The volare wont crank. Battery is good. Starter is a few months old. When ignition switch is turned, nothing. When I jump it, it starts up immediately and runs perfect. Any suggestions?

Get a multimeter and start testing the ignition switch and all those components

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Annabelle: 1970 Dodge Dart Hardtop
1991 Nissan 240sx (sileighty) Lots of mods
1974 Dodge Dart *Wrecked*

First of all, get an wiring diagram for the ignition circuit.

You say it starts when jumping it: How?

1) Wire from your battery to the connector on starter relay that should have had input current from the ignition switch, and the engine starts?

If that is the case, your ground is OK, but there is no current passed from the ignition switch to the starter relay.

Move backwards along the wiring from the starter relay towards the ignition switch with a simple test lamp made from a 12V bulb and two wires, and check every connection along the way, think systematically and work slow. Start by connecting it between the starter relay input wire from the ignition switch and ground, and see if it lights up when you turn the key. Have a buddy on standby beside a battery connector, ready to remove the cable fast if you find a broken wire that make sparks!

The other scenario: Bad ground wire to the relay.

If you have an auto tranny, there are two reasons coming to mind, one is a faulty 'automatic transmission neutral start switch', the other is it's fuse. Take a look under the car on the driver's side, and check the wire connector to the 'back-up light and neutral-park starting switch' on the transmission, it sits right beside the gearshift and kickdown lever. It has it's own fuse in '78, but I don't have the diagram for '77, so I am not sure if it is the same - but it probably is, fuse #10.

That switch provides ground to the starter relay when the transmission lever is placed in 'park' or 'neutral' only. You can test it by a routing a bypass wire from good ground to it's connector on the starter relay, and see if the engine starts when you turn the key normally. In '78 the wire is brown/yellow.

If the engine starts, you have a bad ground connection, and you have to check the wiring from the relay down to the switch. First see if the bulb lights up with one wire to the battery plus post, and the other to the wire coming from the switch (remember transmission in park/neutral). If not, then check - ignition off - with a battery and some longer wires to your bulb, if there is connection through the wire between switch and relay. If wire is not broken and connection is OK, replace the broken switch on your transmission.

If the engine does not start with a bypass wire from ground to the relay, but starts with a jump wire form battery to relay ignition switch input, there is the possibility that the circuit inside the relay may be faulty, and the relay needs to be replaced.

2) Jump wire from the battery to your output post on the starter relay (the wire to the starter), and no reaction when doing it as outlined in 1)?

Replace your starter relay.


Olaf.

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Aspenized

Will give it a try.

I just dont see how any of the components could be bad, as the car starts perfectly when jumper cables are used. I would think a bad ground connection could be the problem, that is resolved via the other vehicles ground.

Try pulling the battery cables, cleaning them and the battery terminals as well as the top of the battery.

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I had a similar problem on my AP6 a while ago.It turned out to be the battery + cable was wrooted.

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DRIVE IT,DON'T HIDE IT

It sounds like the battery cable(s) to me too. Try removing and cleaning the battery terminals as was suggested.

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"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

Hi mattsteidler, the circuit that activates the starter relay get positive current from the ignition switch when you turn it to 'start', and negative current (ground) from the switch down at the transmission, when it is placed in 'park' or 'neutral'.

Do you have an auto transmission?

Please tell us where you attach the jumper cables; do you use one cable or two cables from the battery?

To the starter relay?

or

To the starter?

Olaf.

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Aspenized