So, we all know that the First Gens don't have the greatest wiring, and the ignition is pretty simple, but awfully necessary. If you find yourself, like I did this week, only halfway to payday and needing an ignition switch since the one you have now gets everything going except the starter part of the circuit, here's what you do...

Call your local AutoZombies. Ask for the switch. Shrug when they ask if it's a 4wd. Do the math and realize you can't afford it this week, but jumping the truck off with a paperclip (that's a whole other tech article) is not an option for the rest of the week since you have $28 to last until payday and the part is $36. Go down to the electric parts and pieces aisle, pick out the $4.99 push button switch. Think about shoplifting it, but don't. Purchase it, and go jump off the truck with the paperclip.

When you get home, pull the plug out of the starter relay. You have several wires going into it on my 91.5 with five blade plugs in the actual socket, you guys with more "computerized" '92 and '93s might have more, but I doubt it. You will see a brown and a red wire in this little plug harness. Using similar color (!) and gauge wires, attach a spade connector to the ends, run them up into the passenger compartment, rig up your push button switch (mine is in one of the lower dash panels) and then push the spade connectors into the back of the plug that goes into the starter relay (they will go in and make the connection beside the wires in the actual plug harness). You can turn the keyed switch to "run", hit the button to engage the starter, and off you go. If your switch is like mine, you may be able to use the "start" part of the keyed switch if it feels like it, or you have the push button for problem days. I have a manual trans, and I have the clutch switch bypassed, and that may be a problem for you guys who have it, since I'm not sure if this will override this or not, so don't run the help over by forgetting it. This took me about an hour to do the right way, and I did not have to hack any wires in our already weak harnesses to do it. When I scrounge up my extra $36 and replace the switch, I can unhook the pushbutton switch and not worry about chasing a short. Hope this helps somebody, and there are no pics since its a plug and play... and I have no idea where the camera has migrated to.

P.S. But put the paperclip in the toolbox beside the roll of duct tape and the coathanger. Just in case.

 

A side note.
I bought a replacement ignition switch from Napa. I had to shim the switch to make it work correctly. If you tighten the mounting screws up without shimming it, the switch jams up. I put a washer on each screw between the switch and the column. Worked fine that way.

 

I have a new starter relay but I can't for the life of me find the old one or where it plugs in. I have the 92 250. Have had it for about a year. It has a bunch of add on's, none of them work. The radio has a mind of it's own and the rest of it more or less works or it did until it wouldn't turn over. No warning. just would not start.

Help if you can where is it hiding ?

 

On my 91 I jumped the wires strait from the power cable that run to the starter theres 2 wires that come off of it that run to the ignition under the hood that when u turn the key it closes the circut I just hooked these two wires to a push button start on my dash. Simple took maybe 20 minutes..the guy I got the truck from "lost the key" and ruined the ignition on the stearing column... make sure you use 10g wire or better I melted the first set of wires over time.. I believe the wires are brown and black connected by a plug near the battery.

 

I tried the jump but had no luck. I cleaned up the main ground, nudda. For a short time the glo plug / heater would not cycle but it works now. I think I will put in a new plunger/ connect, bearing and brush kit, my logic is at an end but I figure it couldn't hurt.

 

Have you checked your voltage regulator...in my experience the voltage teg goes out very easily when dealing with electrical especially when I was wiring my 96' seats into my 91' got the good captins chairs and center console thar flips to a third seat...but the voltage regulator will give you starting problems and mess with your radio I have a kenwood flatscreen in mine and everytime I crossed wires on accident the voltage regulator would blow and my radio would go into protect mode...my truck is in the shop rightnow due to a misfire being injectors ( I hope ) I will take and post some pictures asap when I get it back for you so you can see exactly what im talking about...