The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 59 Foot Start Ignition Switch Wiring. Baffled....

My new reproduction original style wiring harness is all installed and was easy enough for a non wiring typr guy like me. It is numbered and has the simple instruction sheet matching numbers to terminals etc. But when I get to the last step for me which is the original style foot stomp key switch, which has BAT IGN and ACCY only, I seem to have more wires than terminals. The sheet options says FOOT START IGNITION SWITCH WITH TWO IGNITION TERMINALS.....nope that is not what I have. Next option is KEY START IGNITION SWITCH WITH TWO IGNITION TERMINALS...nope not that one either and lastly KEY START IGNITION SWITCH WITH ONE TERMINAL, but it is for a starter with a solenoid, not the simple foot stomp.
My original switch was a three terminal just like the reproduction. My new original style 55-59 harness has a wire IGNITION SWITCH (IGN 1) TO RESISTOR LOWER TERMINAL TO COIL+ and has a IGNITION SWITCH (IGN2) TO RESISTOR UPPER TERMINAL. This of course confuses me right away as I only have one ignition terminal on the switch. Then I have a wire TEMP GAUGE TO ACCY TERMINAL (simple enough). Then AMMETER TO BAT (simple again) A wire marked START TERMINAL TO SIDE STARTER TERMINAL....which I assume is really the IGN TERMINAL on the switch I hope as I do not have a START terminal. Finally I have a wire that is marked IGN1 TO GAS GAUGE. I assume again that would be from the sole IGN terminal?
The two wires listed above that call for IGN 1 and IGN 2, both to the resistor have me goofed up along with the one listed as START TERMINAL TO STARTER..start terminal I hope is the sole IGN terminal? What gives? Any help or insight you can provide is appreciated. I have no problem following directions since I am not well studied (idiot) in the wonders of electrons etc. But when the directions do not match what I have in hand, then it is up to you guys to steer me straight. Thanks Ralph

maybe a couple wiring diagrams will help - the original factory setup, and what happens inside ... ign 1 and 2 are the "same thing" when the key is on, power to the coil comes FROM the resistor and TO the coil and also FROM the side terminal on the starter switch ["solenoid"] when that's engaged, to bypass the resistor ... you should be able to put IGN1 and IGN2 wires to the same terminal

"start terminal" would be on the key start V8 switch, "side terminal" is on the starter top switch [which hooks to the coil via the IGN terminal on the 6] .... anything else [like gauges] is wired to the terminal that is hot only when the key is on, you should have one labeled ACC

think it out functionally using the factory wiring diagram - sounds like those instructions are combining the 6 and V8 arrangements

Bill

Okay Bill Thanks. I can put both IGN 1 and IGN 2 wires to the sole terminal marked IGN of the three. Then I will put both the gas gauge and temp gauge wires together on the ACC terminal and the START TERMINAL is the only one left. I will try not to make any smoke.

If you use both of the wires on the ignition terminal you will be bypassing the resistor. The resistor should only be bypassed when starting. On the six cylinders this is accomplished with a side terminal on the push button. Don't use the wire to the ign. switch that bypasses the resistor, tie it out of the way and cover the end with tape. You won't use the start terminal of the ign. switch either.

Cletis - if that side terminal doesn't go thru the ign sw [as in the factory diagram], the truck will start anytime you push the foot pedal - hooked to the switch, the starter wire only bypasses the resistor when the starter is engaged, as designed, otherwise the resistor supplies the coil

Bill

It will start when you step on the starter but releasing the starter will kill it again. All I have ever seen went from the side terminal to coil. My 55-59 100-150 series maintenance manual shows a wire going from the ignition switch through the resistor to the coil and a wire going from the starter soleniod to the same terminal. A later model key switch will have an extra terminal for a wire going to the coil, But I don't think this was offered with the 6cy with step on starter. I can scan and email the wiring diagram that is found in the 55-59 GMC Book.

the diagram I posted above is scanned from the Chev shop manual, the wire from the starter [violet] goes directly and only to the ignition switch ... a factory wired system will NOT start when you hit the foot switch unless the key is on - I doubt GMCs were different considering that by 55 wire colors were industry standard

Bill

You won't use the start terminal of the ign. switch either.

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The 3 terminal switch does not have a start terminal.
Bill your switch diagram shows four terminals with IGN 1 and IGN 2. Was this the switch used with key start without foot stomp?

Rasman57,

Bill knows these rigs pretty well, so this explanation could be all wet. With a original three terminal key switch, BATT connects to power, obviously.

IGN would connect to the key side of a ballast resistor. The other side of the resistor would connect to the + side of the coil. The bypass terminal on the starter switch on top of the starter would connect to the coil side of the ballast resistor, or to the coil + itself, whichever you prefer.

Any switched load would come off the ACC terminal. This would be gas gauge etc.

There are lots of wires included in your harness for the solenoid start system that aren't used with the simple ON/OFF stomp starter.

Does this make sense.

Stuart

Stuart,
It does. Once I get the non used wires in the new harness sorted out from the others it is a matter of getting the used ones on the right terminals. The BATT and ACCY are OK, it was the IGN and discusssionof the resistor and coil that set me back a bit. The diagram with 4 terminals (or indicated) instead of the three confused me. The rest of the harness was basic so when I got "options" with the ignition switch, that threw me. I liked the color by number easy plug in of this Jim Carter supplied original harness but the one size fits all part of the switch is confusing to a novice. Ralph

The 1955-1959 GMC book shows only 3 terminal ignition switches used in all models. Was Chev different? I don't know. I have 7 old GMC's ranging from 49 to 56 and I use factory maintenance manuals for them. My Chev pickups are 2006-2008. Still in warranty so I don't worry about them.

the Chev factory wiring diagram [VIEW A] shows what I've seen on every 55-59 foot start I've dealt with ... note that "start" and "ign 2" are the same terminal .... the V8 wiring is here, with an actual seperate "start" terminal - violet [from the starter] still goes to the ign terminal, which is only hot with the key on

Rasman - put an ohmmeter to your switch and see which terminals connect when the key is on, the wire from the starter must go thru the switch or some mechanic is gonna be getting a hell of a surprise some day when 'bumping' the starter to get the BB in sight .... never seen a switch on these trucks that only has 3 terminals - maybe Chev cheaped out in 59 and used GMC parts?

Bill

It looks like we have discovered another difference between Chev and GMC. Electrical is section 7 in GMC Maintenance and pages 302-305 are devoted to wiring schematics for 1955-1959, 100 series to 500 series. They all use a 3 terminal ignition switch. I was twisting wrenches when these were new and GMC mechanics always unhooked the wire at the starter when they were looking for the timing mark. I was not aware that Chev used a different switch. My uncle sold GMC's and we had all GMC's until I bought a cab over International in 1968 and my truck fleet is still all International. I bought my first Chev pickup on 2003 when my cousin started selling Chev in addition to GMC but I don't fix anything on them.

Another interesting item is that the universal 3 terminal switch for the foot stomp is available as is the V-8 switch but I have not been able to find any reference to a replacement 4 terminal as original. The service manual for the Chevy clearly shows the wiring for those but everyone must want the V-8 or not use the foot stomp. If you know of any being reproduced chime in.

I had a 1956 550 GMC with an Olds block V8 which was my first 18 wheeler. It had a wire from the from the starter soleniod, to the coil. The reason I remember it is because I left it off once when I rebuilt the starter and it took a while to figure out my cold starting problems was low voltage at the coil. My maintenance manual only goes through 500 and I need to buy a 550 up manual because I am building one.