well!
As "kids", we used to disconnect the lock out linkgage from the trans to the column,(only on floor shifted cars) and be able to do all the above, PLUS when passing a pal in the other direction, give a flash of the reverse lights as a recognition "code". WOW! Like secret agents we were! If the shifter doesent "roll the bowl", pretty good chances the linkage is off. As a force of habit, I still check even the XGS to make sure its in full park un the NSS. FWIW, if its a 4 speed car, that bowl in the "park" position will in fact be in "reverse" and the BU lights will always be on. Again, force of habit makes me turn the bowl down to turn the lights off. When shifting the 4 speed, that bowl goes through the same motions as if it were a 3 (4?) on the tree. That ensures a lock position for parking in reverse and removing the key. Hows about some pics of the car??? ws
First thing I would do Jose is try the ole hammer trick on the starter. Im betting its a bad starter The NSS is available new. According to Rock Auto, AC Delco still makes it under part #D2219C.
Unfortunately the car is @ work I will be going there around noon to mess with it. I will bring my mallet as well to knock on the starter. I will dig up some pictures as well. I am guessing the bowl is supposed to move as well right
An additional thing to keep in mind: Early '70s with console have the switch in the console, as shown above. Late 70's have it on the column, just like a column shift car
Ive never seen a NSS and reverse light switch in-situ in a console before. Exspurts?? That may eliminate the steering column switch, but the bowl still needs to rotate for a reverse/park for the wheel lock/key removal. The linkage is called the BACK DRIVE ROD in the top left of the manual page. Otherwise, in theory, you could shut the engine off and lock the wheel while still doing 70 mph... NOT GOOD. My '72 XGS has the original tilt wheel, buckets and console, (TTBOMK) with no wires. In the last pic you can see my NSS betwen the incorrect AC hose and floor vent. Its reasonably accessable. ws
Hi Bill, (and all) I'm guessing perhaps you've never played with an early 70 or previous... In a floor shift 68 the column does not rotate at all. Key in dash, no "park lock," wiring for NSS and lighted PRNDL in the console on the floor. 69 introduced the rotating column, for Park Lock, but retained the console NSS switch and lighted PRNDL for floor shift cars. I imagine some engineer in early 1970 slapping his forehead, saying "DUH!!!???" and realizing that for a year now the column rotates on ALL cars, and the NSS can be on the column for all cars, regardless of column or floor shift... The back drive made wiring to the console pointless. But that wiring WAS necessary for floor shift cars before column lock.
I didn't realize the car had a console. Like Nick said, in 1970 the NSS is located on the console shifter. In 1971, they moved it to the steering column. But don't let that throw you! The connector with the green and pink is for the back up lights. The two purple wires still work the same
Yup, My skylark must be an early 70's one. Update: Took apart the shifter and console , still no go. Got under the car and whacked the starter and boom cranks! I am now going to research a mini starter since this one is soo heavy -_- I might need shorter bolts if I go with a PG260 starter
Assuming Jamie still sells starters, that's the way to go. (Sorry, I don't remember his screen name, but I'm sure someone will pipe up shortly!)
I get to "correct" Jason!!!! Not 71, mid 70. My March 70 build GS 455 ain't got no wires to the console, and a NSS on the column just like a 71...
I get corrected all the time. Just ask Jennifer!! I didn't realize the changeover was mid 70. I stand corrected!
Does anyone have a link to Jamie's Start n charge website or know if he's still selling starters? Or a part # to a mini starter that will bolt up without having to chase shorter bolts?
