Car with start with a remote starter button but not the key

[70chall440]

Title pretty much describes the issue. Any assistance?

[burdar]

I assume you're saying that the engine doesn't even turn over with the key?(the starter doesn't spin with the key)

Check for power at the yellow wire at the starter relay with the key in the "start" position.  If no power there, test it at the base of the steering column where the ignition switch connects to the main dash harness.  If you have power on the yellow wire but the starter still won't turn over, ground the post on the relay that the NSS wire connects to.  That will bypass the NSS.  If the starter turns over with that post grounded, the NSS is bad.

Auto or 4-speed?  If auto, put the shifter in neutral and try it.

[70chall440]

No, the engine turns over fine with the key, just wont start. I have been installing a 6 pack EFI system and drove the car into the shop before I started work. I had to do some wiring under the dash but didn't touch the steering column connection, so I am a bit baffled. Like I said, using a remote starter (connected to the starter relay under the hood, it starts.

[burdar]

Since the engine runs with the starter button, the blue "run" wire has to have power like it's supposed to.  The brown wire that comes off of the ignition switch should have power in the "start" position.  Check to make sure.  Check it at the base of the steering column...on both side of the plug.  Also check it on both sides of the bulkhead connector and at the ballast.

[70chall440]

out of curiosity, where does the blue wire get its power from? I suspect in removing all of the factory ignition one of the critical components such as power to the "run" wire is now disconnected.

[Bullitt-]

Blue RUN power & Brown START power all come from the ignition Switch..

[70chall440]

Thanks, I am trying to figure this out.

[burdar]

The blue "run" wire has to have power since the engine runs. It's the brown wire that seems to be dead. It powers the ignition ONLY while cranking.

[70chall440]

Ok, so I connected the blue wire and the brown and the red wires off the ballast resistor together and no change.

Just so anyone reading this understands, I have removed the ignition box and removed the wires from the coil as I am running a MSD 6 box.

[burdar]

Ok, so I connected the blue wire and the brown

The brown wire is only powered by the ignition switch while cranking.  The blue wire only has power in the run position.  The blue wire doesn't have power while cranking.  The blue wire powers up when you release the key.  If you connected the brown and blue together, you haven't really done anything.  The blue wire isn't powering the brown wire while you crank.  Did you check for power on the brown wire with the key in the "start" position?

I'm not going to be of any more help since I've never installed an aftermarket ignition system like that.  The only thing I can think of that would prevent the car from not starting with the key, but will run when jump started, is that you aren't getting power on the brown wire while cranking.  Whether it's a problem with the ignition switch, a poor connection or something to do with your EFI installation....don't know.

If you disconnect the yellow wire at the starter relay, that will disable the starter.  You can test for power on the brown wire without the engine spinning over.

[70chall440]

Thanks, I will be checking it out soon. Since the car starts when using a remote switch, I have been using that as I am trying to dial in my EFI system. The MSD ignition system requires removal of the original Electronic ignition control box and disconnection of the coil from the original system; something in all of this has to be involved.

[70chall440]

So I tested the brown and blue wires; they work as they are supposed to, so something else is wrong.

[rockymopar]

Had the same issue,  you are getting the right advice.  It ended up being that the start circuit was not bypassing the ballast resistor like it should. Before that , I installed a new ignition switch. All I could find was a crappy Chinese one. I installed a relay to work in parallel with the ignition switch contact, and had the relay coil energize from the wire that also fed the starter solenoid. My problem was fixed, and I bet your problem is similar to what I experienced.  I don't know exactly how you are set up with an aftermarket ignition, but I would bet a jumper from +12v to your brown wire will make it start with the key as a test

[70chall440]

I am running a MSD 6AL ignition. I am going back to it soon, as I said I tested the brown and the blue wire and they are doing what they should be (brown has power at run, blue has power at start); perhaps my makeshift jumper was defective or something, but I will check it out.

Thanks

[70chall440]

So, I played with the column thinking something there wasn't correct, no change. I reviewed the wiring and cannot see anything that would cause this. I traced the wires that used to go my coil; one (grey went to the neg side for the tach); red to the pos side the went to the side of the ballast resistor that has the brown wire and a black with yellow tracer for the electronic ignition box. None of this is currently connected; so I am wondering if I was supposed to connect something there? if I hook the red wire up to the positive side of the coil, the car will not start no matter what (although I did not try that hard as I was concerned about burning something up).

The search goes on..