Ignition won’t work
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 6
From: Elko, Nevada
Ignition won’t work
Hey there, I’m a new guy here. But I’m having trouble with my “81. When we bought the car we noticed that the owners before had rewired from the fuse box a push starter instead of the actual ignition. We replaced the starter switch last night but it still won’t turn over with the key. If anyone could help I would appreciate it.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
Likely something to do with the rod in the steering column. You might keep the push button, rather than to dive into the column. But, that's just one possibility.
P.S. You might call the P.O. and ask them....
P.S. You might call the P.O. and ask them....
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 121
Likes: 69
From: Leander, Texas
Hey there, I’m a new guy here. But I’m having trouble with my “81. When we bought the car we noticed that the owners before had rewired from the fuse box a push starter instead of the actual ignition. We replaced the starter switch last night but it still won’t turn over with the key. If anyone could help I would appreciate it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 174
From: Fort Wayne IN
I'm also betting it's something in the column. On my 76 the little plastic gear that actuates rod broke and Zip, Ecklers, etc don't have the part for this year. Once I took the column apart I found more broken parts including the big cast aluminum t/t ball - all in all it looks like around $400 to fix it in my case,so I would just keep the button.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,334
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
By the sounds of it, since the key is doing everything else (off, run etc) the rack piece inside the column is probably ok and it's the actual switch on the column that is the problem
Not sure if the 81 was the same or similar to the older ones but there was a rod that ran down the top of the column that was moved by the key turning into the start position. The ignition switch was actually located on the column but down towards the middle/bottom of the column
Jim Shea papers might have some insight
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/
M
Not sure if the 81 was the same or similar to the older ones but there was a rod that ran down the top of the column that was moved by the key turning into the start position. The ignition switch was actually located on the column but down towards the middle/bottom of the column
Jim Shea papers might have some insight
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/
M
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 6
From: Elko, Nevada
Do you have a manual transmission or auto trans? 69-81 manual transmission cars have a "neutral safety switch" on the clutch pedal that prevents starter operation unless the clutch is fully depressed. Your description of the situation sounds like someone may have bypassed that switch for some reason.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,334
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Do you still need to push the clutch in when you use the starter button? I would think if it was the NSS they would have just bypassed that switch, not changed the key switch
M
M
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 6
From: Elko, Nevada
No I don’t need to press the clutch to use the push button. When I looked into the push button I saw that it was wired from one of the ignition fuses to the engine. Almost as if they just have it with strait power to wherever it’s wired
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,334
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Sounds like you need to spend some time with a test light and schematic to see what exactly they were trying to eliminate with that button.
Bypassing the NSS is a simple wire "jumper" so they went through a lot of work if that's all they were doing
There's a guy with free schematics for each year here
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ispreloading=1
M
Bypassing the NSS is a simple wire "jumper" so they went through a lot of work if that's all they were doing
There's a guy with free schematics for each year here
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ispreloading=1
M
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 6
From: Elko, Nevada
Sounds like you need to spend some time with a test light and schematic to see what exactly they were trying to eliminate with that button.
Bypassing the NSS is a simple wire "jumper" so they went through a lot of work if that's all they were doing
There's a guy with free schematics for each year here
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ispreloading=1
M
Bypassing the NSS is a simple wire "jumper" so they went through a lot of work if that's all they were doing
There's a guy with free schematics for each year here
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ispreloading=1
M
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,030
Likes: 363
From: Lubbock Texas
Yep. Good chance these guys are onto something. One likely suspect is the ignition switch rack. GM cars were notorious for this part failing. When they do, they are no longer able to pull up on the rod that activates the ignition switch. They are readily available. I found one in the "Help" section of parts at an O'Reillys when mine failed. Here's one example but don't assume it fits your car - I just found it as an example of what could be broken inside the steering column:
As bluthundr mentioned, the plastic gear that moves this rack could also be part of the problem.
DC
Last edited by DC3; Aug 23, 2021 at 08:32 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 121
Likes: 69
From: Leander, Texas
Before tearing into the steering column and searching for some "unusual" cause, and if you have sufficient knowledge to wire up the neutral safety switch (NSS), I would go that route. The NSS may not even be there. If it isn't, I would STRONGLY suspect the previous owner made that mod for some inexplicable reason. What you describe sounds EXACTLY like how the system works (engine runs, key shuts off the engine, etc.) if the NSS is installed and you try to start it without pushing in the clutch. When you turn the key on, everything lights up exactly like it should, electrically powered gauges jump, but absolutely nothing happens with the starter when you go to start unless that NSS makes its connection when the clutch is pressed in.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 6
From: Elko, Nevada
Big thanks
Thank you to everyone that helped, I looked into it and replaced the ignition starter switch and now I can turn on the car with just the key. Thank you again to all that help!