Hey guys, I have a isuue..
I just bought a 67 and this is what i have going on...
After I pulled the fuse block off trying to fix the wiring for the highbeams i can not get the vehicle to run, i have to hold the key to the start position and it will run as soon as let go of the key it shuts off. Now for the great news of things i have done since i started it last, it makes it alot worse i think..lol..

New starter,nothing different the new one just smaller and the wiring on this one just 2 wires thats it like the old one.

disconnected the steering column(cut the old harness on the old column)plugged in the new column and laid it on the floor.(made no difference)

disconnected the firewall harness's and unbolted the fuse panel and fixed the highbeam wire. I did pull it back apart after this problem to see if any wires were disconnected and they looked all ok.

the inst cluster is unbolted but harness is connected to the back of it.

ck the wires to the ign switch and all look ok.

I jumped the ign coil(msd) ran a wire from postive of the battery to the postive of the coil. Now when i did that all it would do is crank even holding it in the start postion, it will not run. As soon as i disconnected that wire i was again able to hold it in the start position and get the vehicle running but when i let go of the key it shut off.

pulled and yanked at all the wires behind the dash and did nothing except once and that one time i went ti start it i got nothing but then i tugged wires behind the inst cluster and tried again and it went back to what it was doing.

all fuses are ok none blown..

someone help its driving me nuts!!!

thanks

Drew

 

You tried the same thing I would have, hot-wiring the coil. Well, I would have checked for voltage at the coil with the key on first. Strange that wouldn't allow the engine to run. Do you have an MSD ignition, or just the MSD coil?

 

msd box next to the coil...I thought about that too...I don't have a volt meter...I f i get one and ign key is on how much voltage showed i have?

 

Ok that's different, I wouldn't have tried hot-wiring the coil with the MSD ignition. Your switch is powering the MSD box, the box is feeding the coil. Having no test meter makes things a little trickier. How about a test light, have one of those? With the key on, in the run position, test the red wire for power (the thinner red one that's bundled with a white, orange, and black wire). The other fatter red wire from the MSD box goes to your battery, might as well check that one too.
But, since you were messing with your steering column, I'm betting your ignition switch is outta whack. The switch is located on top of the column, down closer to the firewall. Your key tumbler works a steel rod that goes down to the switch and slides it up and down. The switch mounting tabs are slotted where it screws to the column so that you can adjust it so it works correctly. My money's on the switch needing an adjustment.

 

I do have a test light and I can get a meter so what should the volts read?
No sure what you mean about the switch. iI have the inst cluster out and looked, I see the harness that connects to the key ign and when i follow those wires it ties into the big harness of wires bundled together that go across the top of the steering column then eventually to the fuse block. I don't see anything that can be adjusted? This is a 67 so you know.
Thanks

 

Oh right it's a 67, I had my car on the brain. Never mind then, your ignition switch is in the dash and is all self contained. It might still be a bad switch though, you need to check for power going into the MSD box. Should be connected to 12 volts. Since you're good at hot-wiring, you can run a jumper to the smaller red wire at the MSD box to bypass the switch.

 

I was thinking you were thinking about your car..lol..
so just run a jumper wire to the little red wire on msd box, not the coil, to the battery and try that?

If that works then what is bad the signal from the ign switch to the coil?

 

If that works, then it could be the switch (which would be a coincidence), or you may have knocked a wire loose somewhere. Check both red wires at the MSD box for power. Given the circumstances, I'd go on a wire hunt before assuming it's the switch.

 

OK COOL I'll let you know how i make out
Thanks!