1987gt40ttop

a neighbor of mine has a mustang i believe its 87 or 88. she told me the car has been starting slow then stopped starting all together. her bf at the time put a new relay in and now they broke up and it still wont start lol! looking at it real quick it has 12.6v goin to the power side of the relay, with the key turned the switched side is getting nothing. the car is a 5 speed i put a test light on the red wire with the black boot (figuring its the key power source) and what i got i thought was odd. the light would light any time the clutch was depressed, even with the keys not in the ignition, but with the key turned all the way to the start position and clutch depressed the light would go out. could this be a bad safety switch? or is anyone more firmiliar with this start circuit and could tell me where to go from here? thanks for any help.

mattdel

White/Pink wire from ignition switch goes to Red/Light blue through the neutral safety, then continues as Red/light blue to the clutch safety, which when depressed causes the circuit to complete, giving the 12v signal for the relay to switch, as still Red/Light blue.

Given your description, I'd say yes, the clutch switch is faulty.

1987gt40ttop

thanks for the help. i was kinda thinking it would be that. is there anyway to test the switch for sure? how hard are they to get ive never had a problem with one before?

mattdel

It's a simple 2 prong switch. When its closed, you should have continuity between the prongs. When it's open, you shouldn't.

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/...-Safety-Switch

1987gt40ttop

o ok its the 2wire connector, i did see another connector i think a 4 wire in and out but i know the one your talking about. thanks for all the help.

1987gt40ttop

ok so just to double check the switch i jumpered out the connector and the car started up. i tried it i think 2-3 times, once or twice starting slow but starting i fig. im good told her wed have to order the clutch safety switch and called it a night. the next morning she asks me if i can jump it out again to get it to start and nothing. i couldnt get it to do anything or even attemp to start no cranking at all the relay made a very low click but no starter movement what so ever. i get my test light and check with the switch jumped out, i got the light on with no key in at all, with it in acc or any other position but as soon as you turn it to start the light goes out every time. i was thinking, it has the old ignition switch in there could even be original and i know there was alota problems with then and the contacts inside having bad connections. i tried wiggling it around and still nothing. the white/pink wire going to the switch had 2 splices in it that i could see but the connections seemed tight without pulling them apart. where should i go from here? i was thinking of running a wire out to the relay for testing, i think the boot connector is a ground circuit that is made once the key is turned? correct?

mattdel

I'm not sure about the boot part, but I'd put an ignition switch in given your additional info. They're only $12.