turn key, it spins, fires, release key and it dies

[Asa]

doesn't matter if i give it gas to keep it running or anything, it just sorta dies
i'm wondering if the ignition switch finally died
how can i check? what should i look for?

 

[Lazy JW]

Welcome back Evan, it's been pretty quiet with you out on leave

Sounds like you aren't getting power to the coil in normal 'run' mode, but you are getting power from the solenoid in 'start' mode. It could be the ignition switch, or ballast resistor. Start checking for power from the ignition switch and work your way toward the coil.
Have fun,
Joe

 

[Asa]

might've been quiet here... i can gurarantee that it wasn't back home


bah, i hate dealing with electronics... now i gotta figure out where all these wires go

 

[pedal2themetal45]

HI
Did you change anything sence it last fired??
turn key in the on posistion and check for power at the coil with just the key on... check the small wire comming from the battery side of the sylinoid it powers the switch and inside stuff. Did maybe the two little wires that come off the sylinoid get crossed up..
Good luck
tim

 

[Asa]

nope, the solenoid wasn't crossed, no one's messed with the car since i last touched it before i went on leave

but i definitely have an electical gremlin
or maybe five

first, there was a problem with the ignition switch (or possibly the ballast resistor, haven't checked it out yet)
i got in it, cranked it and it would fire as long as i held the key to the starter position, that didn't help me get to work, so i got in the truck and hauled ass

the next day i wanted to try again, so i climbed in and she fired, was able to drive her around base a little bit, but she kept cutting out, just randomly would die and wouldn't fire, you could dump gas and hear it backfire, but it wouldn't do anything beyond that
you could crank it up and it'd run right again for a little while, so i parked it and once again got in the truck

yesterday it was time to go to work, got in Susie and she was fine, every now and then all electrical would die, but it'd come back

then it's time to go home, get in, she cranked just fine, pulled up to the gate to enter the combo to leave and she died
so i cranked it, and it went FUBAR
starter wouldn't disengage, ignition switch wouldn't kill power, pulled the negative battery cable and she died, putting it back on (minus key) would start it again
pulled the starter cable from the post on the solenoid and she shut up

drive home was semi-uneventful, she did that thing where the electical died again, and i hadn't hooked everything back up, so i got to do that on the side of the road

then i got home, no big deal

 

[Anonymous]

so i cranked it, and it went FUBAR
starter wouldn't disengage, ignition switch wouldn't kill power, pulled the negative battery cable and she died, putting it back on (minus key) would start it again
pulled the starter cable from the post on the solenoid and she shut up

Replace your starter relay

Doug

 

[Asa]

yeah, i'm gettin that in the mornin
it's been intermittent since about a year after i bought the car, i'd jump it with a pair of pliers or something, no trouble for a year, then it went to no trouble for almost a year, then half a year, then i parked it when the rear end went out, fast forward to now
yeah, it's gonna get replaced

i really need to replace all the wiring in the car

 

[JackFish]

doesn't matter if i give it gas to keep it running or anything, it just sorta dies
i'm wondering if the ignition switch finally died
how can i check? what should i look for?

Check the fuel pump and filter.

 

[Asa]

it's not a fuel pump or filter problem
it's getting gas, it'll run

it's just sometimes the electrical system goes FUBAR

 

[Nathan289]

Last time I had the starter get stuck in the start position and had to do what you did. I replaced the ign switch and problem went bye-bye.
The time I had it stumble, sometimes die, catch its self and run fine for awhile. turned out to be a loose positve cable on the coil.
Wish I had a definate answer for you, but I dont.
So try the ignition switch.
Nathan

 

[80broncoman]

bah, i hate dealing with electronics... now i gotta figure out where all these wires go

If it were I, I'd start where I know the wires go like the coil and work your way back to the switch. You start dealing with less wires right from the begining.