Okay, I've tried to solve this on my own. I have read all applicable posts. I need help.

74 Dart automatic no problem starting for over two years. To start it now I have to use a screwdriver at the starter terminals. When I turn the key I get nothing, no clicking, nothing. I bought a new starter relay. Still nothing. I moved the column shifter around in P and N with key in start position. No start still. I don't think it's the neutral safety switch unless they go bad within 100 miles.

I found a similar problem posted by SlantSixDan here . Dan discussed grabbing a bundle of wires under dash on the left of the column and holding the key in "start" caused the starter to crank. This is exactly my symptoms. Unfortunately I can't figure out which wire I'm wiggling is the culprit.


What is this thing? It's one of the bundle of wires I'm wiggling.

It looks to be the seat belt interlock "computer" if the front seat has weight on it you have to be buckled for the car to crank, same for the passenger seat

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

That's been disconnected since the restoration. Also disconnected on the driver side under the hood on the firewall. This manual bypass switch had a short in it as discovered by a local mechanic who got the car to run over two years ago. I've even taken a pencil and depressed the center plunger of the by-pass switch button Still no starter movement.

Mine was the yellow one headed out to the starter relay. Your '74 may have the remnants of the 1974-only seatbelt/starter interlock system. Seatbelt interlock info is here. Starter circuit diagnostic info is here.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I wouldn't bother dealing with really old crappy connections & gizmos. I had that system on my (early) '75 Dart. All you really need is to connect the yellow wire (start 1 circuit) from the ignition switch direct to the spade connection on the starter relay. The other spade conn on the relay (brown wire?) goes direct to the neutral switch.

If I remember correctly the ign sw has a black 2p connector with a heavy red (battery +) & black (accessory) wires. The white conn has d. blue (ignition), yellow (start1 - relay), brown (start2 - ign bypass), orange ( shifter light), & black (key in sw).

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63 Valiant Wagon
225 - 4 bbl