Ignition Switch Pluggin Wire Melted

[dcole2525]

My 97 sc2 broke down last week. At first, the engine wouldnt crank over. It eventually just started clicking when i tried turning it on. Jumped the car and tested the battery and alternator and both are fine. The car starts, but the RPM typically is at a little over 1 but will shoot up and down a few times then itll drop below 1 and shut off. Crankshaft sensor is good, but found out that a black wire is burnt that is coming out of the plug that goes into the ignition switch. Just need info on where the wire goes because it eventually branches off into separate directions.

[OldNuc]

Your ignition switch has failed. Quit trying to use the car until you replace the switch. The black wire is a ground for the key minder. Disconnect the connector off of the back of the switch before it finishes burning up your electrical system. RockAuto sells ignition switches cheaper than the local parts store.

[dcole2525]

Originally Posted by OldNuc

Your ignition switch has failed. Quit trying to use the car until you replace the switch. The black wire is a ground for the key minder. Disconnect the connector off of the back of the switch before it finishes burning up your electrical system. RockAuto sells ignition switches cheaper than the local parts store.

Theres labels on the pluggin that are letters for each wire. The thin black wire that melted on the pluggin is labeled wire "E". Are u sure its the ground?

[OldNuc]

Right hand side of this drawing, http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/sho...pg-2/cat/12963 pin E is a ground and the switch fails and connects 12v+ to that ground. Replace the switch before it really fries all the wiring in the column.

[Spaz]

Hey OldNuc, is the ignition switch something that will eventually go bad and worth doing a preemptive strike on?

[OldNuc]

No, not really. It is somewhat like a lightbulb, it works fine until it fails. The best thing to do is to cut the black ground wire and splice in a mini fuse holder and use a 2 or 3 amp fuse. When the key-in-door-open chime quits check fuse and if blown replace switch and fuse. If the car makes many short trips and racks up high annual mileage then figure you are running to the end of the service life of the switch.

[Spaz]

Thanks OldNuc. How difficult is it to access that black ground wire?

[OldNuc]

Depends on how limber you are. It is right on the right side of the column. Start at the connector and follow it out far enough to have wire to work with.

[Spaz]

I found an old thread with pictures. What gauge wiring inline fuse is needed?

[OldNuc]

That ground is for a solid state switch in the chime module so 20-22 gauge wire and if you buy an ATC inline holder it comes with about 4" of wire on each side. You can even use butt splice crimp connectors on this as failure is only the loss of a nuisance alarm.

[Spaz]

Sounds good. I've decided to run the power to that 12 volt socket I mounted in the trunk directly to the UHJB. I'm thinking that the 16 gauge wiring I'm running now is a little light for that length of run. Can I get away with 12 gauge, or do you suggest 10 gauge?

[OldNuc]

14 gauge stranded will handle 20 amps or so max, 15 continuous.

[Spaz]

Great! Thanks again OldNuc for your help and advice. I really appreciate it. I'll stop hijacking this thread now.