[smiley458]

My sons Tracker had been running fine when one of the springs broke inside the clutch. We pulled the engine, replaced the clutch and pressure plate, put the engine back in and it wouldn't crank or start. I figured I missed installing or broke a wire. I have searched all the forums, chased down all the fuses, relays, wires etc. that I could and am stymied. I printed out all kinds of wiring diagrams but couldn't find a starting circuit diagram. It still won't crank with the key, but I can jumper the solenoid and it spins it over like crazy. Everything including power to the coil, pump, injectors etc work fine. But still no crank with key and no spark. It appears to have no power on the red and black wire to the clutch neutral switch which it should, but I can't seem to trace where that red and black wire goes. If anyone knows where it goes, or has a wiring diagram for the starter circuit I'd sure appreciate a link or your suggestions.
Thanks,
Smiley

 

[Bex]

I’m assuming that this is the 95 Tracker in your signature, and that it’s a manual transmission. That black/red wire goes from the ignition switch to the main harness connector near the fuse panel to the left of the steering column, under the dash. From there it goes to the switch, which is at the very top of the floor pan (the top of the clutch pedal pushes that switch in, to activate it). The outgoing wire from that switch is black/yellow - it splices off where one feed goes to the starter, and the other goes to the ECU for ground. Have you tried actually depressing that switch at the top of the floor pan, by hand, while you turn the key?
If you look at Acks FAQS, under section 6 for engine control module and sensors, on the ‘ignition’ page, you should find a wiring diagram:

https://acksfaq.com/HTML/trackerfsm.htm

 

[Darrell.]

 

[smiley458]

I’m assuming that this is the 95 Tracker in your signature, and that it’s a manual transmission. That black/red wire goes from the ignition switch to the main harness connector near the fuse panel to the left of the steering column, under the dash. From there it goes to the switch, which is at the very top of the floor pan (the top of the clutch pedal pushes that switch in, to activate it). The outgoing wire from that switch is black/yellow - it splices off where one feed goes to the starter, and the other goes to the ECU for ground. Have you tried actually depressing that switch at the top of the floor pan, by hand, while you turn the key?
If you look at Acks FAQS, under section 6 for engine control module and sensors, on the ‘ignition’ page, you should find a wiring diagram:

https://acksfaq.com/HTML/trackerfsm.htm

Bex,
I sure want to thank you for that info. I have it bookmarked and stored for the next incident with the old Tracker.
I chased this thing for 2-3 days and found most of the schematics except the start/charge pages you provided. This afternoon I got back at it and started tracking each wire and after about an hour, found my stupid mistake. I've been doing this stuff for over 75 years and you're never to old to learn. Today I learned that when working in cramped poorly lighted quarters, without my glasses, yellow wires with a black stripe and yellow wires with a dark blue stripe are nearly indistinguishable. I had attached the starter solenoid yellow/black to the temp sensor just ahead and above the starter and the yellow/blue sensor wire to the starter. Switched them out and she started right up.
Thank you again
Smiley

 

[smiley458]

And thank you too Darrell. I didn't realize it was 2 different fella's till after I replied.

 

[Bex]

Glad you got this sorted. And yep, the colors of old wiring can be deceiving. I’m more interested in you advising that you’ve been doing this stuff for over 75 years??? Seriously? The math in my head is going a bit nuts - either you started close doing this as an infant, or.....??????

 

[Bex]

Darrell has posted some really excellent diagrams on this forum. I’ve copied a few, and this one may help you in the future, with the wiring:

 

[aquanaut20]

Glad you got this sorted. And yep, the colors of old wiring can be deceiving. I’m more interested in you advising that you’ve been doing this stuff for over 75 years??? Seriously? The math in my head is going a bit nuts - either you started close doing this as an infant, or.....??????

Well he has me beat by 15 yrs...

 

[smiley458]

