Electrical: Fried: Lark VI

[drnittler]

The other day on the way back from a show, my speedometer stopped. I stopped and tried to unscrew the speedometer cable. Anyway a wire from the light switch unhooked, shorted on some metal and smoked some wires. (This probably happened when I got my hand up there for the speedometer cable). I lost gauges, signals, wipers, and the fan switch. I still had lights and brake lights. I kept the car running and got home. (The amp light stayed on and the oil light did not come on).
Today, I found that the accessary wire from the light switch to the ignition switch was fried. I ran a wire from the light switch to the acc on the ignition switch. I regained my fan motor, and the signals. I do not have oil and amp lights and no gas and heat gauges. Also there is no power to the engine to start. I can turn the motor but no ignition. Also my wiper switch/motor does not yet work.
Am I right in assuming that I probably fried my ignition switch? This seems logical.
Thanks.

[showbizkid]

Sorry to hear your troubles, David. Without some diagnosis, it's impossible to tell what's fried - sounds like perhaps a couple of inline fuses did their job. Have you got a copy of your wiring diagram? I find the ones on Chuck Collins' site to be easier to read than the ones in the manual - https://www.studebakerparts.com/stud...ediagrams.html . Maybe that's a good place to start.

[drnittler]

Thanks for the reply/ I am figuring that much of the items mentioned work on accessary and that wire was fried. I probably damaged the switch.

[StudeRich]

Your second mistake was wiring the power from the light switch to the "ACC." Term on the Ign. Sw.

That would be why you only have partial power. You need power from the Solenoid to the Batt. Term. of the Ignition Switch.

[drnittler]

The wire on the light switch was fried and the wire on the acc was fried so I assume they were the same wire. I still need to figure why I have no ignition.

[doug]

Use a trouble light or volt/ohm meter to see if there is power from battery to the ignition switch. If good, turn switch on and see if there is power on the ign side of switch. If no power out, switch bad.

[drnittler]

Now I can start the car. The AMP light stays on and the oil light does not come on. The gas and temp guage and wipers do not work. I did order a new ignition switch. I still thinl I damaged or fried the acc part of the switch.