VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 1928 Ignition Switch

I have just refurbished an ignition switch froma 27 and put it on my 28 tourer. Prior to this, I bypassed the switch entirely and came straig off a battery isolator onto the coil.

My problem now is that it seems that when the ignition switch is off (anticlockwise) and the steering lock is engaged, the ignition switch is thrown back which is the ON position for me. This seems illogical.

Any ideas? The car is Australian (RHD).

Thanks

:eek:

Hi Casper,
I don't know how they made them down under but on my 28, when I pull the lever toward me, that is ON. When I push the lever in, that is OFF. When I turn the key (anticlockwise), that engages the plunger for the steering lock and forces the switch lever away from me in the OFF position. If yours is working opposite of expected, perhaps something internal to the lock is installed 180 degrees around and forcing the lever into the ON position instead.

-R

I had a further look and this time used a test light to confirm that, despite what it looks like, the ignition is actually switched off when the key is turned anticlockwise. This is good.

Is this normal for the switch to move backwards for "on"?

On my 27, turning the key off (counterclockwise), engages the steering lock and moves the coasting switch forward to the off position. There is a small sign fastened to the dash that says, "coasting switch underneath".

Casper,

My suspicions are that either the pin on the rotating column isn't engaged with the switch correctly or the switch assembly isn't engaged to the lock housing correctly or a combination of both.

Assuming that the ignition lock/steering lock unit is installed identical on your right hand drive vehicle as it is on our left had drive vehicles (key lock and ignition lock lever located to the right of the steering column). I know from experience that you can engage the pin into the switch in one of two holes in the sliding contact bakelite bar.

Remove the switch unit. Position the sliding bakelite contact bar so that the pin index hole is located at the corner of the "L"shaped opening in the switch housing. This should allow you to view all three holes in the back of the bakelite contact bar within the long arm of the "L" opening (the one hole in the bakelite bar will only be partially exposed).

Now, position the on/off level arm of the column locking unit in the off position (lower end of the rotating drum arm pushed forward).

The back of the ignition switch has an index tang. Install the switch to the column lock carefully making sure that the pin on the rotating drum is indexed with the hole located in the corner of the "L" on the switch bakelite contact bar. Also make sure that the switch index tang is at the outer end of the column lock assembly and correctly positioned into the window opening of the column lock assembly.

Hopefully this will solve your problem. If it dosen't, then something happened during the switch rebuild, like maybe the bakelite backing was installed 180º out of phase. Apparently Chevrolet had more than one source for these switches because although they are similar in design, operation, and function, they are not all identical in the way in which they are assembled. I've noticed that the metal housing to bakelite backing retaining fingers are sometimes at different locations on different units.

Oldie, I have one thing to say. "I wish you lived next door to me! Heck I wished you just lived in the same state as me! I am about ready to tackle the rebuilding of my ignition switch and I need for you to kinda' stay "handy" for a while , in between tours and shows. And whatever else you do.

PS, I have about got the door window regulator thing whipped, thanks!

Casper
I have both left hand drive and right hand drive 28's (coach and tourer) and the ignition switch and steering lock are identical and both,on the right hand side of the steering column.
Pull lever towards you is on, push back is off and neither position affets the steering lock, however you shouldn't be able to engage the steering lock when the swith is on
Chris

Well, what do you know?

I completely stripped down the switch, checked everything, double checked again to make sure, put it all back according to instructions posted above and it all works as it should.

I couldn't work out how it could have been 180 degrees out of phase so I must have installed the switch to the steering column the wrong way the first time. Thanks for all your help.

Adam

Don't you just love it when, "A Plan Comes Together"? Thanks for letting us know that everything worked out well.