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    Results 1 to 8 of 8
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Feb 2012
      Posts
      64
      Country Flag: United States

      72 Nova Flaming River column won't start

      I have a '72 Nova with a Flaming River Steering Column, AAW Highway 22 wiring harness, and Holley HP EFI. I have everything set up and working (so far) but I hit a roadblock at starting the engine. I can't get it to crank at all. I disconnected the purple starter wire, hooked it up to a test light and tried cranking again, light never turns on. I removed the wiring harness and tried it out on my old column and same thing so I don't think it's the column? Am I missing how to wire this? I followed the instructions from AAW on how to wire the connectors but I just can't get any power to the starter when in crank position. Tried removing the connector that the rod goes into on the column to crank and manually move the link and still nothing...

      I have my wires coming straight from the fuse block to the column, diagrams from AAW and flaming river are the same so that matches up, flaming river neglected to mention ground wires but I figured that out. Anyway from fuse block to column, then starter wire feeding directly into the starter. The fuse block is powered from the battery, currently the only other items hooked up to the fuse block are the two power sources for the ECU and that's working fine.



      At this point I feel like I'm just complaining since I can't figure it out but maybe there's something I missed? I don't have a neutral safety switch since I'm not running an automatic, I even stuck the light into the connector to see if maybe I had a bad wire but that didn't do it.



      Any ideas would help. I can try and snap a few pictures later tonight if that will help.


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      The terminal on the ignition switch that the purple wire connects to, does it light the test light in crank?

      If not, adjust ignition switch.
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Sep 2009
      Location
      Atlanta Ga
      Posts
      115
      Country Flag: United States
      you should be running a neutral switch even on a manual trans. It would be on the clutch pedal from the factory. Take your test light and check to see if you get the light on either one of the neutral switch wire in start mode with key. The wires to the neutral switch would be one from ing switch and the other one to the starter. For TEST ONLY you could jump the two neutral switch wires to see if the light comes on at starter. make sure your in neutral while doing.


      Tim

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Feb 2012
      Posts
      64
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      The terminal on the ignition switch that the purple wire connects to, does it light the test light in crank?

      If not, adjust ignition switch.

      Nope no light there either, tried adjusting the ignition switch and that didn't work, I have another keyed switch that came with the highway 22 kit that is a non column switch, I wired that up and it doesn't light either so it has to be something with my wiring.

      Quote Originally Posted by Timmah View Post
      you should be running a neutral switch even on a manual trans. It would be on the clutch pedal from the factory. Take your test light and check to see if you get the light on either one of the neutral switch wire in start mode with key. The wires to the neutral switch would be one from ing switch and the other one to the starter. For TEST ONLY you could jump the two neutral switch wires to see if the light comes on at starter. make sure your in neutral while doing.


      Tim


      I'll eventually run a clutch safety switch, this is all just to test start the engine and wiring, this car was originality an automatic so there's not switch on the pedal currently I don't currently have a driveshaft installed but good point.

      This is how the fuse block is wired currently



      and the ignition switch



    5. #5
      Join Date
      Feb 2012
      Posts
      64
      Country Flag: United States
      Oh my god... Ok well I figured it out... I was looking online and found more pictures of highway 22 kits. My kit came from AAW wired backwards.. at the block the brown account wire, and battery wire we're swapped.

      If you look at the top wire on my pictures the brown wire should be going in under the red wire, not the way it is. Can't believe it took me a day and a half to figure that out.

      Thanks for the replies guys, made me take a look at other things that probably need to be fixed.

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Sep 2009
      Location
      Atlanta Ga
      Posts
      115
      Country Flag: United States
      So the terminal that the purple wire is on the key switch should be ID with a ST for start. The red wire should be 12v positive with the terminal ID BT or BTY, I cannot see that in the picture. The light should light up on the red battery wire anytime and the purple at the switch should light up in start position on the key switch. Do you have that when you test?

      I may have an OEM clutch switch from my 69 nova you are welcome to have. I will be in the shop later today or in the morning and will see if I can find it.

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Sep 2009
      Location
      Atlanta Ga
      Posts
      115
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by k72nova View Post
      Oh my god... Ok well I figured it out... I was looking online and found more pictures of highway 22 kits. My kit came from AAW wired backwards.. at the block the brown account wire, and battery wire we're swapped.

      If you look at the top wire on my pictures the brown wire should be going in under the red wire, not the way it is. Can't believe it took me a day and a half to figure that out.

      Thanks for the replies guys, made me take a look at other things that probably need to be fixed.
      Are you trying to use the key switch in the picture along with a key switch mounted to the steering cloum

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Feb 2012
      Posts
      64
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Timmah View Post
      Are you trying to use the key switch in the picture along with a key switch mounted to the steering cloum
      No, I only used it to verify if it was the column or the wiring. I should be ok on the safety switch but I really appreciate the offer! I got the starter to crank after figuring the wire out.





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