Hi Everyone,

Not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes
Got a 1991 RV with an Oshkosh chassis and a ford drive train.

Had an issue with the motor, started the motor, it made a horrible sound and before I could shut it off it went Clunk and stopped. Turns out the starter solonoid failed and held the starter engaged with the flywheel and the starter imploded and siezed stopping the motor

Got a new starter and solonoid installed, turned the key, it's a ford key, and nothing lit up, found the ignition fuse blown, changed that and still nothing. I suspect the ignition switch got fried.

I have pulled the steering wheel, removed the cruise stuff and directional stuff etc I see the tumbler with the key now where the heck is the starter switch?

just below the key is a column cover with two screws, removed the screws but can only pry the cover apart a little to peer in there, I am afraid to break the cover. I see two blue wires but they look like they go to what I think is a neutral starter switch

Help, I need pictures

 

If it's a Ford column, the tumbler turns a rod inside the column. The actual ignition switch is a white box about 2/3rds of the way down the column. Pictures of what you have got in front of you would help.

 

The ign switch should be bolted to the top of the steering column under the dash. Should be white with a multi-wire plug going to it.
The neutral safety switch (NSS) will be on the drivers side of the trans (if auto).

 

Not sure about oshkosh, but the ford trucks have fusible links that come off of the starter relay near the battery. They look like a normal wire but burn in 2 when too much current is run through them. Sometimes they dont burn the insulation off, but if you pull on them and they stretch the wire inside is burnt

 

Wow who woulda thought I just looked and there it was in the worst possible place. Can I loosen the column some to get at it or do I have to go by feel. Any pictures showing me what I am looking at will be a big help.

Does it have a name other then ford truck ignition switch?

 

I have power to the horn, headlights, emergency flashers and the rear view mirrors, but no where else so I suspect that switch is toast

 

Are you planning on just replacing it and seeing if that fixes it? Got a test light? I suspect a problem at the starter solenoid, thats where the fusible links are that supply power to the ignition switch. Maybe you didnt get all the wires hooked back up when you replaced it.

 

If I recall correctly, it's called the "ignition actuator" or some such at times.

Pretty much it's exposed on a Ford truck. If they flipped the column upside down, you may have to drop the column (four bolts) to get to it. Mine was attached to the column by two Torx-headed bolts.


This is possible too - I'd check on this first.

 

 

I tried to post a picture of the solonoid, don't have a clue what they mean about a URL code, I normally pic a picture and just attach it .

Any way should there be any wires other then the heavy wire to the starter be attached to the switched side of the solonoid?

 

The older fords had the setup like it sounds like you have, the only wire going to the starter is the big cable from the solenoid aka relay. That cable would be the only one on the switched side of the solenoid.

 

Our RV has a pair of 12V house batteries and there is an emergency start setup in which I can use the house batteries to start the motor if the motor battery dies. The small wire connected to the switched side of the solonoid might have something to do with activating a relay while the key is trying to start the motor to send house current to the starter solonoid.

Any way I got the switch out and am gonna run to the store and get a new one, mine is loose on itself the electrical side if very loose from the mounting side I can almost pull it apart.

I hate to throw parts to see if I can fix something but this switch is only 12 bucks

 

From your description you need to replace the ign switch anyway. If you have the pass side, fender mounted starter relay, do as bashby suggests and check the fusible links.

 

Yea the old switch was almost falling apart. clipped in the new switch and nothing, must it be bolted in place? I just clipped it into the wire bundle and slid that slide back and forth to see if anything turned on, nothing did

I cannot find anything like a fuseable link, is there a main fuse possibly hidden somewhere

 

Maybe that small wire on the switched side of the solenoid is supposed to go to the bat+ side to feed power to the ignition switch