SmackItUp

First, just let me say, been reading these forums for years and they have helped me immensely, I don’t know much myself, so little to share, thank you for reading this. Hope I’ve addressed the obvious questions, I know how annoying it is to the helpful experts when people don’t say enough so I've tried to cover as many bases I know of. Here Goes.

Vehicle has power. Everything electrical that works w/o a key, works. Door locks work. Headlights work, are bright. Battery connections are snug and no corrosion is present. If you care, battery is a Duracell, 3 months old (though I suspect Batteries Plus put the date sticker on when I bought it).

When I put the key in the ignition, the car knows it’s there; if the door is open the car beeps to tell me.

The problems begin at ignition positions I, II, and III. None of the things that are supposed to happen, happen. No dash lights, no radio, no fan, no fuel pump whirrrr, no power windows, and of course the reason I’m here, no start. No click, no nothing. It seems to me the problem should be obvious at this point, but all my searching for related issues (and I may be bad at searching) finds scenarios where there's either no power at all for lights (bad battery or connection) or yes power at I and II. So this is why I'm asking.

I can’t check for codes because no dash lights. However, before this, vehicle constantly show’s a check engine light because of secondary O2 sensor (forget code number) problem so I periodically check if there’s anything else new. Last checked 3 months ago. Nothing else.

I pulled and looked at all the fuses, none are fried. All look to to be ok, even the PITA to get at, put back, ones, yes, pulled every single one.

Things that may be related that I’ve noticed before or are maybe worth knowing:

1) About 6 months ago, last time it was warm in Montana (and it was unseasonably hot today), I had a couple occasions where the car wouldn’t start right away. All the electrical in positions I and II worked, but the car would give a half-hearted attempt at starting, turned over ok, just wouldn’t fire. Usually it would start when I took the key out and tried again. One time it scared me and took like ten tries with a minute waiting before it worked (with me giving it gas while turning the key which I know I shouldn’t do). After that scare, problem vanished for 3 months until it was -25 degrees and it wouldn’t start and I replaced the battery.

2) 15 years ago, the car was stolen. They busted open that big metal plate below the steering collumn that holds in all the ignition stuff. It’s been dangling sorta loose ever since because replacing that plate is a PITA near as I could tell and it didn’t really matter to me. For the last 3 or 4 years, I would occasional get sparks coming out of the ignition switch wiring stuff that was exposed. By sparks I mean sounds of sparks and static electricity type shocks if I had my hands in the area while starting. Half assed tried to look up on internet couple years ago, never really found anything, most people don’t have all that stuff exposed. Pretended to ignore.

3) It sometimes idles lower than I really think it should, when warmed up at stoplights, and In reverse getting out of my driveway not warmed up. Sometimes.

4) It has never stalled while driving. But when the automatic transmission downshifts as I slow down to turn (but oddly not when to stop) the car sort of hesitates, pauses or something. I believe this a transmission issue (original fluid, 165k miles, what I read says too late never change) but it’s sorta like a stall (but not), just saying cause that’s supposed to be a symptom of ignition switch failure.

5) Has a 2yr old replacement alternator (cheap)

6) Has 3yrs old distributor (cheap)

7) Has 3 yrs old (15k miles) spark plugs (good)

8) Has 3 years old plug cables (medium good)

Things that are wrong with my car that I know about that are probably not related:

1) Gets shitty mileage (24 mpg city). I suspect this is related to the O2 sensor code. Some standard spark plugs were driving like 100k miles until all failed which meant uncombusted stuff sent to catalytic converter and partially clogging it. Just a theory, never tested, haven’t really investigated the mileage problem or the O2 code.

2) Only one of the windows rolls down and moon roof doesn’t open. Believe all related to servo motors. Only investigated enough to know it’s not fuse related.

3) Looks like hell, both side rear views have been busted off and glued back on, electrical motors not reconnected.

4) Leaks a lot of oil. Or would if I didn’t use Lucas Oil Stop Leak, about 15-20% which totally “solves” the problem. Been doing that about 3 years. Causes some extreme low temp starting issues.

5) Replaced the radiator about two years ago. Bleeding it I couldn’t stop getting bubbles. Made no sense. There is no sign of anti-freeze in the transmission fluid or oil, it looses about a cup of antifreeze a month I suspect from an known leak, but the leak doesn’t seem as bad as that much of antifreeze. So, don’t know what’s up with that. Problem, potentially big, but unrelated.

All this car needs to do is to get me the 10 minutes to and from work each day and to be available to be made fun of by my son. Which is why some things i know need addressing haven't been addressed.

What do you think?

Thanks for your help.

-paul

mk378

Check the big main fuses in the box next to the battery.

The two white wires on the ignition switch should be live all the time (comes from one of the big fuses, I think "IG".) The other wires become live when you turn the key.

It is not hard to replace the part that mounts the switch to the column. If you have the key you turn it to the run position then release the cylinder from the part.

For the other problems start new threads once you have the car running.

muellersfan

SmackItUp

Yeah, duh. So yesterday when I said I checked all the fuses, apparently I meant I checked all the un-important ones inside the car. There's a big 40A one in there that is fried. Looks like that would be my problem. Will be able to get another tomorrow and know for sure. Thanks mk.

SmackItUp

So, lesson learned. When you blow a fuse, there's probably a reason. I got a new one, put it in, and proceeded to blow it again. I then traced all the wires and found one that had been rubbing on a piece of metal for some time and eventually wore through the insulation so the wires contacted what it was rubbing and shorted. Which is why I was blowing the fuse. I know no one cares, just adding the true conclusion for archive/web search purposes. Peace, and thanks again.