54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

[Brad H.]

Car starts in 2nd, ok 1st and reverse, black wire from switch is closest to solonoid on relay and yellow is on other side at heater motor, are there adjustments or wiring problems? Thanks, Brad.

[Willard M.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

I have just spent some considerable time getting my NSS to operate correctly. Do you mean that car will not start in first or reverse, but will start in Drive? I think that the issue is your NSS and not the wires. I had my switch off and I checked continuity with the switch in various positions using the two wires, one of which goes up to your relay and the other to ground on the chassis. I think some adjustment is called for. Hope that helps. Bill

[Brad H.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

Willard, I read in another post on a 58 that the yellow wire went to the center screw and the purple to the left side facing the start relay, does wiring matter, how do you adjust the switch if it needs it, thanks, anyone else feel free to chime in on 54, Brad.

[Willard M.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

The relay, part number 1116886 has three poles. Looking from the front of the car the pole on the left (fender side) has the starter solenoid wire which should be yellow. The bottom pole has ignition wire which is purple, and the right side (engine side) pole has the black ground wire coming from the NSS. If it were me I would remove the switch and check that there is continuity when in neutral and park positions and no continuity when in the other positions. I suspect that the little 5 inch rod can be bent or straightened to give you what you need. As I'm sure you know, connecting the yellow and purple wires together will allow you to start in any gear in case your relay should go bad while out for a drive. Good luck. Bill

[Brad H.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

Hi Bill back again, I have no clue how this system works, wires vs levers, I dont see how a connection is made by shifting gears, or adjustment of that little rod, could you explain how it works and what the little rod does to benefit one? Thanks again, Brad.

[Willard M.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

Brad-Keep in mind that I'm a psychologist and not a mechanic. Basically the starting circuit is run through the relay which operates correctly when grounded (black wire). If you took the black wire and grounded it to the chassis the car would start in any gear. The same result occurs if you connect the yellow and purple wire together. Instead of the black wire being directly connected to the chassis it is routed through the neutral safety switch (NSS). this switch allows the ground to take place when the L shaped lever is in 2 positions(N and P). The rest of the locations of this lever results in an open (non-ground) circuit and hence no start. This L shaped lever has a hole in the end which receives one end of that small rod. The other end connects to the shifter mechanism. When the shifter is moved this bell crank system moves the NSS, hopefully putting the L lever where there is an open ground when you are in R,D, or Low. Hope that helps. Bill

[Brad H.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

Thank you Bill, That helps, what does bending the rod do to help fix sometimes? Brad.

[Willard M.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

By bending, or straightening, the rod you can effect small changes in where you get ground or no-ground in the NSS. For example if that L shaped lever needs to go just a little more to reach a point of no ground when the shift lever is in R, then a slight decrease in the bend will push it further forward to put the NSS in the desired no-ground position. Much of this is trial and error and it helps to have an adult beverage near by to deal with the frustration-much cheaper than a shrink. Bill

[Brad H.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

Thanks again Bill, I will try some bending or unbending. Brad.

[Chris S.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

you can also loosen the NSS and adjust it
for mine - the rod was straight up and the switch was in the middle

[Brad H.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

Chris, Brad here, that worked, all I needed to do on mine was loosen screw toward front and push the nss up all the way on the front end and that did it. thanks both of you for the edjamacation.

[Chris S.]

Re: 54 Start Relay/N. Safety Switch

Welcome !!!!