No start - alarm acting up?

Ericv8thunderbird

Ericv8thunderbird

4th Gear Poster
Joined
Sep 23, 2023
Messages
297
Location
Massachusetts
Vehicle Details
1994 Thunderbird LX
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Went to try and start my 94, and it wouldn’t start. I’m almost positive this is the culprit. I’ve never had issues with this alarm before, I’m really tempted to rip it out. I’m not sure if something got disturbed when I installed my clutch pedal though.

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Ericv8thunderbird said:
Went to try and start my 94, and it wouldn’t start. I’m almost positive this is the culprit. I’ve never had issues with this alarm before, I’m really tempted to rip it out. I’m not sure if something got disturbed when I installed my clutch pedal though.

View attachment 10722
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Ditch it. It’s not even the factory alarm anyway, it’s the one the dealer installed
 
Ericv8thunderbird said:
Do you think it would be possible to just keep the keyless entry portion, and remove the starter kill?
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Should be able to, the starter interrupt circuit simply is a relay put in between the starter wire. To bypass it just reconnect the wires back together, it’ll either be a thick White/Pink wire or a Red/Blue wire depending on where they spliced it in during the install

It’s also possible the relay is bad on yours and replacing it will fix it, but I’m not sure if yours has a separate relay like the factory alarm or if it’s all fully self contained in that box and not easily serviceable.
 
Just to clarify. When you say it won't start, do you mean it won't turn over at all, or it turns over, but will not start?
 
Keyless entry is a completely separate module in the trunk. Delete the alarm and get the remotes synced with the keyless module.
 
Derphound01 said:
Keyless entry is a completely separate module in the trunk. Delete the alarm and get the remotes synced with the keyless module.
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I was going on the assumption that his car doesn’t have factory RKE and this is an all in one alarm/keyless setup like a lot of aftermarket ones.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
I was going on the assumption that his car doesn’t have factory RKE and this is an all in one alarm/keyless setup like a lot of aftermarket ones.
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Correct, this is a dealer installed alarm system my grandparents had put in when they bought the car new. It’s actually a Code Alarm system, with a Ford sticker on it.
 
Do you have a keypad on the door?

I'm wondering if your car has both modules and the factory one was bypassed.
 
Derphound01 said:
Do you have a keypad on the door?

I'm wondering if your car has both modules and the factory one was bypassed.
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No key pad, there is no module in the trunk.

I removed the starter kill and sensor of the alarm and only left the keyless entry, it still will not start.

No clicks, no cranks. Nothing. But I have full accessories.

Could it be the tune? It was programmed to remove the auto trans features.
 
If it was the PCM, you'd probably get it to crank still. Unless the tune included a clutch safety switch to crank.

Have you checked the starter and wiring itself? How about the relay?
 
The starter cranking is just a simple circuit so a tune won't change it. I believe the car should crank even if the engine computer is removed.

To crank the ignition switch just sends voltage to the solenoid on the starter. There is no starter relay.

I would start by getting out a DMM and checking the ignition switch, also double check the wiring under the steering column. Maybe something got left unplugged?
 
If the dash lights cut out when you turn the key to start it could be the MLPS. Try starting in neutral instead of park. If not I'd focus on the ignition switch.
 
@Ericv8thunderbird I don't recall but aren't you doing a manual trans swap now? How far into it are you at this point?
 
Kenz said:
@Ericv8thunderbird I don't recall but aren't you doing a manual trans swap now? How far into it are you at this point?
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Yes, the manual swap is completely done, as well as the supercharger. I had it tuned to accommodate all of that.

Some of the dash lights do cut out when I try and start it, that’s why I’m thinking it could have been the tune?
 
Unless the PCM is from a different car the tune shouldn't have an effect on whether it cranks, with it being a manual I'd check the neutral safety switch.
 
theterminator93 said:
Unless the PCM is from a different car the tune shouldn't have an effect on whether it cranks, with it being a manual I'd check the neutral safety switch.
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I didn’t install a natural safety switch, I’ve double checked all the connections and they’re all plugged in. 😭
 
Are you sure you bypassed the MLPS correctly? IIRC you need to connect a couple wires to get the car to crank with the MLPS removed. :unsure:

Try manually starting the car.... Turn key the car to ignition on, then jump the starter solenoid to crank it over. You can buy a starter trigger at most auto parts stores.

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Kenz said:
Are you sure you bypassed the MLPS correctly? IIRC you need to connect a couple wires to get the car to crank with the MLPS removed. :unsure:

Try manually starting the car.... Turn key the car to ignition on, then jump the starter solenoid to crank it over. You can buy a starter trigger at most auto parts stores.

View attachment 10742
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This might be the issue right here, I will have to double check the MLPS.

I can't find the link to where the bypass info is, Does anyone happen to have that?
 
Was it starting after that manual swap was completed or is this a new development?

The wires I mentioned (white/pink, red/blue) are the starter wires that go through the MLPS, when you do the manual swap they need to be spliced together.
 
Ericv8thunderbird said:
This might be the issue right here, I will have to double check the MLPS.
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Shouldn't be a mlps in the car anymore if you got rid of the auto, just the greasy transmission fluid-soaked harness left from it being removed. You need to splice together the neutral safety switch wire on the MLPS harness if you haven't already.
 
Ericv8thunderbird said:
This is the first time i've tried to start it.
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Ah well that is a key piece of info, almost fed my own confirmation bias with aftermarket alarms 😆

Yeah no need to have the MLPS in the mix at all, in the entire transmission harness all you need in it after a manual swap is those spliced together starter wires, reverse lights and VSS.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
Ah well that is a key piece of info, almost fed my own confirmation bias with aftermarket alarms 😆

Yeah no need to have the MLPS in the mix at all, in the entire transmission harness all you need in it after a manual swap is those spliced together starter wires, reverse lights and VSS.
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I may have done the vss, and completely forgot about the MLPS 😳.

When you work on the car a little at a time you tend to forget things. 😂
I know the reverse lights are wired in for sure.
I’ll report back here when I look into this.
 
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