Hello all, I'm having a difficult time figuring out why my 74 Scamp isn't starting.

The battery, starter and solenoid are all good but when I go to crank over the ignition, it acts as if the car is in gear and turned off (you know, when you try to start the car and it is in drive and it will not start).

It died on me when I was pulling the car into the garage and had to 'inch it in' so I didn't hit the water heater, I had one foot on the brake and the other was slowly accelerating on the gas and the car died and will no longer start.

What did I do and how can I fix my error?

Thank you so much! The trans in an automatic.
*Rogue

Check:

(1) neutral start switch
(2) battery cables
(3) ignition switch

Most likely this is the neutral start switch.

If the car died and now will not crank, and has no power to any of the electrically-operated items (no dome light, no radio, no wipers, no blower motor...), then the problem is probably not in the starter circuit; you probably have a break in the main circuit. This may be because the fusible link blew, because the connector at the firewall disconnect grew corroded and finally would not make contact any longer, because of physical failure (wire or terminal came apart) or because of a faulty ammeter.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

wiggle the gear shift and try....will it start in "N"?....some times linkage slips a bit.....this probablt dont help but....at least it didnt happen in some parking lot

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Its so nice out side, I think I'll go lay under my car..

SlantSixDan- I do get power to everything and have checked all fuses.

SlantSixLancer- I've wiggled the column shifter and attempted to start the car in neutral as well with no luck.

Reed- How would I go about checking the neutral start switch? Automatics are a whole new ball game for me, I've always worked on 5 speeds.

I can't believe how friendly everyone is on this site. Thank you very much for all of your help.

*Rogue

Check the battery cables. I've had them before where they touch enough to light up the car but not enough to crank the starter.

The transmission has a harness that comes off it. I know at some point they changed from column N safety switch to trans mounted. Anyway look at your firewall connections near the middle of the top and you will find a connector that goes to the trans. It will either have a reverse light wired (2 wires) or a reverse light and N safety switch (3 wires). (I am not 100% or an expert, just blew up a lot of different trans') If there is a N safety switch it needs to be grounded to let the car start.

I think you should be able to verify you are in N and turn on the ign. and if the coil is hot you should be able to cross the solenoid with a screwdriver and crank up? Just to make sure that stuff is all working.

Good luck

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madam im adam

Wiggling the shifter and trying to start it in neutral are generally the way you check the neutral start switch.

Dan is referring to the main fusible links, which are separate and different from the fuses under the dash.

Your Plymouht is a 1974 model year. This means you got the much-hated, one-year-only, seatbelt interlock system This might be causing the no-start problem with your car. Try reaching under the driver's seat and unplugging any wires going to the seat. Then try starting it again.

Seatbelt interlock info is here.

Starter circuit diagnostic info is here.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Go under the hood, find the red interlock bypass button and push it in.
I had to do it this past weekend on my son's '74.
Everything electrical was working, but turning the key did absolutely nothing. Pushed button in and the engine fired right up.

Even though we never bothered installing the seat belt harness, this has happened maybe four times in the past four years.

Worth a try...

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There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

Is there an area under the hood that I should be looking in?

I haven't been able to get around to the car lately but will try to make time tonight.

Thanks for the suggestions and I will try them all.

*Rogue

On the horizontal surface of the inner fender, right behind my washer reservoir, is a small (maybe 2"x1"x3/4") silver device with a red stub facing forward that shields a button. There is some writing printed on the top of this device stating "EMERGENCY START" or something like that. Use a small screwdriver, etc. to push the button in. Then start your car.

This has worked for me a few times when, as I said, everything electrical is working, but turning the ignition key yields stone dead silence - no cranking, no starter whirrr, nada.

I thought I remembered seeing a post containing a picture of one, and here it is.

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

It was the harness for the seat belt. Who would have 'thunk' it?

Thank you all for your help. A good group of people on here, seriously.

*Rogue

Woohoo!
What happened?
Did the harness have a loose connection, or did it have a bare wire shorting out? Explain what happened so we know what to look for next time.

Glad it's running!!

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

Ahem,

Reed wins the Kewpie doll.

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.