OK, I'm finishing an interior overhaul on my '79 vette. I replaced the dash, most of the console, steerin whell, carpet, etc.. Also took apart the steering wheel column components down to the plastic horn contact retainer to replace it and fix the telescoping and horn. I never touched the ignition or turn signal.

Well when I tried to fire it up the other day something strange happened. When the ignition key got to the run/acc position, the engine cranked over but I could hear the starter still revving and engaged. I turned it off pretty quickly out of fear of burning up the starter. I tried a couple more times and same thing. Later that day I rolled it out of the garage and tried again... this time if started fine.

Then yesterday, I went to start it again and it did the same thing.. cranking the engine in the run position! It doesn't give the dash lights time to come on before it begins to crank and keeps the starter engaged.

The ignition in the column feels a little sloppy but I don't know if that's it or not. i did have to disconnect and reconnect everything under the dash when doing my interior refurbishing. Could it be as simple as a faulty ignition switch or a loose connection there? I doubt it's the starter. Any ideas on what it is or how to determine for sure? i don't want to rip apart my steering colume again unless I'm almost positive I need to replace the ignition.

Thanks!

 

Sounds like you need to check the switch linkage that runs down from the cylinder to the actual switch (I think the '79 has this setup). Maybe the linkage has slipped and isn't engaging properly.

 

Thanks. But would that cause the engine to crank in the RUN position and the starter to not disengage? Not doubting you, just curious how this all ties together. I've searched and searched but can't seem to find anyone else posting the same problem.. usually it's "car won't start or crank", not "engine cranks in RUN position". It's as if the RUN position has disappeared completely and I have 2 START positions. But the strange thing is that it was intermittent..

 

I did some homework and may be answering my own question here... I hope. Found Jim Shea's papers on corvettefaq.com and noticed one called Key Buzzer Diagnosis and remembered that since reassembling my steering wheel/horn components, my key buzzer had been continuing to buzz even after removing the key. Well, I just thought it was because I had several other connectors still unplugged and such.

According to the diagnosis paper, one of the reasons the key buzzer is still going is because of chips or foreign material in lock cylinder! Maybe that's what's gumming up my whole ignition cylinder. I did have the column torn basically down to the buzzer contact and above lock cylinder. Some metal shavings or pieces may have dropped in there during reassembly.

Either way it looks like I'll have to disassemble the steering column again and may as well check out the switch linkage while I'm in there. Another fun evening lined up!