In 1952 I was 12 years old and my buddy helped his grandfather on their 2 farms so got about $1 a week. He saved his money and bought his cousin's 1939 Bantam doodlbug named Nellybell, for $10, so we got an early start in driving. We'd tear around the fields and when haying time came we'd drive the 2 miles on the road to the upper farm. It wasn't long and we were tearing all over the back roads (on grandpa's gas). There were only about 3 or 4 state troopers and half a dozen sheriffs deputies to cover our whole 90 mile long county and if one did happen to see us, they'ed chew our butts and tell us not to do it again, and we didn't ----- until they were out of sight.
Nellybell wasn't too dependable so if we wanted to drive, we had to learn how to fix it. After 2 or 3 years he traded Nellybell back to his cousin for a really beat '39 Indian Chief. It didn't take long and we had it going and it's a wonder we survived that. It would probably do 100 mph and we usually ran it wide open on the one half mile stretch of of straight road near the upper farm.
We both earned a few bucks fixing friends cars through high school and when I graduated I went to work on construction for the summer then took a job mechanicing that winter. I started buying cars off dealers back lines and repairing, building hot rods, custom cars and antiques then driving them for a while before selling them to buy something better. I see that some of you are in the UK and several years ago, three of my antique tractors went over to your side of the pond, one near London and 2 up near the Scottish border.
That's how I got started with cars but I was always looking to try something new, so here I am after a long and varied career at many different occupations, 1 year away from 80 still playing with antique cars and tractors and working on clunkers.
Smiley

 

[Bex]

Nice. I moved away from NY to Ireland, to an out of the way place that, in 2019, sounds very much like your memories from the 1950’s. It’s lovely. My 83 year old neighbor can put his hand to, and repair or build anything. Even now. I would have loved to grow up in that kind of place, but, better than nothing, decided to retire to one. Thanks for the post.

 

[Donewrken]

Well heck, I'm just a kid. He only has 14 years on me.

Cars, tractors and clunkers! A man after my own heart.
Glad to hear your still enjoying the toys Smiley!

It never gets old for me either.
I enjoyed your post.

Don


.

 

[Bear95]

Working with our hands & minds keeps us young!

 

[2013GV]

Working with our hands & minds keeps us young!

and when you get older its more like "is that a full bottle in front of me or a full frontal lobotomy?"

 

[smiley458]

Nice. I moved away from NY to Ireland, to an out of the way place that, in 2019, sounds very much like your memories from the 1950’s. It’s lovely. My 83 year old neighbor can put his hand to, and repair or build anything. Even now. I would have loved to grow up in that kind of place, but, better than nothing, decided to retire to one. Thanks for the post.

Where were you in NY? I'm near Utica. We're considering visiting Ireland as we may have relatives (Haggerty, Hegarty?) near Donegal. As for the 50's, about the only thing we have better today is electronics and medical care which in a large part is due to the improved electronics. Most everything else has gone backward.

 

[AshleyHaadt]

My sons Tracker had been running fine when one of the springs broke inside the clutch. We pulled the engine, replaced the clutch and pressure plate, put the engine back in and it wouldn't crank or start. I figured I missed installing or broke a wire. I have searched all the forums, chased down all the fuses, relays, wires etc. that I could and am stymied. I printed out all kinds of wiring diagrams but couldn't find a starting circuit diagram. It still won't crank with the key, but I can jumper the solenoid and it spins it over like crazy. Everything including power to the coil, pump, injectors etc work fine. But still no crank with key and no spark. It appears to have no power on the red and black wire to the clutch neutral switch which it should, but I can't seem to trace where that red and black wire goes. If anyone knows where it goes, or has a wiring diagram for the starter circuit I'd sure appreciate a link or your suggestions.
Thanks,
Smiley

 

[AshleyHaadt]

You may have inadvertently disconnected a grounding strap from engine block to chassis. A convenient test for this is to connect a jumper cable from engine to frame and check for function. Better grounding than stock can even improve performance on a modified engine, use of multi-spark ignitions or high powered alternators increase the current flow or noise signature that must then have a good return path.

 

[2013GV]

You may have inadvertently disconnected a grounding strap from engine block to chassis. A convenient test for this is to connect a jumper cable from engine to frame and check for function. Better grounding than stock can even improve performance on a modified engine, use of multi-spark ignitions or high powered alternators increase the current flow or noise signature that must then have a good return path.

Did you not read the fact the poster has already found the issue and he had transposed 2 similar coloured wires.?

 

[Bex]

Where were you in NY? I'm near Utica. We're considering visiting Ireland as we may have relatives (Haggerty, Hegarty?) near Donegal. As for the 50's, about the only thing we have better today is electronics and medical care which in a large part is due to the improved electronics. Most everything else has gone backward.

I was on Long Island, about 17 miles outside of NYC. I now live in Donegal, in a place that means Long Island, in Irish. Interesting, eh??

 

[smiley458]

My son had an ex sisterinlaw on LI and dreaded the LI parking lot every time they went there. The last time I was in the city was 1962 and never intend to go back. We used to go down to the garment district once a year early Monday morning and do our years clothes shopping. The shop owners felt they had to make their first sale of the week and make money, even if it was only a nickle, or they would have a bad week.