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I've been restoring my 59 Chevy 1/2 ton Napco for 13 years. I finally have it done, everything painted and assembled, and am getting ready to try to start it. I guess my questions are going to cover several areas or issues but here goes.
I replaced the entire wiring harness with what is supposed to be remake of stock system. I've been delaying trying the wiring because I'm afraid something is going to be wrong and something will melt. Today I hooked up battery and tried head lights, brake lights, license plate light, gauges, horn, even glove box light and they all worked. I then turned on the ignition to try turn signals and they worked too. Unfortunately that's where the good feelings ended. I tried the wipers, heater motor, and radio as well as dome lamp and gauge lights and nothing worked. I then tried to see if it would turn over and there was nothing from the foot stomp. I turned off ignition and touched the ignition ballast and it was very hot. I could smell it.
My first question is, is ignition ballast supposed to be that hot? I'm guessing no. The coil is new and is supposed to be used with external resistor.
My next question is, could the ignition switch be bad since the items not working require switch to be on?
I guess my last question for now is could it be the fuse block? Does anyone have a diagram or picture of what an operating truck's fuse block would look like. I feel like I'm missing some fuses.
While the truck looks great it's not much fun looking at it in the garage. I'm ready to drive it.
Thanks in advance for help.
Brian M

yes, the ignition resistor will get very hot, and new ones stink for some time, it's job is to reduce voltage ... by dissipating heat, that's why it has a ceramic body .... if it's getting hot there's power to the coil [and the points are closed] ... if the resistor is getting hot, the switch must be working, as it passes the juice to the ignition

sounds like the things that don't work are those that should be getting power from the fuse panel [exceptions see below], you may not have that hooked up correctly
the fuse panel was optional for the TF years, an original looks like this, there is an available repro with the hookup wires

gauge lights work off the headlight switch via the rotation of the knob/shaft, if you have an original switch, the rheostat part may be dirty or otherwise not making contact - or not be hooked up right .... dome light is also off the light sw, gets a ground from the same rheostat part .... pic from assembly manual - note there are 2 wires to the dome lamp, one hot with the ground the switched wire

not cranking over could be a variety of things, bad starter; bad contact in the starter switch [box on top of it]; not wired right

Bill

Thanks again. I'm glad to hear the Ballast resistor is supposed to get hot. I can at least relax about the smell. I'll start working through the grounds for each item and review the fuse block. Yes, I'm using the old glass fuses.
Bill, that's the fuse block I have.
I'll try to take a good look at everything tomorrow.
I appreciate all the help.
Brian M

Be sure cab, frame & engine all have ground straps

Dave,
Thanks. I looked today at the wiring diagram in the manual and I see that the negative strap from the battery goes to the firewall. I have that hooked up right. I also have a strap that goes from starter to firewall but don't see diagram that shows a strap from frame to anywhere. Seems that I should have one strap from frame to cab or engine. I have another 59 that has the negative off of battery directly to frame but I'm sure that from previous owner, not stock.
Still no dash lights, radio or wipers.
Do wipers have their own fuse? The motor was a NOS but I put it in about 6 years ago and don't remember seeing one.
Thanks again
Brian M

When in doubt if a ground is needed, add the ground wire.
Anything mounted on rubber (or any other insulator including paint) needs a ground wire if it isn't included in the harness.

Well I went back over my ground straps, removed paint to make sure I had good connections and added a ground wire from engine to frame. Unfortunately it did not do anything for my radio, dome light or dash lights. My foot stomper did not work either. However in a moment of anger I stepped on the starter as hard as I could and it turned over. I guess I wasn't pushing hard enough. My other trucks don't have to be pressed that hard. Is there an adjustment?
I still haven't checked the grounds for my dash but the turn signal lights work ans well as the hi beam indicator. My gas gauge works too. I guess one thing at a time.
Brian M

Yes there is an adjustment on the step starter actuating rod. Loosen the nut and give it a turn or two and tighten the nut.

Martin, where is the actuating rod? Is it inside the starter?

Dave, the piece you stomp on. Adjusting will give you a bit more travel. Alternative is to glue a washer on top of the button on the solenoid. Been a very long time since I had to do this so his may not be adjustable. But worth a look.

Leaving the ignition on while testing other circuits is a big NO-NO! If the points happen to be closed, there is a constant current flowing through the ignition switch, coil, points, and ballast resistor. That overheats and burns the points, and makes the ballast resistor get hot. If you're not planning on starting the engine right away, disconnect the wire from the side of the distributor temporarily while the switch is on, or at least bump the starter over until you can see that the points are open. If you've got vacuum wipers, no amount of wiring is going to make them work- - - - - -just a thought!
Jerry

Thanks. I do recall seeing an adjustment nut. I just forgot. Yes, I have been careful not to burn points and have cranked it to where they are open. The wipers are electric. Is there a fuse at the wiper motor or just at accessory block? Its been a while since I assembled the interior and at 6'5", 270 lbs its not easy to get a good look up under the dash.
Thanks again for your help.
Brian M

