1941 ford ignition switch

D

doodles41sd

Junior Member
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6.4 volt reading on battery post but 5 volt reading on coil post. Any ideas on how to take this switch apart so that I may clean contacts or replace depending upon condition. Thanks in advance.
 
Early V8's start on 6 volts and run on 4. As Bob C said, there is a voltage resistor from the switch to the coil to reduce the voltage to the points.
 
If the points were open when the measurement was made he should be measuring 6.4 volts at both locations. The resistor is involved to drop the voltage at the coil only when the points are closed (current flow). The circuit is dropping 1.4 volt if in fact the points were open at the time he measured at both locations. The ignition switch is a good place to start his trouble shooting to resolve this 1.4 volt loss...
 
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On our '41. I drilled out the crimpes around the mounting holes. to reassemble I taped the two halves together with masking tape, remounted the switch loosely to keep everything in place and pulled tape out and tightened.
 
A little off topic. I own a ford 8N tractor and in an advice piece on the Ntractor club it says if it don't start, start with the ignition switch. One day it wouldn't start so I jumpered the switch and it started right up. New switch solved it. Imho.
 
Thanks to all of you. Took fordor41's advice and switch badly worn and dirty. Will replace.
I am trying to run Stromberg E-Fire. Needs as close to 6 volts as possible. I had bypassed the resistor and voltage was still a little low therefore no fire. Stromberg states that voltage should be as close to 6 volts as possible or unit may not fire reliably. Therefore checking voltage at each junction. Thank you all again.
 
Also make sure you have good grounds, personally I’d remove the ground wires and wire brush everything, bright and tight when it comes to grounds.
 
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