I have a 87' f350/460. Years ago the key mechanism would not fire the starter. Put a push button on the dash and all was good as long as I turned the key all the way to start. Now I think the rest of the internals are going. No power to the ICM. There are just two wires from the steering column to the ICM. Red and black. Can I wire power to the red with a switch and ground the black? I realize I will be bypassing the clutch switch.

 

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Probably be just as easy to replace the ignition switch.

 

The switch isn't the problem. It's the rod like mechanism that make contact and goes down the column once the key is turned. So I have 2 plugs, one with a red wire and a white wire that goes to the column. I then have a purple, orange, green, and a black wire in the other plug that go to the distributor. Witch wire needs to be hot?

 

OK, looking with a bright light, all the wires are solid color except the black, which does have a green stripe.

 

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Sorry for any confusion. It's an 87 460 4bbl. Maybe ICM is the wrong name, but it's the control module for the ignition. Silver finned box on the inner-fender. Two plugs. One to the loom going to the firewall (red wire and white wire) the rest of the wires going to the distributor.

 

If you turn it over and keep releasing the key from the start position, the engine will sputter once in a while. It sometimes will start this way and then runs perfect. New control box and coil. No power while cranking and then when the key releases it must give power for a second.

 

Ok carb.
We will try again then.

The Ignition system:


The white wire should go to the push button start button along with the wire you have on it now. The red wire should be the off and on power wire to a toggle switch.
You do not need to do anything to the rest of the wires.


The black with a green stripe wire is the ground wire.



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Thanks a bunch Subford. Exactly what I needed!