Car starts, but dies when key returns to ON

Sounds like a bad ignition switch to me, but I have no experience with that particular vehicle. Some have a mechanical linkage from the key cylinder to the actual switch. Perhaps the switch has come loose in its mount and is moving too far when the cylinder is rotated to RUN?

My guess would be a bad ignition switch. It isn't up near the switch, it is on the top side of the steering column down near the brake pedal area.

Steve B.

Thanks Steve B ... and TomO.

There's nothing in the Haynes manual for replacing the switch (but they do cover replacing the lock cylinder and turn signal assembly). If the problem is the switch, it sounds as if I don't have to remove the steering wheel, etc to replace it (?). I'll google to see if I can find a procedure to check (remove/etc) the switch.

Always check the last thing you "fixed". I'd try unplugging the new water pump if possible. Otherwise yes it does sound like a faulty switch.

Does your coil run on a ballast (resistor) wire? If so, you are giving the symptoms of a coil ballast failure. The coil and ignition get a different power line when the starter is cranking.

Next in line is the ignition switch.

Mike

On Oct 15, 5:13 pm, MoneyForNothing wrote: [snip]

I considered that (which is why I mentioned it), but I've been driving the car for a week or so. However, I did check the wiring to the point of disconnecting the wire to the [electric] water pump motor, plus double-checking the piggy-back connection.

Hmmmm. I don't know. But I'll research to see if it does.

Are you suggesting that I get my multimeter out and check the coil? Would that help to eliminate a ballast failure?

No, just check the ballast resistor for continuity - or just bypass it and see if the car starts. BTDT

nate

A bad ballast resistor would not cause the issue with no lights on the dash. Still worth checking but I still suspect a bad ignition switch or other electrical problem that would effect warning lights and ignition.

Steve B.

Yes, you need to see if the coil has power to it with the key in 'run'.

If there is no power, then the ballast resistor needs checking just because it is a lot easier and cheaper to do than replace the ignition switch.

A bad ignition switch can also cause no power in run.

Mike

After replies I received here, and from the specialty ACDelco parts store, I purchased an ignition switch. I removed the switch last night. The parts folks mentioned it could be the linkage from the ignition lock cylinder to the ignition switch, but the linkage looks fine to me.

One thing though, for anyone that is familiar with this style of ignition switch. There is a cable with its housing that is attached to the ignition switch. The top photo shows this (its circled in red). The cable routes under the carpet and it feels as if it exists somewhere through the floor hump (I didnt lift the carpet or look under the car). I assume this routes to the starter circuit. (or maybe this is some sort of safety cable to keep the car from being started in gear - auto trans?)

The new ignition switch (bottom photo) comes with the "housing" portion for this cable. I unscrewed the housing/cable as a unit from the old ignition switch. Can I just reuse the cable with its original housing and screw (2 screws) it onto the new ignition switch? I'm just curious why the ignition switch comes with this cable housing.

Photos are here:

This is *exactly* what the cable is (safety no-start) - when you push down on the shifter release button, two things happen:

So, this is a safety cable to keep the car from being started outside of Park (Neutral?).

I guess it's OK to reuse it - I'm not sure how the cable slides out of the housing - I certainly do not want to break the cable end.

Thanks to everyone who assisted me!!

I put the new ignition switch in tonight and she starts up and runs as she should, with the key in the RUNNING (or ON?) position.

i didn't think it was a ballast resistor. but that was sometimes what would happen when the resistor went on an early 70's chrysler product

GM products too, except instead of a ceramic ballast resistor they used a fine gauge "ballast wire" from the feed point to the coil so that you had to tear into the wiring harness to fix it :-p

Also, the later GM HEI system didn't use a ballast resistor, but it is very persnickety about coil supply voltage. Any bad connection AT ALL in the coil supply voltage feed can cause HEI to cut out.