Electrical: Ignition Switch 62 Hawk

[swedenole]

On 1962 Hawk, original ignition switch has a round bullet-shaped cylinder about 1" long and 1/4" in diameter bolted to the switch and pointed towards the back of the dash. There is a ground wire attached to the mounting bold. The replacement switch obtained from Studebaker INternational has no mention of this additional part or instructions regarding it. What is this additional part? Is it necessary?
Has anyone had any issues with the replacement ignition switch sold by SI? Thanks.

[41 Frank]

You may be looking at the light for the ignition switch the way you describe it.

[showbizkid]

Yep, that's the cylinder lamp. The bulb pushes into the cylinder from the rear and the little hole in the "bullet" end shines onto the plastic ignition bezel to make it light up.

[swedenole]

Wow, thanks, guys, I'll re-check, and have to make some other provision to mount it to the switch as none is provided on the replacement. Didn't look like a light to me but I'll take your word for it. Thanks again for the quick response.

[brian6373]

The bullet has a "pinch" clip that fits into slots on the original switch housing. The black wire is in the dash lighting circuit. ( EDIT) O.K. I got out a switch I had from a 63 Lark and I stand corrected. The housing portion has a little bracket that is attatched to the switch housing by a screw that also had a ground wire on it. The end of the "bullet" that has the wire is the bulb holder. If you look close you will see that there is a raised rib around the base. I sprayed some electrcal contact cleaner into the hole in the end and let it soak a bit, then carefully worked the pressed in holder out of the housing. DO NOT PULL ON THE WIRE!! It should slide out to expose the bulb for replacement. I don't know about the replcement switch that S.I sells, but is there a corresponding place on the new switch that you might be able to drill and tap a hole for the light atatchment?

[swedenole]

Intermittent starting

I replaced the switch, still wouldn't start. Double-checked all the wiring per the manual, OK. If I hot-wire the solenoid it will start and run fine. I can shut if off and re-start from the switch, again OK. But if it sits a while it won't start unless I hot-wire it again. What could this be?

Also, how do you replace the light on the ignition switch? How do you access the bulb?

Thanks for the help!

[StudeRich]

Doesn't it have a bracket held on with a small screw?

The starting issue may be loose Battery Cables, heating up and expanding or bubbling up moisture between the post and cable. Also clean the inside of the cable clamp and the Batt. post. To test for that, you turn on the headlights when it will not start, and you should find them not working.

[swedenole]

62 Hawk

Thanks for the tip, it may be the battery cable. Someone has disconnected the pink ignition wire, but a substitute wire runs to the coil, I haven't traced down the pink one all the way, though.

Still don't know how to replace the bulb for the ignition switch light. It does screw into the side of the ignition switch, and a red (ground?) wire attaches at its base by the mounting screw.

[JDP]

I assume you have a stick shift, if it's a AT it's likely the neutral start switch or the wire to the solenoid or the neutral start and not the ignition.

[bezhawk]

Also check the terminals on the ammeter...all the current goes through it first. (be careful, and disconnect the battery first)

[showbizkid]

Uh, that pink wire is usually the resistance wire that provides power to the coil when the key is in "run" position. If that's disconnected, the car will fire, but die as soon as you let the key out of the "start" position.

[brian6373]

Check the voltage from your battery to the body. I found the ground on my 63 Lark was cutting the voltage down to 8.5 volts. The relay may not be getting enough power through the switch and a poor ground to energize the relay coil. When you jump it, you eliminate all the resistance in the positive side of the wiring. Brian

[swedenole]

Frayed Solenoid wires

After replacing the ignition switch (which is much harder to install than the original twist-on one), I noticed that the wire going from the switch to the solenoid had broken insulation and some of the strands were frayed. I cut it off and installed a new loop-type lug, and haven't had a problem since! Thanks for all the tips, though!

[GinettaG12P]

After replacing the ignition switch (which is much harder to install than the original twist-on one), I noticed that the wire going from the switch to the solenoid had broken insulation and some of the strands were frayed. I cut it off and installed a new loop-type lug, and haven't had a problem since! Thanks for all the tips, though!

How did you get an Allen wrench on the replacement ignition switch setscrew to clock and lock the switch to the bezel?

[StudeRich]

Tom did you maybe fail to notice that this is from 2011, I don't think he is here any more for whatever reason. Last Post 10/03/2012

Anyway your post lacks enough detail to figure out why you asked. Is it something he did that would make it impossible to insert the Allen Wrench maybe?

Or maybe just the design of those cheapie Switches that caused you a problem.
The Newer, pricier versions are Dups of the Original with the stock twist on Bezel and not the old screw-on Chrysler one you have. It's a bugger to install but possible. Just not as good as the original design.