Dies right after releasing key from starting position SOLVED

Wiring, lights, heater controls, anything electrical..
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Dood
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Dies right after releasing key from starting position SOLVED

Post by Dood »

I've been without my truck for almost 6 months. Late in the fall I started to have some electrical problems with rear turn signals and brake lights (another post will cover this). Hand signals worked for a while but rain in Seattle makes that miserable. :lol:

Anyway, then it would fire, but die right after releasing the key from the starting position. I did a tune up, checked timing, checked ballast resistor, and on and on and everything I could think of that was engine or electrical. Nothing fixed it. Randomly, it would start, e.g. one in 50 turns of the key.

My Pop was in town for one of my kid's birthdays and we decided to set aside some time to work through the starting the lights issues. After battling with all of it for a day, we decided to close up shop and put everything away. Now this entire time, I was sitting in the driver's and my Dad was under the hood checking spark, linkages, spraying ether, etc. Anyway, I wanted to look at the ballast voltage drop and he went into the cab to turn the key. Somehow, he realized by the 'feel' of the key that he could hold it just inside of start from run where the starter wouldn't run, but the truck would. He relayed some crusty old story about his tractor ignition switches wear out and I should replace it.

Too simple, I thought, but for $12 from Rockauto, I figured WTH. Guess what... That was it. Started up on the first turn of the key. Six months of chasing starting issues only to have it boil down to a simple ~50 year old ignition switch contact. The only wee problem is that Rockauto sent me a box with the right part number on it, but the part in the box is slightly different from the one pictured on the site and the original: it isn't threaded on the cylinder end to receive the dash collar. I'm working through that with them, but I thought I would relay this story to maybe save someone else some misery.
proud owner of a '68 D-200 Camper Special
click here to see my build thread

712edf
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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by 712edf »

Ign switch would have been my second guess, after ballast resistor.

Bucky
1966 W500
1975 W600
1978 W200 club cab

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Dood
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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by Dood »

712edf wrote:Ign switch would have been my second guess, after ballast resistor.

Bucky
Seriously? Then I guess my second 'let this be a lesson' is to ask here before goofing around for 6 mo.
proud owner of a '68 D-200 Camper Special
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wally426ci
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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by wally426ci »

First off, glad to see you posting and that you still have the truck!

2nd dont feel bad; took me 6 months to figure out i had a bad battery in the Challenger. Its been sitting so long that the gas is bad and im too busy to mess with it.

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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by PwrWgnDrvr »

I would have told u instantly that the switch is bad and it wouldnt have been a guess!
Seen that a few times in the last 40 yrs. Havent seen a bad ballast resister yet, still waiting! :lol:

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Dood
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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by Dood »

Priceless! To think: I was too ashamed not to be able to figure it out to post here. :banghead :pale
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Hobcobble
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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by Hobcobble »

Dood wrote:Priceless! To think: I was too ashamed not to be able to figure it out to post here. :banghead :pale
Feel free to use the site for its intended purpose.... to help with any and all issues. :idea :Thumbsup

I do recall having one bad ballast resistor in a '72 Coronet..... back in '82. :lol:
John

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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by gyman98 »

I had a ballast resistor do that in a 70 duster and also had the same problem with a ignition switch in my 67 power wagon

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Dood
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Re: Dies right after releasing key from starting position SO

Post by Dood »

Hobcobble wrote:
Dood wrote:Priceless! To think: I was too ashamed not to be able to figure it out to post here. :banghead :pale
Feel free to use the site for its intended purpose.... to help with any and all issues. :idea :Thumbsup

I do recall having one bad ballast resistor in a '72 Coronet..... back in '82. :lol:
John
Yeah, John... I'm ashamed I let my ego got the better of me. There is a pun in there somewhere...

Small update, Rockauto send me a replacement switch and it was right (i.e. it had the threads on the receiving end for the cylinder). That surprised me a little as I assumed it was going to be the wrong style. It is nice to live within one day USPS of their warehouse.
proud owner of a '68 D-200 Camper Special
click here to see my build thread

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