Starter Trouble

[noreastfish]

I'm hoping someone can give me a starting point on were to trouble shoot my 70 Challenger. I'm in the middle of moving from the east coast to Az. The car started fine when we shipped it out west. The other day when we went to start it we the starter did not engage. No click, the battery if fine and the headlights come on fine. The horn blows and I tried moving from park to neutral to see if it might be the neutral safety switch but nothing. I eventually jumped the starter with a screwdriver just like when I was a kid. I was wondering if anybody might have a starting point for trouble shooting. I have owned the car for over thirty years and maybe just the starter connections are finally dirty. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Also it is an A/C car so any ideas about try and fix the original equipment or update the system. I will need it in out here.


Thanks Greg

[Brads70]

Sounds like the starter relay?  How old is the starter battery cable? I had to flat bed mine home as it wouldn't start once years ago, turned out the cable looked ok but when I removed some of the red sheathing it had the " green death" inside. Power couldn't get to the starter....

[71-440]

You jumped the relay on the fender and it turned over? If so I would think the relay is bad.

[Rich G.]

Did you jump the neutral safety switch? Jumping the relay bypass's it

[noreastfish]

I jumped it at the starter.

Sounds like the starter relay?  How old is the starter battery cable? I had to flat bed mine home as it wouldn't start once years ago, turned out the cable looked ok but when I removed some of the red sheathing it had the " green death" inside. Power couldn't get to the starter....

The battery lead wire and the small one next to it. I did not see a starter solenoid on the fender well.
Sounds like the starter relay?  How old is the starter battery cable? I had to flat bed mine home as it wouldn't start once years ago, turned out the cable looked ok but when I removed some of the red sheathing it had the " green death" inside. Power couldn't get to the starter.... I jumped it at the starter.
Large battery cable and the small one next to it.I did not see a starter solenoid on the fender well.

[noreastfish]

I jumped it at the starter. Large red wire to the small wire on the starter. I did not not see a starter solenoid  on the wheel well.

[Chryco Psycho]

Welcome to the site 
If you follow the battery cable there are 2 leads , one goes to the starter & the samller one goes to the relay on the inner fender , the relay has 4 terminals 1 large for the battery cable , one smaller one bolted on usually brown going to the starter solenoid , there are 2 push on connectors one yellow & one brown , if you short the two bolted on terminals the starter should crank

[Bullitt-]

Welcome Aboard   

I would check that the starter relay is getting power on the yellow wire when the ignition switch is turned to the start position, it should read 12+volts. Then I would check that the black wire is showing to be grounding through the neutral safety switch.
If both show good suspect the starter relay, if not there is a connection not being made.
If your not getting 12+volts on the yellow wire there are multiple connections but the large flat connector at the steering column seems to have plenty of issues.
If your not getting a ground on the black wire the round connector at the NSS is a good place to check as well as the switch itself. 

[Cudajason]

Can you post a pic of your driverside fender wall...curious to see of there is a starter relay there.