ok this is off topic so no one get mad please but i really need some help on getting a 81 tbird with 302 running. problem is that when i turn the key on the dash and guages and everything come on but when i turn the key to start the dash goes black and nothing happens with the motor. now i can take a piece of wire a jump from the battery straight to the seloniod and it fires up and runs fine and will shut off with the key. and i cant figure out whats wrong. i already swapped out seloniods, brainboxes, and ingnition module out with those from another identical car as well as put in a brand new ignition switch (electrical part) and traced the whole wiring harness back to the firewall to check for broken wires and same result. Im outta ideals any wiring whizes out there wanting to help? would a missing ground cause this maybe?. thanks in advance for any help and please no one take offense cuz this isnt about a truck.

 

Neutral safety switch. Have one on either manual or auto. Its in the console attached to the shifter and has a switch. You can paperclip it to get the car running. Which is essentially what you are doing by using the wire.

 

Could also be a worn ignition switch .

 

Sounds like Fat Flatty may be right if that doesnt work I would check my ground connections.

 

I'll throw in a bad positive wire from the battery to the solenoid as my guess.

 

well turned out that i had to wire two pieces of wire that were about two inches long together that were sticking out of the floor board by the transmission. I assume wat used to be the nuetral switch. man wiring drives me crazy.

 

Yep, thats them.