Ignition Problem/Neatral Safety Switch

[Finster]

Hi,
I have a 1959 Skyliner and I replaced my Dashboard harness recently and everything in my car works(signals, lights, brights, heater, lighter etc.) but now my car wont start. I have gone over the wiring and it all looks good(so I think)
- If I put a screwdriver to the hot screw(battery) and the positive on the starter solenoid then the car starts.
- In general when I turn the key the dash lights go on but there is no cranking.
- I tried switching out the ignition coil with another one that I know works but nothing has changed.
- My backup lights only work when I jiggle the shift indicator while in reverse.
- Can it be my Neutral Safety Switch? Everything worked fine before I took the dashboard out but now there is no cranking.
- Can I test the Neutral Safety Switch harness for power?
- Is it hard to adjust/change the neutral safety switch on a 59 Skyliner?
- What else could it be?

Thanks for your time.

[Ford Only]

It could be a lot of things but here are a couple of things you can check.
Turn the ignition switch to the on position and see if the positive side of the coil has voltage, should have about 8 volts or so.
If you have voltage to the coil remove the ignition switch and turn it to the start position and see if you have voltage, should have 12 volts.
If you have voltage the problem may be the neutral safety switch or a wire may be broken somewhere. if you have voltage in the start position you can run a test wire to the start terminal of the solenoid and the car should start.
If you do not have voltage at the coil you probably have something wired wrong, check the ignition switch to make sure you have 12 volts going into it. I think it gets its voltage from the headlight switch, not sure if the voltage goes to the lights first or the switch first but you need 12 volts at the switch for everything to work.

[Finster]

Thank you for the information. I'm getting closer to a solution. I ran a wire from my ignition switch to the start terminal of the solenoid and when I turned the key it started right up.
Would this mean my problem is either with the Neutral safety switch or perhaps the wire that goes from the neutral safety switch through the firewall to the harness?

Another thing I tested:
I tried unhooking the two wires on the neutral safety switch and then touching them together and having someone turn the key - I thought this would bypass the switch but nothing happened. Is there a way to test the wires coming from the harness under the dash to the neutral safety switch wires to ensure they are working properly? I have three wires that come from various harnesses under the dash and plug into the wires coming from the neutral safety switch.
Thanks for your time.

[Ford Only]

You probably need a wiring diagram to figure out whats wrong or add new wires.
The wire on the start terminal of the starter switch would go to the neutral safety switch and from there to the start terminal on the starter solenoid. Hooking the two wires together on the safety switch should allow the car to start but in any gear.
Not sure what you need to do other than trace wires.
I looked at my 59 and I have a red and a orange wire that would go to the switch but I have them jumpered because I want it to be able to start in any gear.

[Finster]

Thanks. Do you know if its hard to replace the neutral safety switch. It looks straightforward- two screws- but my concern is that it takes some adjusting to get it to work with the gear shift lever.
I have an extra autolite sitting around somewhere. I think the part is B9A7-7A247-A (it says 2703549 on it).

[Ford Only]

Its easy to install but if you have slop in the shift lever it may take some adjusting to get it right, not the safe way but I just by pass it on my cars.

[Finster]

Hi,
So I am still in the process of troubleshooting the ignition problem and I have narrowed it down some more.
I have a question regarding what I call an extra two connections I have after all things are hooked up. There is a wire harness that contains the wires that go to the TOP switch under the dash to operate the retractable. In addition to the wires for the top there is another wire that comes out of this harness and it splits and has two connections on it (one blue female and one blue clip). My labels fell off these two and I am trying to figure out where they go. I am thinking something with the lights etc but I don't know for sure.
Any ideas?
Thanks

[Ford Only]

I looked under my dash all I can see is a red & a orange wire which goes to the neutral safety switch & the 3 wires that goes to the top switch.

[Finster]

Thank you for checking - I sincerely appreciate it.

I replaced the engine harness that goes to the solenoid, wipers, brake lights, neutral safety switch etc. That solved half the problem as now I have power to everything again.
Ironically now I have the opposite problem. When I reconnect the battery the engine starts cranking right away. Regardless of what position the key is in etc. As soon as I put the positive connection on it cranks. The key in the ignition can be in acc, off or start and it does it in all 3 positions.

The harness is set up correctly based on the diagram(there's not many connections). The ignition wire is hooked up properly under the dash and after doing a quick inspection it looks like all the other connections are fine.

Thanks for your time.
Any ideas?

[Ford Only]

For the starter to start cranking the engine with the key off, you would have to have a hot wire going to the start terminal on the solenoid or the solenoid itself could be stuck.
To check the solenoid disconnect the wire that goes to the start terminal, if it still cranks then the solenoid is the problem. If the problem is the wire being hot, you will have to trace it to the 12 volt source.
That wire should be going to the neutral safety switch then to the start terminal on the ignition switch.