Car wont start now - Ignition questions

[TexasEd 188]

I have been driving my car a couple months.  I found out that my battery was not charging because the control wire from the alternator to the voltage regulator had been cut (Thanks Midlife for the help).  It started for me once after I connected that wire and I confirmed it was charging the battery.

A week later it would not start.  Here are the steps I've verified:

• No noise at all when I turn the ignition key
• Battery fully charged at 12.6V
• No voltage at the S terminal on the starter relay/solenoid when ignition in start
• Jumped the battery to the S terminal on relay and the starter engages and the car fires

I assume this is something in the ignition switch or wiring between the switch and the relay.  Is there anything else I need to check? 

Can I bypass the key and hot wire it to make sure the wiring up to the key works?  

Do I just need to order/install a new ignition switch? 

 

Thanks

[Midlife 814]

Check your neutral safety switch (jiggle the shifter while key is in crank if automatic); broken wire in NSS jumper if manual tranny.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

Here's what it looks like electrically. As Mid said it could be the neutral safety switch, or you could be right and its the ignition switch. You could put the car in park or neutral, turn the key to "on" and jump from S to the battery lug on that side of the solenoid. If it starts but dies after you remove the short, then its either B to C in the ignition switch, the tach if you have one, or the resistor wire. 

[TexasEd 188]

Thanks for the reminder on the neutral safety switch.  That was it.  I shifted to drive and back to park before I tried to start it and it cranked.

I think one of my kids may have played with the shiftier when I let them sit in the car.