The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Confused!!

Im not an electrical guy but I usually can figure things out with a little common sense! Not this time, Im working on my 52 3100 and trying to figure out why my ignition works backwords? When the key is turned to the right I have no power, when it is turned back to the left I do! Any help on this would be appreciated.

One of the original-equipment ignition switches works that way. Does the lock tumbler have a small handle built into it below the key slot? With the key straight up, the ignition is on. Turned to the right, the switch is "Off- - -unlocked". Turned to the left and the key removed results in "Off, switch locked". This was done so the vehicle could be operated without a key if desired. The 58 Chevy school bus I rode back in high school was set up that way.
Jerry

Please do take this response as being sarcastic.

You have it wired incorrectly. My 54 is wired "backwards", as you describe. When I got it in 1971, that is how it was wired. For old-times-sake, I have left it that way.

take an ohm meter and ring the switch out , (determine which terminals are open and closed in each position ) needs to be open in off position closed in on position ....

Hot rod Lincoln I think you might be right ! Thats the only thing that makes sense. Like I said i'm not a wiring guy but there are 3 posts on the back of my ignition, One is power in from the bat. when I turn key to the right the other two are dead , when I turn key straight they read 8.49 volts ( I have an 8 volt battery). Dumb but I don't know how to read ohms ??? Thank you guys for the help. Troy

Please do yourself a favor and practice your shot-put technique with that 8V battery! An 8 volt battery is the solution to a nonexistent problem and it can only lead to lots of electrical nightmares. Even if you find an old-school electrical specialist who knows how to adjust the voltage regulator to keep the battery charged (about as likely as finding a chicken with lips) the toll in burned-out headlight bulbs and failed electrical parts will be considerable.
Jerry

Yes the 8-vlt battery was a tip from an old hot rodder. After I had it in my pickup I got to thinking (common sense) that my generator is 6- volt so it probably will only charge it to 6-volts!

The upper voltage cutoff for your charging system is around 7.5 volts, so until the battery gets severely discharged, it won't connect to the battery at all. Then there's a strong likelihood the cutout relay will stay closed and the battery will discharge through the regulator and the generator the first time the engine is shut down, destroying everything, so you get to buy not only a new battery but a generator and regulator to boot. Good luck!
Jerry

8-volt is OUT! lol

Beware of "old hotrodders" … !

The mists of time sometime clouds their recollections…(I'm being kind)

If you listen to Jerry ….. you'll avoid lots of problems! :-))

mike
PS- Jerry, you should put out a book on "myths, legends, and un-truths in the old car hobby" …. I wonder how thick it would be?!?!?

I took Jerrys words seriously! In fact I'm thinking that the 8-volt battery may be the cause of some past problems with regulator,generator. I now have a almost new 8-volt battery for sale (cheap)! Again I really appreciate the help!

Thanks Troy

I called them "Old mechanics' tales" back when I was teaching- - - -sort of like "Old wives' tales"! What might have been good advice 75 years ago is totally wrong now, in a lot of situations. "Keep a hot engine running when you pour water into the radiator!"- - - -good advice if you're filling a Model T with no water pump, but that advice went out of date in 1928 when they put a pump on the Model A! The only way to add water to an overheated engine these days is to wait until it's a cold engine! Plenty of similar situations out there!

It was not uncommon to get a kid in my class with a father, grandfather, uncle, or cousin in the auto repair business who had all the answers, no matter what the question might be, and quite often the advice they were giving was so far off the wall it was laughable. Of course, as soon as I tried to correct the misinformation the kid had been fed, the oldtimer got his feathers ruffled and called me all sorts of nasty names! Now the kid is in the middle- - - -I expect him to do it my way, and someone he loves and respects has a different opinion! Teaching is fun!
Jerry