This is a wierd problem and solution, on a 1955 Dodge 270 Hemi automatic. Thought it would be of interest to the list. The car belongs to a friend of mine several states away. Joe Paolucci Walton, Ky ----- Original Message ----- From: "The Petersens" <mikenjeri@xxxxxxxxx> To: "Ted Brooks" <brookstc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Joe Paolucci, Jr." <joeyjr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 3:28 PM Subject: '55 Dodge Mystery Solved > Symptom: Turn the ignition switch to "Start". There is a strange "fffftt" > sound from under the hood. The dome lights, parking brake indicator light, > tail lights, and parking lights are out. Turning the ignition switch back to > "Start" has no effect. The starting circuit is dead. Disconnecting and > reconnecting the battery resets the circuit breakers in the headlight switch > and everything is OK again. Turning the ignition switch to "Start" results > in a brief starter engagement for less than a second and the lights go out > again as before. > > Diagnosis: With the ignition switch off, jumping from the battery to the > "ST" post on the solenoid activates the solenoid and the engine turns over. > This gives the impression that the solenoid is OK. With the "ST" wire > disconnected from the solenoid one can turn the ignition switch to "start" > and the lights remain operational. This means that activating the solenoid > from the ignition switch sets off the chain of events to trip the breaker in > the headlight switch. > > Solution: Replacing the starter solenoid solved the problem. My theory is > that the solenoid went bad, but was still good enough to turn the starter by > jumping to the ST input to the solenoid. The signal flasher has a wire to > the IG post of the starter switch. With the ignition switch in the start > position the signal flasher can "see" the bad solenoid. When activated by > the ignition switch, the bad solenoid (internal short perhaps) causes an > electrical overload through the signal flasher and on up to the headlight > switch. The circuit breaker (there are 3, more than one may have tripped) in > the headlight switch for the dome lights, tail/park lights, and accessories > from the AC post of the ignition switch thinks the signal flasher has gone > south and trips. This explains why the parking brake light, dome lights, > taillights, and parking lights did not come on until the circuit breaker > reset itself. > > Joe - I think this would be a good one for your electronic bulletin boards. > > -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2003 Calendar voting results and ordering information is online! Please visit: http://www.forwardlook.net/calendar2003 for more information.
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