Ignition switch wire color help

[Speedrdr]

Have pic of back of what P.O. had for ignition. Being color blind and it's been 20+ years since replacing one, would appreciate a bit of guidance here.
Randy

 

[Viperwolf1]

That is not a stock ignition switch. What question are you asking?

 

[Quick & Dirty]

Coil wire on my '74 is brown with white stripe. I think it may originally have been more of a salmon color that I've seen on other cars. Says "RESISTOR WIRE" on it. Changes to green wire at the firewall, then proceeds to coil. If it's the '77 in your signature, it would be Duraspark, but they still use the resistor wire to the coil, with a separate wire to the controller box.

 

[Speedrdr]

That is not a stock ignition switch. What question are you asking?

I'm aware it's not factory switch. I'm mainly just trying to get idea why there are Zero wires going to post marked IGN and kind of what the colors relate to and why wires are doubled at the other posts. Only wire I have any confidence in is the yellow (battery) wire. Have complete new WH ignition set with the 3wire plug that attaches to new assembly.
Randy

 

[Viperwolf1]

Here's a diagram.

 

[Speedrdr]

Here's a diagram. View attachment 452776

Bless you, Viperwolf! Got a place to start......

 

[DirtDonk]

...Being color blind and it's been 20+ years since replacing one, would appreciate a bit of guidance here.

Since you're color blind and those colors are odd, faded and have stripes, here's the basic rundown to make sure you're starting from the same place:

1. The wire on the center stud is the Red w/blue starter relay wire. I think I even see an "ST" next to it.
But is that a second wire crimped to the same connector? Can you get another pic showing it's stripe better? Looks black, but not sure. Could be another Red w/blue stripe wire for the Duraspark module.
Looks like Quick n Dirty has the same colored wire on his. If Ford had them both at the switch, rather than spliced together somewhere up the line, then one goes to the starter relay's "S" post (through the neutral safety switch if an automatic) and the other goes to the Duraspark module.

2. The wire almost covered by the first one, marked "BAT" is the Yellow power feed wire to the switch.
Consistent so far...

3. The remaining wires, located at about 2 o'clock marked ACC are your Red w/green and your Green w/red wires. These should actually be the ones on the IGN post you were asking about.
They should be IGN only so that you can turn the key to ACC and not power up either the voltage regulator/alternator or the ignition coil.

Normally, the Red w/green wire is your resistor wire further up the line. It will change to pinkish brown if it's under the dash, but I've seen some diagrams where they put the resistor wire between the firewall and the coil, on top of the engine. Never seen one there, but I think someone recently found theirs exactly there. Odd, but true...

4. Seems to be missing the factory Black w/green ACC wire.
Pretty critical, so wondering where all the power gets to half of the fuse panel?

5. Also missing the odd colored (Pinkish?) wire for the Brake Warning lamp on the dash. This switch may not even have a Proof Out connector (grounds to the dash only when in START) so it could have gotten tied up under the dash somewhere.
Not as critical as the Black w/green wire obviously, but still be nice to find it.

View attachment 452777

Good luck.

Paul

 

[Speedrdr]

Thanks, Paul. This has turned into a daunting task, but I'm not a quitter. Appreciate all the help and advice and wisdom from y'all.
Randy

 

[Speedrdr]

Don't know if this is any better or not, Paul. May have to disassemble them more.

 

[chuckji]

Maybe there is no wire connected to that IGN terminal because early Broncos don’t have a true ignition circuit (wire). A true ignition wire would have +12V with the key in the ignition and start positions.

 

[DirtDonk]

Actually the stock Ford switches did have power in both start and run for the ignition and voltage regulator circuits. Most aftermarket switches like in Speedrdr's switch likely don't.
Now, that's not to say they always worked that way. There are plenty of original Bronco switches that have failed to keep power in the START mode, but were never noted until tested, because the 12v booster setup of the "I" wire from the starter relay will mask that failure.
A properly working switch however should have power to the coil (and ignition module if electronic) in both RUN and START.

Can't say why the PO used ACC rather than IGN in Speed's case. Maybe the other contact gave him some kind of trouble, or maybe he wanted power in both perhaps, or maybe they just didn't know or care and stuck it wherever.
Since there is no ACC wire visible, like there should be on an EB, the PO could have been punting during the whole wiring process.

And speaking of which, did you ever find a larger gauge wire (would be Black w/green if you can see that?) with a factory molded-in ring terminal. It's a slightly larger gauge than all the others save perhaps the Yellow wire, but it should have been there somewhere. Might even have been two of them on a '77.

This is the '77, you're working on, correct?

Paul

 

[Speedrdr]

Yes sir. That's the beast. And, no, haven't found that critter in my rats nest yet. Gonna try to take some alcohol prep pads and start wiping wires and see if a reasonable color can be found that matches the factory color.
I thank everybody for the suggestions so far.

At least on the 72 I used to own the original wiring was pretty much pristine. On another note, my wife has suggested I bite the bullet and buy a new wiring harness and start fresh.
Randy

 

[Speedrdr]

New issue. When I started wiring the new ignition set up I hooked yellow to yellow. So far, so good. Hooked the red with blue stripe to the pair of red with blue stripe wires. At this point, starter engaged and had to break connection at the starter relay to cease the starter. Pulling the yellow battery wire loose from the switch did nada. Almost ready to wire it with primacord.
The wire (green, I think) wasn't hooked to anything.
Any ideas?
Randy

 

[DirtDonk]

Any chance you can get some better pics from a little farther away? These are blurry, but you can still make out the wire colors in most cases. But it's hard to see exactly what is going on in the surrounding area.