I've been known to use a step stool and a piece of plywood about four feet long and 18" wide to help me do under-dash work, or even take the seat out if I'm going to be there awhile. For some reason, it's a lot harder to get a 70 year old body under a dash than it was 40 years earlier! It sounds like you need to do some circuit tracing from the "accessory" terminal of the ignition switch to the fuse block, then to the wiper switch, etc. I always start at a place I know there's voltage, and follow the wiring through whatever fuses and switches are involved to find where the circuit loses continuity.
Jerry

Jerry,
Thanks again. I think I may take the seat out. I appreciate the help.
Brian M

This evening we tried to get the truck started. I removed distributor and manually turned the oil pump until oil made it to the top end. I then replaced everything to its original position. I even changed the ignition switch and took the one out of my other truck that I know runs. Well at least it did until I took out the switch. Now I am getting 12 volts to the coil at both positive and negative coil terminal. However I'm getting nothing from coil to distributor and no spark. I tried 3 different coils with the same results.
Shouldn't I be getting a reading from coil wire to distributor when it's cranking?
Not sure what to do next. Any suggestions?
Anyone in the Pittsburgh area that wants to make some money getting this thing running? Getting desperate.
Thanks again,
Brian M

Brian, Jerry and others are much better at this than I am, but....
So, you have voltage up to the coil, but not to the distributor. Could you have a bad coil wire? Maybe check for resistance.

I don't know how you can check for voltage at the distributor when it is cranking? If you have 12 volts both sides of the coil all the time the points are open all the time or the wire from breaker plate to ground inside the distributor is broken or not connected Or it is a bad wire from coil to distributor.

Well I did have 12 v at the coil but now I don't have any juice going to coil. The next day after posting previous progress, I went back to the truck and had nothing. The three pronged connection on the back of the ignition switch doesnt seems to fit right. I'm wondering if thats the problem. When I turn on the key it shows I'm getting voltage to the coil for a split second but then it's gone. I definitely have power to the ignition.
I also am a little concerned about the resistor. It was extremely hot and almost looked like it was glowing on the back side against firewall the other night.
Someone at a car cruise last weekend suggested the condenser might be bad in the distributor? Does anyone think that could do it?
I'll try new coil wire. That certainly is an easy check.
I'm sure when it's all said and done I'll sit back and want to kick myself because it's something simple, but right now I'm ready to walk away for a while.
Thanks again

Just starting to get back to this electrical issue. Couldn't work on it through the winter but need to get it running this spring. As I mentioned back in the fall my ballast resistor was extremely hot. I was getting intermittent juice to coil. I purchased an original from a gentlemen in Carlisle and decided to change out the aftermarket one. When I took it off the resistor was cooked. The wire in back crumbled. Before I hook up the new one I have a question. How many wires go to the resistor? My other truck has one green and one 20ga. brown. For some reason I had 2 browns and a green. The second brown seems to be about 16 ga. I will be crawling under dash this weekend to see where both browns come from.
Again, thanks.
Brian M

Over the years our trucks get wired/rewired different ways. Hopefully you have a wiring diagram; there are plenty of sources on this site. That being said, power runs to your ignition switch. When you turn your switch to the "start" position, power goes directly to the distributor - 12 volts. When you release your switch and it goes to the "run" position, 12 volts goes to your ballast resistor, and from the resistor to your distributor.

I've seen wires running off the resistor to power the wipers, and a number of other ways. Just learning how it is supposed to be wired, then see what you have, then you will know what needs to be changed-if anything.

Well, after 14 years and many frustrating days we finally got it to run on Saturday. I had a few intake/exhaust leaks as well as a gas leak but after resolving those issuesm, adjusting valves, it run s pretty good after a 14 year vacation. However we still haven't resolved the wiring issue. We were able to get it running by going from the battery to the coil. There's still something going on with the ignition wires. When running through the ignition we get 12.8 volts to the top of the resistor, through the 20 gauge brown wire, and 0 at the bottom green wire. There seems to be a problem with the two green wires that run from ignition, one to the coil and one to the resistor. We've switched 3 different ignition switches, 4 coils, 3 resistors. We're down to thinking the connector that is supposed to connect the green wires to the ignition switch is not making contact.
I went to junk yard yesterday and cut out connector and wires from an old 59. I'll be trying that tomorrow or Thursday and will let you know.
Once again, I want to thank everyone who has provided their input.
Brian M

Update and hopefully the final post regarding this topic. After all these days and frustrating efforts, we finally figured out the issue. Apparently there is a flaw in the new wiring harness. The green 20 gauge wires that run from back of ignition switch, one to ballast resistor and one to coil, were not registering any voltage. We cut those wires loose and hooked up new wiring from resistor to back of ignition switch and back to coil. Now it works as it is supposed to. All this aggravation because of one bad wire that is somewhere in the nicely wrapped (M&H Electric Fabricators) harness.
Still don't have radio or wipers but i'll address that another time. I'm going to get this thing out and about and take it to some cruises. After 14 years it's finally seen the light of day, and unfortunately rain.
Thanks again for all your help and advise. I figured it was going to be something simple, I just didn't think it would be so hard to figure out..
Brian