Ign switch questions
 

I want to go with an original push "button" start on the 55, but electrical is NOT my strong suit. I have the original switch that was checked out by a company here in town and it is "in good working order."

The switch has ONLY 2 positions. OFF, and turn one click right and it is ON. That is it. In the ON position it must have powered up everything, and so what I need is a tutorial on what the connectors went to.

I can see BAT on the switch, and that is where I hook the battery feed to the switch, but it has two connectors on that label, and I don't think I should hook up two battery feeds, so what does the other side go to? Ok, I did hook up power to the rt side of the BAT, but without a jumper, nothing else is hot.

There is a group of 5 connectors at the top of the picture, all are connected to one another, with the first one labeled IGN 1 and the other 4 labeled ACC. IGN 1, what does it go? The ACC will provide switch on power to whatever else I want, but that first one is a mystery to me.

The connector directly to the left of the BAT is START. With the key on, it is not hot. What does it connect to?

Above that one is IGN2, not hot with the key on either.

With power to BAT, and a jumper from BAT to IGN2, switch on provides power to the IGN1/ACC and START. I figured that out, but don't know if it is right or how the push button start is supposed to be hooked up, or which pin.

Ok, it is Sunday, and I have spent about 3 hours searching the internet and I haven't found a decent explanation yet.

Does anyone know?

Thanks.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

That switch should have Accessory and start on it along with on and off.

I'm not sure about the Classic parts "will not work with a foot stomp starter" thing because as long as off and on work that is all you need with foot stomp.
It won't work with HEI because there is no power to the ignition on a TF with a key switch in start position as it then relies on the resistor bypass wire. That happened on a lot of 12 volt key start Chevys in that if the bypass wire was disabled the car/truck wouldn't start as there was no power to the coil.

Now is the back of the switch photo your photo of your switch or just a photo you found of a 55 Chevy truck switch? You just may have that earlier switch that has Battery, ign and should have ACC even if it doesn't go to an ACC only position.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

The switch is the back of my switch. That is where I got all of the labels and the pins they went to.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

the assembly manual will show the wiring diagram, if you can find somebody who has one.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

8man some basic info is needed here.

is yours a 1955 first series truck old style or a 1955.2 second series truck that became the 56,57,58,59

Is it original engine,
Does it have a ballast resistor under the hood wired in line with the coil power.
follow wire from coil to firewall it should be bolted to fire wall then another wire going into firewall behind dash.

by button do you mean foot stomp on the floor next to gas pedal

Re: Ign switch questions
 

I can see BAT on the switch, and that is where I hook the battery feed to the switch, but it has two connectors on that label, and I don't think I should hook up two battery feeds, so what does the other side go to?

the second one is just used as a jumper to anything they may need fulltime power even when switch is off. so wire from battery to power switch and another wire going somewhere else to feed power there.

Ok, I did hook up power to the rt side of the BAT, but without a jumper, nothing else is hot. Makes sense unless you turn on the switch it should only be hot on bat pegs.

There is a group of 5 connectors at the top of the picture, all are connected to one another, with the first one labeled IGN 1 and the other 4 labeled ACC. IGN 1, what does it go?
These should all be hot when switch is on ( and power on battery post)
ACC is for anything needing power while switch is on. including ignition coil power which is has both labels associated with that metal.


The connector directly to the left of the BAT is START. With the key on, it is not hot. What does it connect to? It is not used in a on/off only switch style it would be hot IF you had a start position on the key turn. A lot of vendors used the same backing plate on both styles which is why you have it but it would not be used.


Above that one is IGN2, not hot with the key on either.

IGN2 is only hot when key in start position (if you had one which you don't)
So this one is not used. It would be used in start to give power to coil as often the acc is disengaged to send all power to the starting process OR to bypass ballist resistors or other things when using the start function which you don't have
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With power to BAT, and a jumper from BAT to IGN2, switch on provides power to the IGN1/ACC and START. I figured that out, but don't know if it is right or how the push button start is supposed to be hooked up, or which pin.

NEVER DO THIS no jumpers from bat to anything on the switch. unless you never want to turn it off after starting.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

Hcb, thank you very much. I'll hook it up to power and recheck everything to make sure it is working.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

Hcb, I powered it up and it worked just like you said. Now I know how to hook it up. Thanks again.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

Did you see the post prior as well about some specifics. on what you are trying to do?

Re: Ign switch questions
 

Well one can either look at it on the line that someone in past years changed the switch and that is what the parts house gave them or if it is a 55.2 one can kind of figure that one switch fit all but the start wire didn't get used on six cylinder stomp pedal trucks. Simply meaning that the factory six cylinder wiring harness didn't have the wires or connectors in place. Pretty much like looking at an unused wire connector on a wire in your late model daily driver and wondering where does that go and after two days of checking you find out it was for an accessory or component that wasn't ordered for your rig.

Between 48 and 53 Chevy 1/2 ton trucks were pretty much here is what you get if you want extras we have them in the parts room and will install them for a fee. The only things on a bare bones truck shipped from the factory was color choice and 3 or 4 speed transmission. A lot of naked trucks were shipped exactly that way and then the salesman sold the buyer the options at time of purchase Especially in farm country where those farmers weren't going to pay five dollars extra for anything they didn't think they needed. in some other areas dealers optioned them out from the factory and had the "her it is take it or leave it" attitude especially in 47, 48 when folks were car and truck starved Or they loaded some up at the dealer before they hit the showroom . Put that loaded up truck in the showroom or at the front of the line and then walk the customer past it out to the advertised no frills truck at the end of the row that was totally bare bones no heater, no rear bumper no outside mirror or anything else.

Come 54 and you could order the two tone paint with a white top for the first time ever, then you could order the Deluxe package that had a color keyed dash and fabric topped seat. I learned to drive in one of those with a Hydromantic that was one sweet truck. Someone had hacked the dash and put an early radio in it rather than the 54 radio though.


55.2 all the sudden you had a choice of a 235 or a 265 V8 and could have an automatic with either along with a 3 or 4 speed.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

Thanks guys. It is a 55.2 that I'm going to use the original key switch. it had a foot stomp to start, but I'm not using that, I'm using a momentary switch to send current to the starter. It's getting a 2009 5.3L Gen IV LS, so knowing what is switch hot on the ignition switch was necessary. This has helped me figure out the starter wiring. Thank you both.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

Ok to keep it looking normal you could use the stomp starter foot pedal just use it to trigger the starter solenoid;


But yes if using original switch. AND doing a LS swap just make the ign/acc wire to LS harness and computer power relay on your fuse block and you should be good.

This is a good example of knowing what you have year make model AND engine matters to the conversations. If you were old school inline 6 with a 6volt we are having very different conversations than with a LS modern marvel.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

55.2 -59 chevy truck factory assembly manual is a free download from the trifive site. section 12 is electrical

thinking about it i seem to recall my 57 gmc had a cigarette lighter wired directly to the second battery terminal on the ign switch.

Re: Ign switch questions
 

https://www.trifive.com/d1/55-59Assy.pdf

ign switch is section 12 sheet 17 but a more thorugh look may be in order

Re: Ign switch questions
 

Here pages 18 and 18,1 showing the wiring for a V8.