OD solenoid amperage draw

[pushrod63]

I'm looking for a resistor to drop 12V to 6V for the OD solenoid. Can someone tell me what the amp draw is of the solenoid?

[RadioRoy]

Not as simple as you think. The solenoid draws heavy current while being energized, then only draws a smaller current to keep it energized.

In other words, you cannot just add a resistor to do the job. You would need something that drops 6.3 volts at both current levels, like some big fat diodes.

One reason 6 to 12 volt conversions are so difficult to design is that many require instances ACTIVE voltage drops, rather than the PASSIVE voltage drop that a resistor provides.

In this instance, you should replace the solenoid with a 12 volt model.

[Sdude]

I converted my 6v to 12v and had to replace the 6v solenoid with a 12v version. Simple exchange and 12v solenoids can be located at a transmission shop. I went to my local shop and he had one in the back and sold it to me for 11 bucks. Or you can get one in the Studebaker International catalog but it's going to cost you about $100. It's a borg warner unit and not exclusive to Studebaker. Hopefully you can find one on the cheap. Swap it out and the OD will work fine.