Car won't shut-off/trouble starting....

Here's what's up I'm having problems with my Chevelle!

Ok... here's the scenerio: The cars been sitting for a month I've been waiting for some kick panels w/ speakers built in that were back ordered, I installed the speakers, new head-unit yada yada, stereo works great. When I went to start the car it wouldn't start, cranks but won't fire. I ended up draining the battery trying, jumped it still nothing! Let it sit over night tried again this morning and it was doing the same thing then when I let off the key it fired up, let it run for 10min or so and when I went to shut it off it wouldn't shut off, the lights on the gauges went off and what not but the engine wouldn't! Finally had to pull the fuel pump relay to kill the fuel to kill it. ANY IDEAS WHERE TO START?

FYI:1968 Chevelle w/ 502 RAM-JET

I ended up replacing the ignition switch thinking that was the problem but it wasn't..... I pulled out the stereo too...

HELP!!!  

first...   have the battery charged...    

which ignition system do you have?????  an HEI.???  are you using the factory wiring /// with the second small wire up from the R terminal on the starter solenoid???/ i have had that wire short to the top post on the solenoid or get pinched to the battery wire and keep the engine from shutting off..

why is it there...

with point type ignitions.. you only need around 10 volts to run the coil when the engine is running..  but to start the engine you needed full battery voltage...   when the starter is cranking.. the full battery voltage is sent up the wire and it brings the coil to full voltage...   the cloth covered wire from the bulkhead connector is a resistor wire...   the ignition switch on these models.. also break the power circuit to the coil when the key is turned to the crank position...  this break of the circuit lets the coil get power from the starter bypass without problems...

so... you might want to inspect the starter wiring...    

for something unforgettable..    decades ago... on a parking lot far far away.. well actually it was a winchells donuts lot..
a friend came out with his V8 vega....   he had gotten with friends and swapped on a fresh starter..  this car idled at 1,800 rpms.. had a msd 7a ignition box... and a mallory pro coil with the wire firmly screwed on..    when he tried to shut it off it would not...  while were were talking about how to shut it down without fouling the plugs... another friend said... i'll do it .. i'll pull the coil wire..    before we could stop he he reached across the fenders and tried to pull it out of the coil...    it came out of the cap...     as the motor started to slow down.. we could see his hand.. it was covered with blue electricity..  like a glove...  when the motor stopped...   he could let go...   only a few of us saw it.. and even with a lot of prodding.. he would not do it again so everybody could see it..      it still makes me smile to think about it..

do you have a test light... put it on the plus side of the coil.. see if the system works... no power when the key is off... power when you turn the key on...  

I got lit up by a coil wire about 9 years ago, my buddy had a 69 pro street Camaro with a 468 and MSD ignition I reached over to retard the timing a bit and ZAPPOWWW that lit me like a Christmas tree!!!  I tell you what I sure as heck wouldn't do it again either!!  

smokeshow   there is a secret... a tiny dab of dielectric tune up grease under the boot on the distributer cap... yes it makes them slippery.. but it really helps seal the high voltage in...     on quad 4 motors with the coil on plug long cap...  if dielectric tune up grease is not used on the inside of both ends of the short boot... the car will come back with misfiring in a few weeks...

every television tube has some under the high tension wire boot to prevent high voltage leaks ...    just a few thoughts..  

noted, thanks for the tip!  

check your timing,  

Hopefully your buddy bought you a beer after your near death experience.  

There may or may not have been beer involved before the electrocution  

Hmm...That extra yeast in your blood stream could be the life saving factor.