83 240D Manual transmission.
The ignition was dead as a rock the day-before-yesterday in Manhattan garage!. Luckily I had a brainstorm and got some wire and hand fired the starter solenoid with key in "Run" position.
I have been runnin the car this way the last two days, will fix it tomorrow.
I hear there is a Neutral Switch in the circuit, but I cannot find it on the Service CD wiring ignition diagram. This diagram just shows the Ignition switch "start" position going to the solenoid, glow plugs. Does anyone know the physical location of the switch.

Sometimes the car stll starts! Either I have a loose connection or faulty bushings wr neutral switch. Today i got in absent mindedly and it fired right up! Other times I must still jumper the solenoid.
Is there really a neutral switch? I'm going to work on it at the crack of dawn tomorrow.

Well, ya didn't have to go start another thread. I and I suppose Bill also, assumed it was a automatic transmission car, so no, there is no neutral safety switch, no clutch switch either, Your back to either the starter or solenoid (most probable) or ignition switch or cruddy wiring.....Gilly

240D Automatic.....
 

that would be very scary!(geez i love the car, but manual alone is hard enough to keep from getting hit sometimes--an automatic would be unsafe?) thats why I'm rebuilding a 300D right now.
Seriously, i really appreciate you and Walt's help. I really do. If I was your neighbor, you could borrow my tools or ask me to help you lift heavy stuff..

OK, no sweat. If it fails often enough, the best and quickest way to test it is to have someone try to crank it while you keep a test light on the crank wire (small wire) on the starter solenoid. If you have power there but no cranking, it's the starter or solenoid, usually I recommend just replacing the whole starter assm with solenoid. If there is no power there, then it's a switch or related wiring problem......Gilly