67 skylark ignition

[Buffalo67]

Well i have stumped 4 mechanics of old buicks. when i turn the key into the start position, the engine starts. when i let go so it returns to the on position, the engine shuts off. i have replaced the ignition switch however the problem still exists. there is no coil resistor under the hood either as i believe this was used in older buicks to get 12 volts to the starter and not burn out the points. any thoughts as to what i might be my next objective?

[WildKitty]

you should have a purple wire going from the ignition switch to the starter selinoid and a yellow wire from
the starter selonoid to the coil.
the ballast resistor or resistance wire is not required if you have a coil with a built in resistor. if you don't have
that, then you DO need a resistor, or resistance wire.
the "ON" position feeds the resistance wire to the coil.
Hope this makes sense and helps

[Buffalo67]

you should have a purple wire going from the ignition switch to the starter selinoid and a yellow wire from
the starter selonoid to the coil.
the ballast resistor or resistance wire is not required if you have a coil with a built in resistor. if you don't have
that, then you DO need a resistor, or resistance wire.
the "ON" position feeds the resistance wire to the coil.
Hope this makes sense and helps

i will check into this. this problem just occurred last weekend and has been running fine previously. I must have a resistance wire or a coil with a built in resistor because i bought & returned a ballast resistor at the local auto parts store because i could not find anything under the hood that remotely resembled the part i bought. thats the first thing the 4 stumped old buick guys told me what was wrong. thanks for the tip WildKitty. i'll get back to you later

[raycow]

A stock 67 will have a resistance wire built into the wiring harness. There is no separate standalone resistor such as you were looking for.

Turn on the key switch and use a multimeter or test lamp to check for voltage at the coil (+) terminal. If you don't have power there, you have a break at some point between the coil and the key switch. To fix this problem you have two choices:

1. The correct way:
Trace the circuit all the way back to the switch until you find the bad spot. It could be a broken wire or loose or corroded connection, for example. Then repair or replace the affected parts.

2. The quick and dirty way:
Turn on the key switch and check to see that the windshield wipers work.
At the windshield washer pump, install a tap on the YELLOW wire. Solder or crimp this tap unless you want to see the same kind of problems again that you are having now. Go back to your parts store and get the ballast resistor that you bought and returned earlier. Mount the resistor someplace where the heat it generates won't damage anything. Run a wire (18 gauge is heavy enough) from the tap to one terminal of the resistor. Run a wire from the other terminal of the resistor to the (+) terminal of the ignition coil.

Turn on the key switch and check for power again at the coil (+) terminal. If you have power, go ahead and start the engine. If no power, try the wipers again to see if they still work. If they don't work, check the wiper fuse. If they do work, you have a problem with the new wiring you installed.

Ray

[Buffalo67]

A stock 67 will have a resistance wire built into the wiring harness. There is no separate standalone resistor such as you were looking for.

Turn on the key switch and use a multimeter or test lamp to check for voltage at the coil (+) terminal. If you don't have power there, you have a break at some point between the coil and the key switch. To fix this problem you have two choices:

1. The correct way:
Trace the circuit all the way back to the switch until you find the bad spot. It could be a broken wire or loose or corroded connection, for example. Then repair or replace the affected parts.

2. The quick and dirty way:
Turn on the key switch and check to see that the windshield wipers work.
At the windshield washer pump, install a tap on the YELLOW wire. Solder or crimp this tap unless you want to see the same kind of problems again that you are having now. Go back to your parts store and get the ballast resistor that you bought and returned earlier. Mount the resistor someplace where the heat it generates won't damage anything. Run a wire (18 gauge is heavy enough) from the tap to one terminal of the resistor. Run a wire from the other terminal of the resistor to the (+) terminal of the ignition coil.

Turn on the key switch and check for power again at the coil (+) terminal. If you have power, go ahead and start the engine. If no power, try the wipers again to see if they still work. If they don't work, check the wiper fuse. If they do work, you have a problem with the new wiring you installed.

Ray

thank you Ray,
Bill

[raycow]

Bill, please let us know when you find out what is wrong and tell us what you did to get the car running again.

Ray

[Bob]

The car is starting, so that means that it is getting 12V through the starter relay to start. When the key is dropped back to the run position it no longer get the resisted voltage for running.
I would start cutting the harness back from the coil until you find the pink resistance wire, probably near the back of the engine or near the firewall and test hopefully find a break. The break could also be a bad connection in the firewall plug.
There is a '67 chassis manual with diagrams in the reference section and there are also wiring diagrams under years/67.

[Buffalo67]

A stock 67 will have a resistance wire built into the wiring harness. There is no separate standalone resistor such as you were looking for.

Turn on the key switch and use a multimeter or test lamp to check for voltage at the coil (+) terminal. If you don't have power there, you have a break at some point between the coil and the key switch. To fix this problem you have two choices:

1. The correct way:
Trace the circuit all the way back to the switch until you find the bad spot. It could be a broken wire or loose or corroded connection, for example. Then repair or replace the affected parts.

2. The quick and dirty way:
Turn on the key switch and check to see that the windshield wipers work.
At the windshield washer pump, install a tap on the YELLOW wire. Solder or crimp this tap unless you want to see the same kind of problems again that you are having now. Go back to your parts store and get the ballast resistor that you bought and returned earlier. Mount the resistor someplace where the heat it generates won't damage anything. Run a wire (18 gauge is heavy enough) from the tap to one terminal of the resistor. Run a wire from the other terminal of the resistor to the (+) terminal of the ignition coil.

Turn on the key switch and check for power again at the coil (+) terminal. If you have power, go ahead and start the engine. If no power, try the wipers again to see if they still work. If they don't work, check the wiper fuse. If they do work, you have a problem with the new wiring you installed.

Ray

Ray
put a test light with the key on at the coil, nothing..even after cranking it a few times to close the points. traced the wire back from the coil to fire wall, had to pull them out of wire harness. found harness was sitting on the hot air choke feed and melted a couple of wires together. spliced & fixed. !
thanks
Bill
ps (my mechanic here at work loved your quick & dirty way)

[raycow]

Bill, congrats on finding and fixing the problem. You get extra points for doing it the "correct" way.

Is it normal for the harness to run that close to the choke heat tube, or did someone move it out of place?

Ray

[Buffalo67]

Bill, congrats on finding and fixing the problem. You get extra points for doing it the "correct" way.

Is it normal for the harness to run that close to the choke heat tube, or did someone move it out of place?

Ray

thanks for the extra points... we all need more points! i think over the years the zip ties holding the wire harness melted or disintegrated dropping it onto the choke heat tube. Bill