Hello,

1954 Chevy truck ignition switch terminals.
There are 3 terminals on the back, What wires get attached to these terminals ?
Are the terminals switched or unswitched ?

Thanks

This might help.

Hello,

Only shows 2 terminals used.
1 wire from ammeter and 1 wire from coil are connected to ignition switch.
3rd terminal shows no wire attached.

Still trying to determine what the 3rd terminal is used for and if its switched or unswitched.

Thanks

I'm not familiar with your switch. Do you have any pics?

All I can say is connect a test light to the terminal and see if it is switched 6VDC or not. The 1954 Shop manual only shows the two terminals connected that appears that Red wire to Amp meter terminal that goes to Batt. terminal on regulator and a pink wire going to Gas Gauge and two pink wires, one to gas gauge and the other pink wire to the coil.
here is a URL for the Old Chevrolet Online manual's wireing diagram:
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1954truck/54ctsm1202.html
By the way,
Tiny's picture of the wireing diagram is better than the one in the online manual. If you blow up (ctrl,+)the pic of the diagram you can see the terminals on the back of the switch, three terminals and only the one at 10 and 6 o'clock are hooked up.

Hello,

Here is PICTURE of switch.

Thanks,

That third pole may be accessory radio... and such. is that pole on before starter pole?

Hi jorb -

The three terminals on your '54 truck ignition switch are --

> Ignition (Coil & Fuel Gauge)
> Power Source (Ammeter)
> Accessory Terminal (Empty, switched with ignition key)

I have the terminals connected like this on my "stomp starter" '54 3100 with the ignition switch installed in the dash and looking at it from the driver's seat:

> Left terminal: Coil and Fuel Gauge
> Bottom terminal: Ammeter
> Right terminal: Heater blower and Cigarette lighter - so that it will switch off anything plugged into the lighter when the switch is turned off. Cig lighter was probably not switched originally)

I had it connected like this last year, and worked OK. Not sure if it is important what terminal is connected to the power lead.

FYI - The horn bypasses the ammeter because I was afraid that it would damage the meter when tooted. Since then learned that it won't, so I will wire it as shown on the Chev wiring diragram next time.

If you use any high amperage accessories connected to the acc terminal of the ign switch, you may want to connect a power relay to the ign sw and the accessories to the relay to avoid arcing the contacts in the ign switch.

- Lonnie

Excellent idea and highly recommended.

LonnieC

Nice schematic!

So you fused the cig lighter and heater?
I thought there was a separate switch for heater.
Not sure but was there more than one heater fan speed?
Separate heater switch may have low med high select?
I think 54 had 6v wiper motor accessory where was that connected to.
Thanks
D1 D2

All accessories that should be OFF when the ignition is OFF will be connected to the accessory position on the ignition.

The heater for example, obtains the voltage from the ignition switch and then has a three position switch for each fan speed. It also has an off position if not needed with the engine running.

The radio would also be connected to the accessory position on the ignition switch. The radio also has it's own OFF and ON control.

Other accessories such as a spot light, cigar lighter, or fog light, would be connected to the accessory position and would also have their own OFF and ON switches. (The cigar lighter is OFF when placed in the receptacle, it is turned ON by pressing in and release.)

jorb -

Yes, I fused the cig lighter and heater fan. The in-line fuse is hidden and may protect me from a future problem. The '54 Acc Installation Man shows the lighter connected to the battery terminal on the ignition switch. It would have been "hot" all the time and not fused. The light in the lighter was connected to the tail light terminal of the light switch.

The power for 1954 R.P.O. 320 Electric Windshild Wipers came from the accessory terminal on the ignition switch. Sect 0, Sheet 5.00, 1947-1954 Factory Assembly Manual. I have a .pdf of the United Motors Service Bulletin - "Service Instructions for Electric Windshield Wiper (6 volts) used on 1954 Chevrolet Trucks." It is seven pages plus cover and table of contents. If you want it, send me a PM with your email address.

If you decide to sell your wiper motor sometime, I would be interested. My electric wipers do not work because of a broken leaf spring and a broken solenoid. Looking for parts.

The 1954 truck heater fan switch had three positions plus off. The dash was predrilled for the switch. The location of the switch and the recirculating control knob were reversed in 1954 vs earlier models (reversed from the postion shown in your Accessories Manual diagram). Not sure if the switch body was black in '54 or brown. The heater control knob to the Ranco valve was black in '54 vs burgundy in earlier years. Also not sure if the paddle was marked "HEAT" or "FAN." On the back, the switch had a fuse and a ceramic covered wire resistor to control the fan speeds. The fuse may have been a KILLARK SFE 14. Here is a photo of one in an unrestored '54 3100 in the correct postion:


I bought a broken fan switch for "looks" to mount in my '54, then hid an aftermarket rotary switch up under the dash.


Similar switches were used for a number of years for various functions. Here are some links to pics:
> Original heater switch #3126693
> Recirculating heater switch
> Pre '54 air flow heater switch and controls
> "DEF" switch
> "DEF" #2
> "AIR"
> "DEF & HEAT"
> "FOG"
> "FOG" #2
> "HEAT"

- Lonnie

Missed one of your questions. I didn't show the fan switch in my wiring diagram. The '54 Accessories Installation Manual shows the heater fan switch connected to the accessory terminal of ign sw. No fuse.

As you can see, the acc terminal became pretty full when a number of accessories were added. An aux terminal block may have been added when too many wires were attached to the ign sw.

- Lonnie