Bought my truck 4 years ago it came with a push button start in the ash tray the way it is set up is there is a wire from the push button to the starter solenoid right post. And a wire to the harness above the ash tray that goes to a small light that lights the ash tray when you open it.
There are multiple wires that go to the left post that have fusible links. My theory is that one of these wires moved to the right post will reconnect the circuit to allow my key to start the truck. My fear is that if I connect the wrong one I may short something out. there are about 6 wirers connected to the left post, most are 2 wirers that come into 1 connector that has a nut holding them on.
FYI I have changed the starter relay switch and the actuator in the column I believe the reason for the push button start
THANKS

 

"Left post" and "right post" don't mean anything, given how the starter RELAY (presumably it's the relay on the fender, and not the solenoid [which is on the starter] where the wire goes) can be wired.

It SOUNDS like the "left post" is the hot terminal for the contact circuit (large terminal). Those multiple wires / fusible links connected to it are the main power feeds to the entire rest of the truck. That terminal is used simply as a junction point for all those circuits. Removing any one of them from that terminal will disable that entire circuit.

If the "right post" is the switched terminal of the contact circuit (large terminal), it's the one that energizes the starter solenoid. This means that the person who wired the temporary switch didn't just bypass the ignition switch, s/he bypassed the relay, which is an extremely foolish setup. That means that the full current of the starter solenoid is going through that switch and down that wire. This defeats the purpose of the relay.

It's academic at this point, but that person should have wired the switch to the coil circuit trigger terminal, which should be the only small terminal on the relay. This would have bypassed the ignition switch, but would have kept the relay in the picture. Would have been a much safer, more logical setup. You probably did a bit of community service, relieving such a person from ownership of this truck.

Does the small terminal for the coil circuit still have its wire attached? If so, and if it's the ignition switch in the column that you replaced, the key should now be able to start the engine.

 

So this relay has 2 small terminals one on top with a red wire that has a black 90% rubber boot attached to it, and a bottom that is empty. I am concerned because there is no other wires anywhere around. I have tried to start the truck with the key, but no go. The only thing I can think of is to move the red wire from the top to the bottom small terminal? Other than that I may have to run a wire to the wire harness for the ignition switch. However I wouldn't know which wire to splice into. thanks for any help

 

The second small terminal, if present, is not used on the diesels.

Take that wire off the small terminal, and check for voltage at that wire while an assistant turns the key to START. That's the wire that should be energized by the ignition switch.

Another test to try - put the wire from the momentary switch on that same small terminal. Hit the switch and see if it cranks. If so, that's at least a more sane way of wiring up the momentary switch, and you know that the relay is working and wired correctly.

Oh, important question - automatic or manual transmission?

 

automatic, I will put a volt meter on it when I get home

 

More tests - try starting it in Neutral. Also try moving the shifter around while holding the key in the START position. If that gets it to crank, even ever-so briefly, the neutral safety switch (NSS, aka Trans Range Switch) needs to be adjusted or replaced.

Is the shifter sloppy?

 

So I just replaced the NSS, when I put in a used transmission. No the shifting is not sloppy, it's pretty solid. I will still try all of these test this afternoon