Electrical Post of Desperation

[Mugs]

A post of desperation !!!!!  

 

First off let me start by saying I am an automotive instructor, but before that I worked on Subaru's for 10 years. And still do. But I suck at electrical so I have always been and will remain to be a line tech. Its what I like. 

 

Now the skinny. A student of mine just got done replacing the transmission on a 96 lego sedan (for another student that is graduating and getting ready to go off to college.) When we went to start it, it was a no start and it won't come out of shift lock, unless you do the screw driver trick. 

 

Upon further digging around we found an aftermarket security system, (and no the original owner knew nothing of this) so I hooked up a remote stater switch just to see if the engine cranks..it does. But no va-vroom. 

 

I found the valle' switch and tried every reset option I know of, but NOTHING!!!!!  So after careful deliberation and wire tracing we decide it would be best to remove said security system that way the new owner (student going to college) won't ever have to worry about this again. I must say the installer did a very thorough job so its not all hacked up. But after doing all of this the vehicle still does not start.  

 

What is even more weird is there is other wires that have been tapped into other connectors with those crimp/speed splicers. But it all looks like factory wiring crap. I think it may be part of the factory fog lights that are installed in the bumper. 

 

I just need this car to start and run, so we can run it through its paces and finish other stuff up. By FRIDAY WHEN SCHOOL ENDS FOR THE SUMMER. So ya no stress or anything. 

 

So here is where you all come in. Is there any wiring guru that is out there that would be willing to come and look at this thing. I have mitchell at your disposal if you need to print off diagrams. Other wise I have to take it to a shop, and pay for this out of my own pocket. Did I say I was a teacher, so ya that means I have no money. 

 

The school is in Burien Wa. I will be checking my messages religiously and when contacted will then give you information on how to get to the school. 

 

Any help and input would be most appreciated. :-) 

 

Thank you, me and my student will be most grateful. 

 

[Fairtax4me]

No stress. This is easy. Can almost gurantee it.

Checked all of the fuses under the hood? Even the giant ones? Checked the fusible link? Checked fuses in the dash?

 

 

Does anything else not work? Lights, windows, lighter sockets, etc.?

[lmdew]

Auto or Manual?

Do you have Spark?

Will it start if you put a little gas in the Intake?

Is the crank turning or just the starter?  (did they put the flex plate bolts in?

[Mugs]

By stating that it won't shift out of park implies that its an automatic. 

 

I can crank the starter over with a remotes witch hooked directly to the starter. This is within the ignition, it drops out on crank position. It ran before we disconnected the battery to replace transmission. I am inclined to believe it has to do wight the alarm system. 

 

Yes the flex plates bolts are in. 

[john in KY]

I don't think the problem has anything to do with the alarm system. Inclined to believe part of the wiring harness still unplugged or some connection appears connected but in fact is not. 

[ferox]

Was the replacement transmission also a '96?  

 

I would tend to agree with John in KY.

 

I am still working my way out of the '80s as far as cars are concerned but the first place I would look after the appropriate fuses is the neutral safety switch.  If I recall correctly, there were subtle changes in the wire color coding and attachment orientation of the neutral safety switch between some of the years, and it could be hooked up with the incorrect wires going to the contacts on the trans.  I could totally be mis-remembering that, but I think it's a good place to check anyway.

[ivans imports]

Fuses and have seen the shift lock box loose the solder conection on the high load side of relay is inside the shift interlock box a quwick resolder fixs it then you can get gears. The no start check for pinched crank senser wires or broken conector at back of bell

[Mugs]

So it starts in position "R"

 

I had to transfer the selector module from the old one on to the new one. Because the one the came on the new trans had the connector on the module itself, VS the old style is hard wired on to the module and the wire connector goes up to the top by the bell hosing/dog bone area, and then connects.

 

I noticed there were some adjustment screw to where I could "clock" it one way or another, and still noithing.  it still has to be in "R" to start.

 

Which tells me the cable/shift positions are off.

 

Any Ideas.

 

Thanks for your help thus far.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Mugs

[Fairtax4me]

Remove the cable and switch, and move the selector on the transmission all the way forward and back and make sure it goes all the way into the park position.

Make sure the detent pin/notch in the switch is lined up properly with the selector shaft on the trans. Then install the switch.

Move the selector in the car all the way to the park position. Adjust the cable sheath at the transmission.

 

If there were parts different for the selector switch, make sure the bracket that the cable mounts to is the same as the old one.

[Mugs]

FT4Me thats exactly what I did, and it is now fixed. Took me awhile to figure it out. I guess I should have checked back here first, I could have gotten it done 2 hours earlier. But I was in the zone. 

 

It was the mechanical linkage on the shift cable that needed to be adjusted. Did that and problem is solved. 

 

What a relief. 

 

Thanks for all the help.