COPO Chevelle start/run problems

[napa68]

Just recently, had the same thing with a Corvette. Drove it, shut it off for 15 minutes..................and dead. When I jumped the ballast resistor (wire in your case) and shazam! All good again!

Tim

[Keith Tedford]

When our '69 el Camino did that, in our case, the cure was to replace the ignition switch down near the firewall on top of the steering column. The old wiring could be the problem too and you can give it a good check when you have things apart. Changing out the switch isn't that much of a job. A whole new harness is good fire insurance in these old cars.

[njsteve]

Also,

That igntion switch that mounts on the lower portion of the column has to be adjusted properly to "catch" all the operating positions: acc, off, start, run. If it's installed improperly, or the two tiny monting screws loosen, it can shift out of position, thus preventing the car from running after cranking.

[COPO PETE]

Thanks for the reply guys. I'll check out the wiring tomorrow. I did put a different switch on the column, but had the same results. But..... if that wire is burned out (resister) why would it run in the "start" position, but no the "run" position????
Peter

[John Brown]

The little yellow wire that runs from the solenoid powers the ignition when the key and switch are in the start position. When you release the key, you would be running on the normal ignition switch and the resistor wire running through the rest of the harness. If the ignition switch or the resistor wire is at fault, it could start or run in the start position, but not in the run position.

[bwag]

When troubleshooting a no run condition , I always start with a test light at the coil + terminal. With the ignition in RUN position there should be 12 Volts at the + terminal . If no voltage there go to the 12 ga purple wire on the Ign switch and test . If you have power there ,find the open between the two places you just tested . If no power at the switch ,adjust the switch first ,if still no power replace the switch.

[John Brown]

Purple wire just energizes the solenoid. It does have to go through the neutral safety switch first though. It doesn't really have anything to do with the actual ignition circuit.

[napa68]

The power to the ignition is overrode from the starter solenoid. It then gets full battery voltage as opposed to resisted voltage.

Different circut, thus different results.

Tim

[COPO PETE]

Thanks guys. So, ...... + side of coil had 10 volts in the start position, but 0 volts in the run position. Put a wire from + battery direct to + coil and started right up and ran. Looks like the wiring harness (resister wire) is no good as predicted by you folks. New wiring harness on the way!
Thanks to all the responded!
Peter

[njsteve]

Happy to hear our combined advice worked. Now I can finally tell my wife that someone, somewhere in the universe followed my advice and achieved success.

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