I was wiring up an ignition switch in my roadster tonight and am sooo stumped. I have it wired up like this. Battery terminal to pos side of solenoid Acces. terminal to the fuse panel Ign. terminal to the coil 4th post back to the solenoid I have done a continuity test and it tests ok, but when i have it wired up I turn the key to the 1st position and the motor turns. Am I missing something here?? Do you think the switch is bad even though it tested fine? Its just a cheap switch I picked up for 12 bucks. Thanks in advance for the help!!!
Well there must be a wire common to the starter solenoid and the coil. It might be on the wrong post at the starter. What kind of engine, wiring protocol Ect might help
The motor is a 59a flathead. When I tested the switch, one click tested to the acces. post, two clicks to ign post. then turn all the way over against the spring tested to 4th post. When you let off the continuity goes back to the ign post.
Are you running a 12 volt battery with a resister bi pass? You could be back feeding voltage if the solenoid is hooked up wrong.
What solenoid ? the old Ford 6V one ? If so that is your problem as those were grounded to actuate and sounds like a back feed issue.
the solenoid is new 12v. Battery in one side other side to starter, one post solenoid, has wire from 4th post on switch to it. I just don't get it!
I am running a 12 volt battery....no resister bypass. I thought about backfeed of voltage but cannot understand where it would come from.
Ok try switching those two small wires on the solenoid - like I said a few posts back !!! If you are only running one wire there you'll need to find out what is hotting the solenoid. It's hard over the Internet . If its the wire going to the solenoid without being in start position, there's a issue in the direction towards the dash.
The solenoid has only one small wire on it.....it goes to the start position on the switch. problem is that the motor turns over before I get to that position on the switch. the solenoid is getting power at the wrong position on the switch. Im gonna get a new switch to eliminate that possibility, even though it tested ok.
Try disconnecting the wire from the start position, if the problem stops, probably the switch; if not, check for a cross feed in the wiring.
Again I am going to reiterate John Evans response. There are two reproduction ford solenoids on the market. One is actuated by a positive hot wire, the other is just like the original and it actuates with a switch that grounds the solenoid. Check with the part distributor they will tell you which solenoid you have.
Just ground the small terminal with a jumper if it cranks you have the wrong solenoid or use it with a starter button.
I have the solenoid that is actuated by one hot pos wire. I don't think there could be crossfeeding because nothing is tied in together. I have juice to the switch, turn once to acces, turn again to ign...all the way to start then springs beck to ign. Is it possible the power is jumping between positions???
It could cross between your points of contact at your switch. I'd try unhooking the switch and energizing each wire separately to see if you can let the smoke out of that baby.
Thanks for all the help guys....I'm happy to report that is was the switch! Put in a new one and problem solved. Thanks again!
<!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --> 6 volt SS-558, SS-587 is the 12 volt version of SS-558, both Standard Ignition numbers.