1990 745 runs fine, juat won't start w the key.
When I turn the key to Position II the bottom row of test lights across the dash instrument panel lights up. With head light Sw in Off, the Hi beam indicator light glows a faint blue and stays on, even when the car is running. When I turn key to Position III sometimes the row of dash lights dims just a little and sometimes no change in brightness. It has started w the key only 4 times in the 5 months I've had it on the road. But it starts in 1 -2 seconds every time if I turn the key to Position II, lift the hood and touch my pocket knife blade to both the Batt and the Ign sw terminals on the solenoid.
Battery is 6 mos old and fully charged. I disconnected all eng compartment grounds, cleaned and reconnected. Same w wiring to ParkSafetyStart Switch on shifter, battery terminals & cable ends, plus 3 terminals on solenoid.

I checked w test light - it lights at every point from ign key sw to the bayonet connector for Bl/Gn wire on the solenoid. I took elec connector off end of Ign Sw and then the Sw (not the steering lock). Nothing dirty or corroded, I brightened the pins w #1200 W/D paper, misted w WD40 and reassembled. Maybe I should use meter to get voltages?

A few other symptoms and relevant? info:
1990 745 Automatic, Regina Ign. Prev Owner had this new (used) engine put in, but never got it running and she gave up and sold it to me. It sat for a year. I had it flatbedded to Viking Motors (Mike know Volvos and does VG work). I brought him the new batt and he finished the engine set up and tune up, and I drove it home. Brakes overheated and boiled the fluid, no more pedal. I lost elec power - ign stayed on and eng kept going but no power windows, turn signals, lights, etc. I've redone the brakes at home, now good. Elec came back without me knowingly doing anything, passed NYS emissions test. But it has the starter problem.......
When Ign sw is in Pos II headlights work Hi and Low, but blue Hi beam indicator glows dimly when lights are Off, and when Low beams are switched on, but it goes out when Hi beams are switched on. 2 months ago it went on twice correctly when Hi beams were on.
Speedometer and odometer don't work, neither does temp gauge. I haven't checked anything w those. Tach, clock and fuel gauge work.

Checking tonite w the meter I get 12.45v at Battery and at red battery cable terminal at solenoid w key Off or in Position II. When eng is running it reads 13.6 - 13.9 volts.
Next I put test lead on Ign switch term (Bl/Gn wire) on solenoid, turn key to Position II - reads 0v.
Turn key to Position III, meter reads 8.7v and climbs slowly to 9.3v in about 2 minutes, but no solenoid click and no starter motor spin, is this Weird or normal?

Then I pulled Bl/Gn ign sw wire off solenoid term and connected tester to the dangling wire end - with Ign sw Off it read 0v, then turned key to Position II and it read 9.8v. Is this Weird or normal? I was expecting it to read 0.
Turned key to Position III and it jumped to 12.08v.

I’m suspecting my Ign sw is faulty, or maybe the solenoid is tired, maybe bad wire or corrosion on connection from small red wire from Bat to Ign Sw via jct/connector ......??


The diagram in my Haynes book for an '88 740 shows a junction connector for the red wire from battery to several (4?) other reds. I haven't found that jct to measure voltage going into the ign sw. Anyone tell me where it is? I got the weird meter readings mentioned above and came in to post this ASAP to get explanations and help from Brickboarders. I've been trying to diagnose this for weeks. I want to have this 740 ready to sell and I'll stay w my 240s.