Oh, and I see you found the big Black w/green wire with it's ring terminal intact. Good news!

New issue. When I started wiring the new ignition set up I hooked yellow to yellow. So far, so good.

Can you verity that you get 12v on the Yellow all the time?

Hooked the red with blue stripe to the pair of red with blue stripe wires. At this point, starter engaged and had to break connection at the starter relay to cease the starter.

Did you try pulling the two Red w/blue wires apart first, while you were there at the switch? If yes, and the starter still kept spinning? Then you disconnected the S wire at the relay and it stopped?
At this point, is the connector pushed into the ignition switch, or is it hanging loose?
If it's on the switch, are you sure that the switch is off?

Pulling the yellow battery wire loose from the switch did nada.

Really? So the Red w/blue wires were still connected to the starter relay and the starter was cranking? And disconnecting the power wire didn't do anything?
Then either your starter relay is partially defective or you are getting feedback of the type that the newer PMGR starters have sometimes.
Might just be the way the starter is connected, but we can check that out in a bit.

Almost ready to wire it with primacord.

Bitchin! You've just gotta make a good video of that when it lights off!

The wire (green, I think) wasn't hooked to anything.

The two Green wires together?

Any ideas?

Nope...

Paul

 

[Speedrdr]

Any chance you can get some better pics from a little farther away? These are blurry, but you can still make out the wire colors in most cases. But it's hard to see exactly what is going on in the surrounding area.]

Will post some better pics tomorrow.

[Oh, and I see you found the big Black w/green wire with it's ring terminal intact. Good news!]

Where is it SUPPOSED to go? I'm quite sure it's not supposed to be loose.

[Can you verity that you get 12v on the Yellow all the time?]

Before this afternoon's fiasco I did have 12V.

[Did you try pulling the two Red w/blue wires apart first, while you were there at the switch? If yes, and the starter still kept spinning? Then you disconnected the S wire at the relay and it stopped?]

Since I was standing outside the truck when this happened and it was in gear (yeah, another learning experience) I was kinda not thinking about separating them.

[At this point, is the connector pushed into the ignition switch, or is it hanging loose?]
Hanging loose, not on switch.



[Really? So the Red w/blue wires were still connected to the starter relay and the starter was cranking? And disconnecting the power wire didn't do anything?
Then either your starter relay is partially defective or you are getting feedback of the type that the newer PMGR starters have sometimes.
Might just be the way the starter is connected, but we can check that out in a bit.]

Nope, yellow wire was in my hand and I was jumping in the truck at the time

[Bitchin! You've just gotta make a good video of that when it lights off! ]

I hope it doesn't really come to that but.........

And of course I tore the yellow wire out of the connection piece so ordered another one from WH this afternoon.

Thanks for at least reading this mess I've got and attempting to provide some guidance. If nothing else, it can be comic relief. Lol

Randy

 

[Speedrdr]

Some more pics. 1st one is of brake switch. 2nd is the green/red stripe and brown/red stripe. 3rd is a shot behind the dash in area around brake light warning (purple or pink?) and the last is ??? Dashpot. No idea what it controls.

 

[Speedrdr]

Is it time to pull the dash out and start there???
Randy

 

[DirtDonk]

Wow, exciting times, eh?

[Oh, and I see you found the big Black w/green wire with it's ring terminal intact. Good news!]

Where is it SUPPOSED to go? I'm quite sure it's not supposed to be loose.

That's the easy one. It's attached to the stud sticking out of the back of the ignition switch.
When you push the connector down over the stud and on to the switch, you put the ring terminal over the stud and run a nut down it to hold both in place.

And of course I tore the yellow wire out of the connection piece so ordered another one from WH this afternoon.

Well bummer. We certainly love to sell more parts... But hate it when it's double for bum reasons.
Thanks though, for hanging with us too.

Second time's a charm, right?;D

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

1st one is of brake switch.

Never seen one with two wires on one terminal. But no matter how legit or not they are, there should not be a bare splice there. Could short out on something. Or at the very least work intermittently as it loosens up over time. Looks to be just a twist splice. Don't see solder or anything like that.
Sounds like one more thing to fix then...

2nd is the green/red stripe and brown/red stripe.

The Brown one is actually supposed to be Red, but it's the resistor wire to the ignition coil, so gets hot. And being of different material anyway, usually loses it's original color near the switch. Then again, some of them run the resistor right up to the switch, and that does look kind of Brown/Pink-ish even when new.
Stripe is green though.

Green w/red powers the voltage regulator, and the Red/Brown w/green is ignition.

3rd is a shot behind the dash in area around brake light warning (purple or pink?)

Yep. The other end of which attaches to the side terminal on the factory ignition switch. Not part of the main plastic connector, but on it's own, usually with one of those old Delco-type push-on connectors.

...and the last is ??? Dashpot. No idea what it controls.

Judging by the wire colors that is your turn signal flasher unit. Called a "relay" (even heard "winker relay" in the old days) or a "flasher" or one or two other names, all meaning the same thing.
There will be a similar one under there somewhere that controls the 4-way flashers/hazards. Same contact layout, so they do interchange in a pinch. But the 4-way is usually a heavier duty unit because more lights are working off of it.

Paul

 

[Speedrdr]

Had friend come by today ( he restored a '67) to look at wiring. After trying to wire things up, found out starter relay probably fried yesterday. [sigh] have power at switch but not on starter side of relay with switch in on position.

Is it time to take dash off where I can better see the wiring or is that a good choice or major undertaking?

Paul, is having the two red/blue wires together a problem? If so, does it matter which one is parsed out?

Randy