Kane Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have a 1970 monte carlo and it will start when I turn the switch but when I turn the key back to the off position the engine still runs. I have to take the battery cable off the battery to stop the engine from running. I'm thinking the ignition switch is bad. All help would be appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsmc Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 the ign. switch is adjustable loosen the 2 screws that hold it to the base of the column and move it till it works as it should. bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 If the car's ignition system has not been modified it may be in the ignition switch. Highly doubtful though, you need to trace why the coil wire is being kept with constant power? Have you replaced the starter lately, when did the problem surface? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Rod The wire that ran to the coil have been remove from the fuseblock on engine firewall. The coil was converted to hei distributor. The car was already like this when I bought it. I just rebuild 350/350 motor & trans. I having to fix the engine & front lamp wiring harness wires. The hei was wire straight to the battery instead of the ignition. The starter had been wire up with a switch hook up to it to turn the engine off after you use the key to turn the ignition. I installed a remote starter solenoid on the right fender close to the battery. Im trying to make some imp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 John, it seems you have a hodgepodge going on. Not to worry, plenty of advice here. If you still have the stock fuse block in the car, tap the "IGN" term (male) spade located above the instrument lamps fuse and that should give you.. a switchable hot lead straight to the HEI distributor. "I also added a kill switch in line" Just a determent for thief's.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Rod I had tried to use the ignition male plug it doesnt have electricty going throught some of the fuse lugs are not getting any fire. I used my mutlimeter to check it and my test light. Rod can you tell how to set up the kill switch like did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 John, well the ignition switch is part of said circuit, you do have the stock ignition switch?..Right! Well the stock ignition switch once placed in the "IGN" mode should power that spade in the fuse block. If not, you could have a defective switch, it may not be adjusted properly, or may have a blown fuseable link in the engine compartment near the voltage regulator main harness. If you want to get to the root of the problem we have to troubleshoot it in order, otherwise we'll be spinning our wheels. As far as the in-line switch, it's pretty simple: put a toggle switch, or switch of choice, that makes or breaks the power source, at location of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Rod Ignition male spade in fuse block has no voltage when switch is turn on and all other circuits in fuse block has 12 volts coming throught. The fuseable link is good in the engine compartment by the voltage regulator. I drop the steering column to get to the ignition switch I loosen two screws and adjusted the switch. The switch did not need adjusted. I unbolted the ignition switch took if off the steering column and struck a screwdriver in the hole where the rod goes and crank it but when I pulled it back to the off position the engine didnt cut off. I think the ignition switch is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Unless it's being back fed somewhere it's hard to explain why the car remains "on" in the off mode? Not entirely impossible I suppose, though an easy bench check of the switch would determine if faulty or not. Do any of the instrument lamps stay on? What happens if you unplug the switch while it's running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leghome Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I used to build those column mounted ignition switches. There are I think four copper/alloy bars inside that slide over the terminals inside the switch. I have seen those contact bars wear and fall over shorting across a couple of the terminals. Did not happen often but is has in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Rod When you unplug the ignition switch the instrument lamps go off, but the engine stays running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Rod When you unplug the ignition switch the instrument lamps go off, but the engine stays running. Somehow I suspected that! That right there tells me it's not ignition switch related, you're getting a back feed elsewhere? Theoretically if you unplug the switch the car should die, therefore I believe it has something to do with either the remote starter switch installed,, where are you currently supplying coil voltage from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Rod Hei distributor wire is hook to the batt male spade in the fuse block until I get fire to come out the ign. Male spade in fuse block. I have the purple starter solenoid wire running to the remote starter solenoid that I installed on the passenger fender by the battery. I have a remote starter solenoid like the one ford has on the crown vics and mercury grand marquies 1987-1997. The coil and resistor wire had already been removed when I got the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Isn't that a constant hot? It's always delivering a 12v power source? Am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Quote: Hei distributor wire is hook to the batt male spade in the fuse block until I get fire to come out the ign. Kane, as you've noticed, some of the points at the fuse block are powered any time the battery is connected and others are powered only with the key on. You cannot connect the distributor "hot" wire directly to the battery, via the fuse block like you have done. With it connected this way, you have 12 volts to the distributor any time the battery cables are connected. This is why you have to disconnect the battery to kill the motor. The power must be able to be interrupted by the ignition switch. You have to connect your "hot" wire that goes to the distributor to the ignition switch in some way. If the reason you don't have the "hot" wire connected to the ignition terminals at the fuse block is because you don't have voltage at those points when the key is in the run or start positions, you have to fix that problem. 3 things to test are that the switch is bad, a poor connection at the switch, or a poor connection at the fuse block. Find the wire from the switch and test it before it reaches the fuse block, with the key on. If you have voltage there, then the problem is downstream from there. If no voltage, check it at the switch. I'd tell you which wire that is if my wiring diagram was close by. You can disconnect the wiring to the fuse block on the front side of the firewall to get the fuse block loose and be able to access the back side, if needed. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Hey John.. Dan (overdrive) has a good detailed reason why it's remaining "on" after the ignition switch is turned "off". I guess I failed to clarify! It's difficult knowing the level of experience as well as knowledge, on the side you're trying to help. Dan has pretty much put "it" in perspective. Let us know the outcome..I'm curious now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Overdrive You were right. The 12 ga. Pink wire on the four prone connector that connects to the ignition switch is the wire that supplys power to the Ignition male spade in the fuse block. I took the fuse block unloose from the front firewall to check the wires. I trace the pink wire back to the ignition. I check the pink wire for voltage at the fuse block there was no voltage I check it at ignition switch there was voltage. I did continuity test it fail the pink wire is bad. I guess Im going to drop the dash to find where the short in the wire is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Good job tracking it down. Many would shy away and shell out the bucks to have a shop try to fix it and may or may not end up with a quality repair. (By the way, just for conversation sake, if a wire doesn't have continuity it is considered "open". A wire that has somehow gotten connected to an undesirable ground or to another circuit is considered "shorted".) Good luck with your repair. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 I fix to problems at the same time (1)Ignition problem the ignition switch is good the bad connection has been fix and the engine cranks and shut down by the ignition switch now. (2)HEI distributor wire is now hook up properly to the ignition switch it has voltage when the switch is in run or start position only and has no voltage when switch is off. Thanks guys for your help. The gauge conversion is what I'm working on now. After market gauges for the dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71 MONTE 4 YA Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I fix to problems at the same time (1)Ignition problem the ignition switch is good the bad connection has been fix and the engine cranks and shut down by the ignition switch now. (2)HEI distributor wire is now hook up properly to the ignition switch it has voltage when the switch is in run or start position only and has no voltage when switch is off. Thanks guys for your help. The gauge conversion is what I'm working on now. After market gauges for the dash. WAY TO GO KANE!!!! NOTHING LIKE FIGURING OUT THE PROBLEMS. MAN I LOVE THIS CLUB!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Just wondering, where exactly was the bad connection? It may help someone else. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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