Neutral Safety Switch Went Out!!! :(

[Donks 10+ year member]

I have a 1972 Cadillac Deville with a 1976 Chevy Chevelle 350 w/400 turbo tranny. Just got a New Mini Starter Installed. Since I got the car in the summer Prevoiusly with my old starter there was a way I could hold the shifter while still in park and start it, but in neutral started fine with no probs.

Since i got the new hightorque mini starter 2weeks ago, It would not let me play with it in while in Park to get it to start. It would only start in neutral. So yesterday i was at the store and then came to leave. It would not start. No Sound or anything. So I checked my connections and they were all secure. Long story short it wouldnt start just by turning the key at all. So i had to take a piece of wire and jumpstart the power and switch spots on the starter and WALLA starts up perfect. So when i get home tried to start it again. playing with it in all shifts...no luck.

I think i know for sure its the safety switch. cause usually The lights would dim a Bit when i turn the key to start it. Now they dont dim or anything. Thats how i know it had something to do with the starter switch wire, which when i narrowed it down came to the neutral saefty switch. So Now Im stuck trying to find what type of neutral saefty switch to get because i forgot the previous owner replaced the orginal cadillac steering wheel with a different kind of steering wheel...idk what kind. the reason i am tellin you this is because on some older GM model cars the Neutral safety switch is In the Steering Column, and on most cars the Neutral safety switch is on the outside of the Tranny housing. And i dont know if my Aftermarket steering wheel has a Neutral safety switch in it. And my caddy inst here to go take a look..but i know for sure it has something to do with the key switch wire to the starter because theres no type of reaction when i turn it....like its lost complete power.

Also FYI I have a 1972 Cadillac Deville with a 1976 Chevy Chevelle 350 w/400turbo tranny.

please feel free to leave your input. thanks

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[Ignatowski 5,000+ posts]

if its the switch,you should be able to hot wire it,you really dont need one for a street car anyways.... thats one ugly caddy btw

 

[njaykaplan 10+ year member]

Wow, I thought it was the ford 4.6s notorious for the NSS. Mines pretty crappy too, but it starts, fords will just pop into neutral while in gear (driving) when its going bad.

 

[Donks 10+ year member]

How do u hotwire it?.....lol

 

[I Like Waffle]

Got the lift kit on the caddy but forgot to pay colortyme for the weekly wheel rent eh?

Look up a wiring diagram on bypassing the safety switch, i had the same problem on my 67.

 

[Ignatowski 5,000+ posts]

How do u hotwire it?.....lol

easy locate and disconnect and run wire in its place

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

can't you just clean it? I did this on my cherokee

 

[Rich B 5,000+ posts]

That Cad is screaming to be lowered.

 

[I Like Waffle]

can't you just clean it? I did this on my cherokee

Were talking about 2 completely different beasts here, but im sure its different than a jeep one, plus its 30 or so years old. Bypassing is no big deal, should be just a regular pin style open circuit switch, thats how the old ones are as far as i know. If your steering column linkage is screwed up or loose i suggest you fix that first, as mine was. You dont wanna start it in reverse or anything.

 

[grimreper912003 5,000+ posts]

I thought NSS were for sticks.. and IIRC the TH400 is a 4speed auto...

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

my cherokee is an auto and it's on the side of the tranny

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

looked just like this except it was full of dirt and ****

 

[Donks 10+ year member]

I can't see where to bypass and I don't wanna start snipping n disconnecting stuff. Were r the wires located I'm supposed 2 be messing with?

Pics would be greatly helpful

 

[I Like Waffle]

On the bottom of the steering column is where mine was.

 

[Donks 10+ year member]

Hey you guys I found out that my 1972 cadillac did not even come with Neutral Safety Switch on it back then. He Traced it back and believes that the Ignition Switch Wire on the Starter Solenoid touched something and burned the ignition. It was pretty loose and touching something. So i think its the ignition. whatdya guys think?