The momentary switch is just power in, power out. The only switches that get ground are ones that are triggered by ground or ones that light up. So depending on how you want to wire it in you would hook up power in and power out to the start terminal of the solenoid. You could bypass the neutral start portion of the circuit or use it. I don't think it's a good idea to bypass the ignition switch either but if you really want to do it I can tell you how. I don't remember the year of your truck to look up how right now, and you would want to remove the ignition switch to bypass it anyways. Then you would have to decide if you want a switch for the accessory position, which would mean two bypass switches if you ever sit with the radio on. It would definitely be easier to just fix the key problem.

 

I guess there are 2 possible ways to do it - simple way and interesting way. By simple way i mean installation of alarm/remote start system equipped with temp sensor, it is capable of keeping the engine (and sometimes cabin) warm when temperature falls below pre-defined value. In here we have Starline alarms with 4 preset temp. values. It starts the engine every 2 hours for 10 minutes when it's colder than a preset value. It also allows to warm up the truck before entering it.

The interesting way is creating "push start button" system (not "push for starter engagement" - it's really equal to posting "steal me" as it was said above). It would take some security card reader or any other identification system to turn the ignition on, a timer not to let the starter spin for more than 15 seconds, and voltage or RPMs detector to figure out if the engine had started already. I was dealing with electronics a while ago, so i can only generally figure out how it should work, i can't design the whole system.

 

I'm not trying to get too crazy here. No fancy stuff. I guess for clarification, I'd rather keep the key function intact. Is there a way to wire this push button so that you have to turn the key to 'on' (so no one can just drive away without a key) and then push the button instead of turning the switch all the way to start?

My reason for considering is that I'm not sure if it's just the cylinder wearing out, or something else inside the column. I already have the push button, and was hoping it would be a quick splice of a couple of wires under the dash before frostbite sets in.

This could always be undone when the weather warms up - it's just getting impossible to turn the key all the way to 'start' when it's cold outside. For what it's worth, it's a 1991 5.0L.

 

Simply put, I just want the push button to 'complete the circuit' that happens when your crank the key all the way to start the truck.

The chassis wiring diagram shows a light green wire with a red stripe going to the ignition switch, but nothing else. I'm assuming that this light green/red wire needs to make a circuit with some other wire when the button is pushed?

 

See if the light green w red tracer is the wire out by your solenoid. you need the wire that is on the start terminal and the solenoid. I don't know if you've done it yet or not, but i'm just going to throw it out there before you get to crazy, try shootin some wd-40 into the key cylinder. We did this to my dads old 88 250 diesel and it worked great, had similar problems.

 

Thanks - I might try the WD-40 first. I'm not trying to make an import tuner out of the thing, just wanna be sure it starts without having to pop the hood and use a screwdriver.

 

I shot 'er full of WD-40 and started it a couple of times. Seems like it might have helped. I had tried some graphite lock stuff before, but that didn't do the trick. Over the next few days I guess I'll see how the WD-40 works.

 

have you tried spraying some kind of penetrating lubricant into the key hole, i would try spraying a little in there before i went rooting around with wires. see if it free's it up any. Not to much just a little bit.

 

Not to throw a loop in this thread, but if you have worked on a VW superbeetle, there is a pushbutton on it. Yes you have to turn the key but only to unlock the steering, then push the button and it cranks right on up. Maybe to give you something to follow if you can find a diagram.

 

A single throw/single pole switch doesnt have enough contacts. I have done this for a friend that had the same sort of problem but it was a Z71. Its not the same truck but its ignition switch works the same. There is a number of contacts that make and break at the same time. If you could find a toggle switch with about 3 to 4 sets of contacts it would work but it would be easier and faster to replace ignition switch. I wished it worked like the movies but the electrical system is lot more complicated than in older vehicles.