1986 SDL Neutral Saftey Switch question

[LUVMBDiesels]

Hey guys...

I have a new NSS on order from Phil, but now that I am reading more threads I am getting confused.

Here are the symptoms:

Rudy will not start in either Park or N.
I get nothing, no clicks, and the five month old starter does not spin at all.

I run the shifter back and forth a few times and keep trying the key

USUALLY he will start after doing this which made me suspect the NSS.

Today I could not get anything to happen so I figured I would jump the connections on the starter and spin it that way.

Here is what happened. If I send power from the battery cable to the starter relay screw, nothing happens.
If I jump from the battery lead to the starter motor lead off the relay the starter spins but does not engage.

Since I am not getting anything when I jump battery to relay I am now suspecting the relay (solenoid) is bad on a brand new Bosch starter.

Am I right?

Am I jumping the leads correctly?

If I apply power directly to the starter motor shouldn't it engage or does the solenoid need to be energized to engage the starter as opposed to free spinning the motor?

I need the car to work as I have to drive back down to DC Sunday from NY...

Thanks!!!

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

If I send power from the battery cable to the starter relay screw, nothing happens.
If I jump from the battery lead to the starter motor lead off the relay the starter spins but does not engage.

Since I am not getting anything when I jump battery to relay I am now suspecting the relay (solenoid) is bad on a brand new Bosch starter.

Am I right?

If you found the correct screw terminal on the solenoid, you are correct..........12V must engage the solenoid.

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

If I apply power directly to the starter motor shouldn't it engage or does the solenoid need to be energized to engage the starter as opposed to free spinning the motor?

Applying power directly to the motor will only spin the motor.........not engage the bendix to force the nosepiece forward. The solenoid needs to energize for that to happen.

[LUVMBDiesels]

Thanks Brian! I will look more closely at the old starter I still have. Maybe I am touching the wrong terminal. It is hard to see with the metal line and the rubber hoses running through your field of vision...