Intermittent Starting - bypass neutral safety switch?
 

Greetings!

1999 Mercury Sable wagon - 168,000 miles

Sometimes after running the car around town, I return to the car, only to not be able to start it. I turn the key, all dash lights are on - no crank, no start, nothing. I hear the fuel pump charge, but that's it.

Battery is good. Switched relays in the Power Junction Box - no difference. Replaced the neutral safety switch (transmission range sensor, etc.), but now I'm wondering if that NSS was bad? Tried starting in other gears (it actually has the same symptoms as trying to start in other gears). Starting in neutral is the same problem. Turn the key, and nothing. The NSS is tight, and like I said, will start fine, cold.

Checked the red wire from the battery (thru the Power Junction box) to the solenoid's primary power post - no juice when the car is acting up.

Seems if I let the car sit for 10 or 15 mins, it will start. I've heard people talk of an immobilizer, and the vehicle theft system, but I don't know the symptoms of those devices. Would they cause the engine *not* to crank?

Often, to force a start, I will pull back on the spring-loaded gear shift lever (column shift), and release it while the key is turned to START position. I may have to do it 10 or even 20 times, but eventually it starts. I found this out by trial and error.

Again - to summarize:

Checked battery
Starter (didn't go into detail, but checked the solenoid, and starter)
Replaced Neutral Safety Switch
Swapped relays in the Power Junction box (broken wire? how to check)
Oh, and replaced the Ignition Switch Block

I would like to bypass the NSS to see if that makes any difference. Anyone know what pin(holes) to jump to do that? Or how to find it out?

Thanks for taking a look!

RobN

CORRECTION - Power to primary solenoid post
 

I need to make a correction.

Previously I said that there was no power to the primary power post on the solenoid to the starter. I'll revise that by saying that there *is* power to that post, while the key is in the START position. But, still no power to the small ignition post that goes to the starter.