88- s-10 2.8l V6 won't start - ignition switch?

Guy, though it is your vehicle and you are truly free to do what you would like with it, I personally would recommend that you do not do what you are thinking, sticktly from a safety stand point.

First if you know for fact that you do not have a bad starter or a bad solenoid and that it IS you ignition switch, I would just replace that. Second, if you look at cars that have a push button starting system (Mercedes and BMW come to mind) you MUST still have a "key" because it has a transponder chip in it, to prevent the "wrong" people from starting it. Thirdly, you did not say if it were manual or automatic, which creates issue all in itself. If it is a manual, you have a clutch/neutral safety switch that you MUST bypass and in some states this is illegal.

Personally, I can tell you exactly how you would wire this, but in good concience have some serious reservations, due to your safety and that of others. (What would happen if some kid got in there, pushed a button while in 1st gear?) I've seen something similar, NOT good))

What do they do about my 2 Jeeps and my old Ford p/u that all crank wether you have the clutch pressed in or not...from the factory? If you wired the pushbutton into the starter crank circuit at the ignition switch itself, then any park/neutral switchs would still be operational anyway. All you would be bypassing would be the actual ignition switch.

If the steering column is already jacked up(need to use a screw driver to start it)then I'd say the linkage from the lock cylinder to the switch might be the problem. I'd pull the switch off the bottom of the column and operate it without the pushrod to see if it's the actual switch or just the linkage thats causing the problem.

-- Old Crow "Yol Bolsun!" '82 FLTC-P "Miss Pearl" '95 YJ Rio Grande BS#133, SENS, TOMKAT, MAMBM

You are comparing apples to oranges here. Yours came that way from the factory, the OP is talking about doing a modification to his, making it something that is not factory. The OP is free to do what ever he would like, I was just throwing some cautions out there. If it were me, I would check my local laws to find out if this modification would cause him problems, such as with vehicle inspections, etc. if he lives in an area that requires them.

I still think his problem isn't the switch, but the linkage from the key down through the column. I"ll bet all that starting with the screwdriver has broken the "rack" or bent the linkage rod. MIght even have pushed the switch down the column far enough that the linkage won't work it anymore. My boss's shop van has a similar problem We just took the switch off the column and put a piece of rod in place of the stock one, then bolted the switch back in place. When you wanna start the van, you reach under the column and push the rod down. Doesn't bypass anything but the actual lock cylinder and the mechinism in the column.

-- Old Crow "Yol Bolsun!" '82 FLTC-P "Miss Pearl" '95 YJ Rio Grande BS#133, SENS, TOMKAT, MAMBM

Lol!

That reminds me what I did with our little economobile, the Escort.

The linkage broke inside the column, I discovered this whilst doing a lockset replacement, found the busted linkage, and started looking for the part. Could not get the part from a dealer, without pretty much buying a whole steering column, damnit.

So, I looked the situation over and built a "perma-key" I took a 3.5 inch bolt (1/4") ground down the end to look like a standard screwdriver, so it would fit the ign switch, welded a small square of metal at the other end to serve as the "key", ran the whole thing through a washer which was JB'd in at the end of the lockset hole and voila..perma-key.

*NOTE* you must disable the steering wheel lock to get away with anything like this!!! This rig has worked well for a long time now.

...and if anyone stole it...so what! Its an old Escort!!!!

Oh..and I have that same superpower, being able to break anything at any time is a curse I tell ya...