i recently replaced the PCM on my truck, which turned out to be the last problem i had, for those that helped with that i thank you, and maybe you can help me with this.

yesterday, i noticed my ignition acting strange. it started still, so i blew it off. then all of the sudden it wouldnt start at all. the solenoid wasnt even clicking, so i replaced that thinking that might be the problem. then it still wasnt working, then i jumped the solenoid and it started no problem. unfortunately, the ignition is stuck on, and key swings freely back and forth without doing anything. if i leave the negative battery cable on, it stays on like i turned the key to run. then i replaced the lock switch, which i thought might do something, but its still doing what it was before.

now to start it, i have to reattach the negative battery cable, and then use a screwdriver to jump the starter solenoid. it starts and runs just fine. and to turn it off, i have to pull the vaccuum line off the MAP sensor on the firewall.

two things, how long can i continue to do this before i totally charlie foxtrot my motor. and how i do i get it to where i can use my key to start and stop my engine again.

thank you for your time!

 

Sounds like a broken ign switch actuator. You will need to pull the steering wheel, turn signal plate and the column shroud. Yours may be the later one with two rods joined with a pin and the pin may have come out.
The actual ign/start switch is on the steering column under the dash with the rod from the key switch attached to it. You should be able to switch on and off and start by operating this rod manualy until you fix the actuator.

 

ok. thank you. how do i pull the column shroud. once i get if off, i could probably figure it out. but also, how can i get the turn signal plate out easier, it seems to be really hard to pull straight out, because of the wiring attached to it.

thank you for your help.

 

I just did this on my 1990 Bronco. The actuator rod is designed to break, because it's the cheapest link in the start chain, this is what the parts guy at Ford told me. It's BS of course, but they keep the actuator in stock, so does O'reily's. What does that tell you? Pull the steering wheel go in from the top. There's a good write up on doing it with pictures if you do a search, not here some other site.

 

There is just enough wiring length to get the turn signal plate over the steering shaft and out of the way, still hanging on the wires. This gives you access to the screws holding the shroud. Once the screws are removed the shroud will pull over the still hanging turn signal plate.

 

thank you all.

now, i pulled everything off, and replaced the lock switch, and the actual ignition switch part the the actuator rod goes into and moves back and forth. could the rod just be busted from the end of the lock switch? because im still not getting anything that resembles it trying to start. i even replaced the freaking solenoid again, apparently i cant do anything right with this POS.

when i place everything right, and tighten it all down, i can still feel a lot of movement in the rod. i can move it up and down by myself quite a bit. thats why i think that the rod is busted somewhere up inside the column by the lock switch and thats why its not working properly.

i cant seem to find out what the problem is. and i dont know what to do to fix it.

please help me, and thank you for all you all have done so far.

 

is it attached to the starter switch -on top of the column about half way down-the shaft?

 

Sounds like you have the jointed rod. The rod is joined in the middle by a pin so that it can hinge with the tilt steering. The pin can come out.
Have you tried taking the ign/start switch off the steering column under the dash and checking that, by moving the rod by hand, you have the "off", "run" and "start" functions?

 

ya, i replaced the ign switch part thats on the column about half way down it under the dash.

we are going to try to put everything back together and see if there is a grounding issue, because none of my dash lights are turning on at all when you turn the key over.

is there any way at all to get access to the top of the actuator rod where it goes up inside the top of the column? because i get the feeling that something is messed up inside there.

the truck is an XLT lariat, so it does have tilt btw.

 

Ok, you have a new ign/start switch on the column, what jr is asking is the rod properly attached to that? If you take that switch off the column can you get all the ign functions when working it by hand?
With the column shroud off you should be able to see the rod coming up the column from the ign/start switch. On the earlier columns the rod has an eye on the end of it which attaches to a lug, by a pin, on a pot metal actuator, just on the steering wheel side of the tilt hinge.
On the later columns the rod runs up the side of the column to the column hinge, again with an eye on it but joins to another rod with an eye using a pin. I have not seen one of these so I am going on what I have been told.
If you do a search here for "ignition actuator" you should get plenty of better descriptions from guys who have done writeups, just make sure they are talking about the setup you have as early (up to `91) and later are not the same.
Post back with what you find.

 

i found a way to get up into the upper part of the column. it looks to be a single rod going up into a thing that looks kinda like a hinge piece with a spring on it. and its going up the top of the column. could there be any reason at all that this is not working at all?

i mean anything at all. my NSS? i dont have any kind of multimeter to play around with figuring if this piece is getting voltage or that one is. ive got a repair manual, but it only helps so much. actually you guys on here are helping more than anything. and i thank you for that.

with the new ign switch i do get all of the functions im supposed to. and when i tighten everything down, it moves back and forth like its supposed to. but there is nothing happening. my dash lights arent even coming on anymore. and the battery is good. i know that. nothing at all is going on in that thing.

 

ok....ive been tinkering with it, and i realized that when i have the ign switch, and everything together, and turn the key, it goes through all the stages in the ign switch. but when i go to turn the key back to lock, like i would be turning the key off, the actuator rod does not return with it. like its disconnected from the lock switch assembly altogether.

does this sound like it could be the problem? or one of the problems in this thing not working??

 

The only thing i can think of is that the upper actuator is bad. This is the bit with the gear teeth in it that meshes with the gear cog in the key switch. Either that or you do not have the cog and upper actuator properly aligned when refitting the column shroud. Examine the upper actuator and the gear cog on the key switch.