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Ignition Switch Question

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havasujeepn View Drop Down
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    Posted: 11 May 2020 at 11:59pm
Greetings, I've had my jeep for almost a year now and I've always had to remove the terminals from the battery posts, because it seemed the battery was being drained. If set for a couple of days, it had a hard time starting and I'd end up having to charge the battery. I've always had the key in the "off" position, when not driving. When in the "off" position, whether the key is in or out, when I press on the starter switch, the starter will turn the engine over, but will not start. The horn and lights also work when the key is in the "off" position. There are two positions for the key in the ignition. There is the 12 o'clock position, "off", and the 3 o'clock position, "on". Nothing in between for ACC. Was wondering if any one else has had this problem and what did you to correct it. I'll bet the PO may not have wired the electrical correctly, if that is the problem. Maybe the wrong ignition switch is installed. Any helpful hints would be very much appreciated.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steelyard Blues Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 12:21am
Sounds like it is wired correctly to me.
 
If you look at the wiring diagram, the horn and the lights are not supplied by the ignition switch but the ammeter. The ignition switch only powers the coil and the fuel gauge. The starter switch gets its power directly from the battery.
 
It is possible that your switch is not completely turning off.  Since it will not start with the key off, this may not be the case. Disconnect the coil and fuel gauge for a couple days and see what happens. Possibly your fuel gauge is hot all the time or there is some other item that the PO has wire up that is not turning off.
 
Another possibility is a taillight remaining on.
 
Do you have a separate dash light switch?
 
 
Micah


Edited by Steelyard Blues - 12 May 2020 at 12:23am
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Lee MN View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lee MN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 12:34am
Or the voltage regulator is sticking and draining the battery 😮

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote havasujeepn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 12:38am
Micah,
I guess it's time for me to really follow the wiring diagram and make sure it's wired correctly. There is no separate dash light switch. I guess I've been avoiding to contort my hands, arms and body to look at things behind the dash. I'm not as nimble as I used to be, but I guess I need to stop making excuses. Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

Lee,
How do I check the voltage regulator? Would that be something like checking if there is a current going thru using a meter?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WeeWilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 1:08am

  You could take the ground cable off at the battery and check to see if there is any current between the the cable and the battery post. With every thing turned off there shouldn't be any.  I would also suspect the voltage regulator is the culprit .

    Jim
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote havasujeepn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 1:20am
Jim, did what you suggested and there IS current running between the ground cable and battery post with the everything turned off! Would that be the voltage regulator being the culprit or is it in addition to what may be wrong?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 1:21am
Yes.  

The key coil only has only on and off.  My experience is 12 o'clock off and 3 o'clock run (which seems 180 degrees out of how it seems like it should work).  12 o'clock is also the position where the key comes out. (Experts Please weigh in on this)

Based on you battery drain it sounds like you have a hot wire going to ground that is draining your battery somewhere on your Jeep.

Based on it not starting (assuming the starting circuit is not part of the voltage drain issue)- I would guess you have corrosion on one or more of your wires going from the battery, to the foot switch to the key coil posts, to the key coil internal rotation switch plates (you might be able to rotate the switch a bunch of times and clean that up), to the feed wire between the coil and the side of the distributor (this is the wire small wire that attaches to the top of the coil), or the wire connection that the small wire (Negative side of the primary on the coil that goes to the points and condenser) going to the outside of the coil.  The post on the side of the coil can also be take apart and its connections on the outside and inside need to be clean.    
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncamoney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 1:32am
The oldest vehicle I ever worked on was a 1906 Buick. Some of the old cures still work today. Put a knife switch from the battery and maybe hook it to a cable under the dash. Easy and foolproof.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote havasujeepn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 1:41am
Steve, you've given me some great suggestions. I'll be doing them this weekend. We're you saying "yes" to the problem may be the voltage regulator?

John, not too sure what you mean. Can you be more specific? Like either the pos or neg terminal and to what cable, under the dash, to hook up to. And what result am I looking for?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncamoney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 1:59am
It doesn't matter what cable you put the knife switch on as long as no other wires are hooked to the battery. You have broken the circuit.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote havasujeepn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 2:07am
John, I guess I should have googled what a switch knife is. Once I saw the picture, I understand what you mean. Makes a lot of sense! Duh, on me. Thanks!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DMusil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 2:15am
Or you can pull a battery cable off and put a test light between the cable and battery terminal.(ignition key on off) Then one by one pull connectors off until the test light goes off. (assuming the test light is lit up as in a drain condition.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncamoney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 2:16am
The other thing you can do when the Jeep is unused is to just unhook a battery cable. Sort of the same thing. If it is your voltage regulator, It becomes more Interesting.
Sorry, I've only been working on vehicles for over 50 years. I try to not tell you things that you already know.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WeeWilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 2:21am
Originally posted by havasujeepn havasujeepn wrote:

Jim, did what you suggested and there IS current running between the ground cable and battery post with the everything turned off! Would that be the voltage regulator being the culprit or is it in addition to what may be wrong?


  That gives a you a starting point.  I had the same thing happen to me and it was the regulator. Changed the regulator and took care of the problem. 
 
    You could start eliminating possible causes by disconcerting one item at a time to find the problem.

   Take the bat. wire off the regulator and do the battery test again.
  
    If you still have currant draw take the horn wire off and test again. Move on through the circuit (light switch, brake light switch, etc.

    Jim

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jeepsterjim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 2:23am
When trouble shooting automotive electrical circuits, to fnd which circut is causing a bleed down, we put a tester  in line with the neg cable and neg post.  If the tester lights up you have a circuit on.  On a early Willys with a "Pos grd"  place a tester in line between the cable and Pos post.  Then start removing fuses or disconnect one "hot" wire at a time until the tester light goes off.  We also used a buzzer and when the sound stopped we knew what circuit to check out.   hope this makes sense.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bruce W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 2:43am
  I don't know about any pre-war Willys vehicles, but no Willys- or Ford-built jeeps had "Pos grd".
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncamoney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 3:18am
Bruce, my MB was neg ground. I don't know what year it was, it had a 1946 title. it didn't matter as it was legal. About any Pos ground vehicles that are Pos ground are British and a few here from years ago. Blame Lucas.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WeeWilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2020 at 3:29am

   Ford had positive ground starting with the model A up to the 1956. The model T was negative ground, have no idea why they change to positive.

   Jim
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