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Thanks for the detailed info!
I did replace the wire to the starter last year and that certainly helped with starting overall. The original wire was missing at least 3 inches of insulation and was pretty corroded. I'll be looking into the NSS issue next weekend and will report back
my findings.
Jonathan Peabody
-------- Original message -------- From: Rich Barber <rwrbarber@xxxxxxxx> Date: 05/30/2015 4:14 AM (GMT-05:00) To: 'Jack Boyle' <jackcboyle@xxxxxxxxx>, Jonathan Peabody <Jonathan.Peabody@xxxxxxx>, 'Ron Waters' <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Battery + starter switch + starter relay,+ solenoid + starter + wires + cables=zoom, zoom, zoom This may be teaching/preaching to most of the choir, but the ’55 Chrysler starter is energized by current flowing through a heavy wire (not the battery cable) from the starter relay to the starter solenoid. This current is sent when the starter relay receives a -6-Volt signal from the starter switch AND a ground signal from the neutral safety switch (NSS) mounted on the PowerFlite automatic transmission. The ground signal from the NSS only occurs when the tranny is in neutral and is meant to assure the car cannot be started when in “gear”. The ground signal wire is partially exposed under the hood and on the bottom of the car and is subject to the mud, the blood and the beer from the open road. Over a 60 year period the insulation on this fabric-wrapped wire can be expected to deteriorate and possibly wear through. The NSS is pretty basic, can fail also and can be tested while on the tranny by disconnecting a the signal wire and observing continuity to ground with the “dagger-in-the-dash” in its various positions. Continuity to ground should only occur with the selector in neutral.
In this case it appears someone has solved a wiring or switch problem by moving the neutral safety switch to the dash somewhere necessitating a thumb push rather than a push from a rod in the tranny. This works but it would be challenging to restart a stalled engine while the car is in motion. One would run out of hands. The proper fix might be a new wire (light gauge) from the starter relay to the NSS. This is an easy routing, not in a loom and not penetrating the body sheet metal anywhere. There are a couple of clips on the bottom of the rear transmission mount that hold and route the wire to the tranny. Finding the “proper” fabric-wrapped wire will prove difficult but brown is the proper color if you end up using vinyl-wrapped modern stranded copper wire. Several vendors claim to have authentic fabric-wrapped wire and will probably sell you that wire separately. While you’re at it you might also want to replace the heavy wire from the NSS to the starter solenoid. Originally, this wire may have been taped to the battery cable which also runs from the starter solenoid to the starter solenoid. That is a good routing.
More or less on the subject: Some reproduction battery cables are too long between the starter relay and the solenoid. On our C-300 this led to a rub-through at the power steering box, followed by smoke, fire and a dead everything. Interestingly, a Hagerty rep. spotted our car f.o.r.d. (found on road dead) and stopped and assisted us in obtaining a rollback car hauler. What an outfit and rep! The battery was shot but I was able to actuate my patented quick disconnect (wingnut on the battery cable clamp) and start to cool things down before things got out of hand. I strongly recommend every operator of a 300 check their battery cable routing to make sure it is not in contact with anything where it might rub through. My mechanic was able to shorten the cable and crimp a new end onto it to eliminate the troublesome slack.
C-300-less, Rich Barber Brentwood, CA (Needing only an E to fill out the card at Sparks)
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of 'Jack Boyle' jackcboyle@xxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300]
You do have the '55 dash lever shifter? Yes?
____________________________________________________________ Old School Yearbook Pics View Class Yearbooks Online Free. Search by School & Year. Look Now! classmates.com __._,_.___ Posted by: Jonathan Peabody <Jonathan.Peabody@xxxxxxx> To send a message to this group, send an email to: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or go to https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/all/manage/edit For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/search.htm#querylang __,_._,___ |
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