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1980 gmc school bus no crank


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tusseltussel
User

Feb 12, 2008, 12:16 PM

Post #1 of 9 (3337 views)
1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

hi i just bought a short bus i think it's a gmc "P" chassis with 350 engine and 350 auto trans. so i started it up yesterday to get it home from the auction it drove and ran ok. i got it home and now i get nothing when i turn the key. the battery has a good charge, that trans is not in too good of shape it' won't go into park the neutral safety switch is not working it did start in gear once accidentally ( i thought it was in neutral turns out i was wrong) i have a new ignition switch in it so it's not that. when the key is on it has power just doesn't crank. so when the rain stops I'm planing on bypassing the neutral safety switch but not sure how. It looks like it's one wire on the drivers side of the trans and my guess is that it needs to be grounded to be bypassed but im not sure so if anyone knows how speak up so i can hear ya. the next place i plan to go if that does not work is the starter solenoid, i will see if their is power to it and jump it and see if it cranks. The wiring in this thing is a mess and i have 2 loose wires under the dash. one i know not to be the cause of the problem the other looks like it would reach the ignition switch nicely so I put power to it but that did nothing for me so when the rain stops and the temp. gets above 34 i will go get under it and see what i can see... it's parked in the grass right now in a large pond like puddle of water so it will have to wait. any help guidance or reassurance would be much appreciated


tusseltussel
User

Feb 13, 2008, 6:07 AM

Post #2 of 9 (3324 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

oh and just so you all know me bypassing the neutral safety switch is just to see if thats the problem and get it started so it can be moved out of the grass and i do not plan on leaving it disconnected, if it's bad i will replace it. if anyone replies with an answer to my post I do not condone ppl disconnecting their nss it is thair for a reason SAFETY....


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 13, 2008, 6:37 AM

Post #3 of 9 (3321 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In


If it uses a GM steering column for that same model year P series van it may look like this. This should be made operational as you want for sure. Hard to say with a School bus as the frame could be used for other creations than a school bus. Perhaps the switch is on the transmission - just can't say from what I can find,

T



tusseltussel
User

Feb 13, 2008, 7:15 AM

Post #4 of 9 (3318 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

hey tom how are you, I am planing on converting this bus into an rv to take to a few music festivals around my area. My key is on the dash not the column if that helps you any, I have a single wire that plugs into the trans, no other wires on it so thats what makes me think it is more like a sensor that when grounded would let power flow to the solenoid or the solenoid is bad... any thoughts oh and again i must thank you for your help with my ford truck it was running great til it cought on fire last week(rotted out rubber fuel hose) got it rewired and running again now but i gotta chk the timing again cause it's not running so great after the fire... it was for like 2 days but well thats another project


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 13, 2008, 7:47 AM

Post #5 of 9 (3316 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

Hi,

I'm not finding much to help me help you with this one. This switch below is a combo switch - both neutral safety and back up lights?? It fits a 1968 as I was just hoping it would be an old idea used. I have to plead "I don't know" except for test light checking just what that switch on the trans really does. It already failed to work properly so that doesn't help much either.

If you can see anything that detects the gear location with probably two wires to it that would help and I think that would be the one. Best I can suggest for now. Perhaps someone else knows these possibilities better for a school bus application.

Best guess is this is a turbo 350 trans - small chance it could be a turbo 400 but that's just guessing.

Good luck with it. Any suggestions guys?

T




tusseltussel
User

Feb 13, 2008, 7:10 PM

Post #6 of 9 (3310 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

i found this switch you have pictured and took it off the column. well theirs the problem The little plastic tab is broke off so i took a screw driver and pushed it to where park would be and it started right up so out i went to buy a new one and my first problem is solved now is this transmission business.


In Reply To

If it uses a GM steering column for that same model year P series van it may look like this. This should be made operational as you want for sure. Hard to say with a School bus as the frame could be used for other creations than a school bus. Perhaps the switch is on the transmission - just can't say from what I can find,

T



(This post was edited by tusseltussel on Feb 13, 2008, 7:11 PM)


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 14, 2008, 4:11 AM

Post #7 of 9 (3307 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

Ok: If that's solved what's still in need with the trans?

T



tusseltussel
User

Feb 14, 2008, 4:46 AM

Post #8 of 9 (3303 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

I posted about the trans. in the transmission trouble thread. but basically it won't go into park and reverse seems to engage and disengage... it doesn't stay engaged when you take your foot off the accelerator only when you get the rpms up a little, and it all around seems weak


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 14, 2008, 5:11 AM

Post #9 of 9 (3301 views)
Re: 1980 gmc school bus no crank Sign In

Ok: I'll look for that post. It may be a linkage adjustment and not the trans itself. As you know engine and trans torque some with load and tilt a bit which affects adjustments,

T







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