Free car

I got a 1994 Ford Escort for free the other day and now I am trying to
get to start. I jumped it to get to where I live but now it is being a
piece of shit. I removed the starter and tested it with jumper cables
and it worked great. I tested the hot wire to the starter and it lit
right up. The black wire to the solenoid, however, shows little
voltage with the key engaged. Looks like the wireing goes through a
"manual neutral lockout switch" which keeps it from starting in
anything but neutral or park. I can't locate the sob. Nothing on the
web helps either. OF

"oldfart" <alan.westcoast@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:988e8303-e709-4b8c-ade6-2200a7a56d9a@d1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>I got a 1994 Ford Escort for free the other day and now I am trying to
> get to start. I jumped it to get to where I live but now it is being a
> piece of shit. I removed the starter and tested it with jumper cables
> and it worked great. I tested the hot wire to the starter and it lit
> right up. The black wire to the solenoid, however, shows little
> voltage with the key engaged. Looks like the wireing goes through a
> "manual neutral lockout switch" which keeps it from starting in
> anything but neutral or park. I can't locate the sob. Nothing on the
> web helps either. OF
>
So if I am understanding ..
The car will not start with the key?

Three things come to mind
1. bad ignition switch
2. neutral safety NSS
3. short

Can you start it in neutral? If not it is prolly not the neutral safety
switch.
Chances are both contacts P & N are not out at the same time.
If it starts in neutral but not park then prolly the NSS neutral safety
switch.
The NSS is located on the tranny, follow the shifter cable to the
transmission, maybe under master cyl.

The solenoid should have 12v power on one side big bolt always.

The signal wire little wire must have 12 volts when the key is on.
If not the ignition switch is not sending the power.

There is an actuator in the ignition switch that wears out.
twenty bucks

If it is not ...possible short

"oldfart" <alan.westcoast@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:988e8303-e709-4b8c-ade6-2200a7a56d9a@d1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>I got a 1994 Ford Escort for free the other day ...
> Looks like the wireing goes through a
> "manual neutral lockout switch" which keeps it from starting in
> anything but neutral or park. I can't locate the sob. Nothing on the
> web helps either. OF

Maybe this?
http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/13/c9/cd/0900823d8013c9cd/repairInfoPages.htm

who will be driving this car?
how reliable do you want?
starter button on dash, or something factory?

"oldfart" <alan.westcoast@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:988e8303-e709-4b8c-ade6-2200a7a56d9a@d1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>I got a 1994 Ford Escort for free the other day and now I am trying to
> get to start. I jumped it to get to where I live but now it is being a
> piece of shit. I removed the starter and tested it with jumper cables
> and it worked great. I tested the hot wire to the starter and it lit
> right up. The black wire to the solenoid, however, shows little
> voltage with the key engaged. Looks like the wireing goes through a
> "manual neutral lockout switch" which keeps it from starting in
> anything but neutral or park. I can't locate the sob. Nothing on the
> web helps either. OF

Thank you folks. Once again you guys are more knowledgeable than the
guys down at the dealership.
http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/13/c9/cd/0900823d8013c9cd/repairInfoPages.htm
This link was very helpful and should do the trick. The car will be
sold to someone who is tired of putting $300 worth of gas in the old
lady's F250 every week just to go to work. I will invest in my rat
bike collection so I can post more pictures on the web.
Thanks,
Alan Gordon
Bishop, Ca