B250 No power ignition spins, used to start in neutral
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B250 No power ignition spins, used to start in neutral
Hi,
A few days ago I bought a 1989 B250 V8 5.2 van for a friend that has become homeless. It's only been 2 days but the van seemed to run well, except that in order to start it you have to put it in neutral. In park nothing happens but in neutral it starts right up. then last night he ended up with a flat tire and had no spare so when I got there to help him I saw that the tire was completely flat and had come off the rim as well so I had to have it towed to a tire shop. The tow truck driver had me drive it up onto the flatbed, then again had me reverse down off the flatbed when it got to the tire shop.
Once the flatbed was in the correct angled position for me to start backing down he told me to keep my foot on the brake, start it and back down only I could not start it because I could not get it into neutral. I told him I could not get it into neutral to get it started and that i thought it had something to do with the van sitting at such a steep grade so he moved the flatbed back into a flat position and sure enough I was able to then get it into neutral and start it. He repositioned the flatbed and I backed the van off the tow truck and into the tire shop garage.
I explained to the guy at the tire shop that they had to put it in neutral to start it.
Shortly after the tire shop called me and said that they could not start it so I went back and as we were walking to the van I saw they had the hood up and the guy said something about a switch or something but it wouldn't start. I got in to start it but now once its in neutral the ignition just spins and nothing happens.
There is no clicking or resistance going to the different positions, no sounds nothing. The steering wheels locks and unlocks but nothing else and I can even shift it into neutral or any other gear now without unlocking the steering wheel.
I asked the guy what switch he touched and he just said that it had nothing to do with it cause this was exactly what it was doing when they first tried to start it and that they could not get it into neutral to turn the ignition.
I had to have it towed to my house where it is now.
Has anyone experienced anything similar or know what may have happened?
I have not checked yet to make sure battery didn't somehow get drained, I will go do that now.
Im thinking that if it were the starter or ignition switch, then it would not have been starting at all and that maybe its the neutral safty switch on the transmission? or possibly the starter relay?
any help is appreciated.
A few days ago I bought a 1989 B250 V8 5.2 van for a friend that has become homeless. It's only been 2 days but the van seemed to run well, except that in order to start it you have to put it in neutral. In park nothing happens but in neutral it starts right up. then last night he ended up with a flat tire and had no spare so when I got there to help him I saw that the tire was completely flat and had come off the rim as well so I had to have it towed to a tire shop. The tow truck driver had me drive it up onto the flatbed, then again had me reverse down off the flatbed when it got to the tire shop.
Once the flatbed was in the correct angled position for me to start backing down he told me to keep my foot on the brake, start it and back down only I could not start it because I could not get it into neutral. I told him I could not get it into neutral to get it started and that i thought it had something to do with the van sitting at such a steep grade so he moved the flatbed back into a flat position and sure enough I was able to then get it into neutral and start it. He repositioned the flatbed and I backed the van off the tow truck and into the tire shop garage.
I explained to the guy at the tire shop that they had to put it in neutral to start it.
Shortly after the tire shop called me and said that they could not start it so I went back and as we were walking to the van I saw they had the hood up and the guy said something about a switch or something but it wouldn't start. I got in to start it but now once its in neutral the ignition just spins and nothing happens.
There is no clicking or resistance going to the different positions, no sounds nothing. The steering wheels locks and unlocks but nothing else and I can even shift it into neutral or any other gear now without unlocking the steering wheel.
I asked the guy what switch he touched and he just said that it had nothing to do with it cause this was exactly what it was doing when they first tried to start it and that they could not get it into neutral to turn the ignition.
I had to have it towed to my house where it is now.
Has anyone experienced anything similar or know what may have happened?
I have not checked yet to make sure battery didn't somehow get drained, I will go do that now.
Im thinking that if it were the starter or ignition switch, then it would not have been starting at all and that maybe its the neutral safty switch on the transmission? or possibly the starter relay?
any help is appreciated.
Van & CUV Section Moderator
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,365
Likes: 114
There is a switch on the left side of tranny that has a 3-wire connector. This switch allows the starter to turn in the park and neutral positions, it also controls the backup lights coming on when shifted into reverse.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ge+sensor,4584
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ge+sensor,4584
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I pulled the center cover inside the van off today and there is a rod on the left side that has springs on it and it looks like one of the springs is not connected and i can freely move the rod. it looks like the other end connects to the tranny and its not. its not connected to anything. its raining so i have not been under the van to see where it should connect and i cant find a schematic or diagram.
