testing neutral safety switch

[AmadeusCharger500]

Had a problem with car not starting. No power to starter. So I changed the starter relay and it started right up. Tried it the next day and it was dead again. Put on another new relay and still no power to starter.
I put a jumper from the ballast to the nuetral safety wire terminal at the relay, and it started right up.
So I pulled the harness off the trans and tested the continuity to the relay and it was good.

Reverse lights work but I can only assume the middle prong is not working correctly to allow the car to start?

I just want to know what my next step should be. Do I change the switch down at the trans?
If so please someone remind me is it just a matter of unscrewing it and pulling it out?

[aifilaw]

it really is that easy to swap out the neutral safety, it's been probably 6 years since I did mine, and I honestly don't remember doing it, so it must have been a quick and easy process taking just a couple minutes.

[Nacho-RT74]

If so please someone remind me is it just a matter of unscrewing it and pulling it out?

yes!

just that I advice jack up good from rear the car to try to oil not to fall down a lot from switch hole.

be sure is not the linkage out of adjustment first.

[Charger72SE]

yep, it's easy and a new switch is pretty cheap (~$15.00 4 years ago) 

just put on the parking brake and move the tranny into a gear where the linkage is out of the way (don't rememebr if it's R or D).  Unplug the harness (take a picture or note how it is on first)  Unscrew the old switch and screw in a new switch.  Reconnect the harness and you're done.

If found one of the 3 prongs was bent and loose, and with the new switch in, have never had a problem again.

good luck!

[aifilaw]

actually the housing that switch plugs into if I recall correctly is pretty high out of the reach of many of the parts, jacking it up from the rear may or may not help, but it couldn't hurt. Your going to have a fw tablespoons of tranny fluid come out when taking it off anyways, so be prepared. The rest sounds about right

[John_Kunkel]

Don't just change the switch without some troubleshooting, the center prong of the switch should be grounded with the shifter in Park and Neutral. Even if the switch rings good the terminal in the connector might not be making good contact.

[AmadeusCharger500]

Terminal in the connector? Do you mean the part of the switch inside the transmission?

This has all been excellent information. As I was about the change the switch I found that the bracket holding the linkage to the trans had come loose a bit. It was causing some play in the whole mechanism. I tightened it up and whammo the car started.

Thanks all~!

[chargerscott]

does anyone have pics?