Pop out cable to Dist question

Mark from Indy

Mark from Indy

Member
The cheap on/off switch in my 30 Coupe broke a ear off and I am replacing with a NAPA one.
The hack to the old was a press on connector to the armored cable wire. There is just enough wire to resolder to it, and I am considering replacing the wire. I notice there is a thin metal wire that was bent over the cable at the switch end, which seems to actuate the spring end at the distributor. I can't find or am overlooking the explanation of how this works in the Andrew's book except the pop-out switch itself. Where is the relationship to anything in the distributor is the spring end? Do I pull it back to full compress or let it expand? Can I just do away with the innards and run a wire to something at the spring end?

Thanks for the help

Mark
 
A new pop out switch is available from Snyder's, Gaslight, Bert's or a number of other Model A suppliers.
 
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The spring end at the distributor just connects the wire to the lower distributor plate to provide connectivity from the switch. There should only be one wire in the armored cable.
 
If this is an original armored cable, that second bare wire grounds the ignition system and keeps the car from being hotwired as long as the cable was attached to the distributor. It was an anti theft device. Most of them have been replaced or disabled today.
 
It sounds like you might be working with an original popout cable. They have a spring loaded brass contact at the distributor end. The wire from that brass contact is inside a thin armored cable, with a straight wire, (like piano wire) running along side it to the switch end. These are inside the large coiled spring cable, which is the main housing. All the suppliers have a good replacement cable if your's is giving trouble, or if you just want an emergency backup cable. When you screw it into the distributor, it only needs to go in about 3 turns. If you go in too tight you can make it short on inside the distributor.

I believe the purpose of the straight stiff wire is to keep someone from pulling on the cable end and pulling the ignition wire loose. Being as the heavy outside cable is like a spring, it could be pulled and stretched enough to pull the inner wire loose.
 
Thanks for the responses so far, trying not to be dense about this but the obvious isn't always obvious.

I believe Charles is closest to answering what I am driving at - the spring end itself makes a connection at the lower plate.

So as it was with my other switch - one side was wired to the inner wire, which then has to connect/touch the lower plate. The spring itself will be pushed up against the plate - original design was the piano type wire pulled that back as a kill, release.

So if one wanted, they could connect/solder a replacement wire from the switch to the plate through the so-called armored cable.

Sound right?

I truly don't care about anyone hotwiring the car, just wanting to replace with a nice simple on/off, the NAPA KS6115 should work, it may have to stick out a hair more but I just need a working one at the moment. Heck a toggle should work ...

Mark
 
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The piano wire doesn't pull the spring loaded contact. It's as I stated above.

Yes, you can make it simple by soldering a wire from the bottom plate to a toggle switch. 99.9% of the time this will be fine. If the car was stolen, the insurance company might frown on it though.:(
 
I would check to make sure that the terminals on that switch will not hit
the gas tank when the instrument panel is installed.

Bob
 

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If the original wire is not shorting to the cable you should still be able to use it. If it needs to be replaced, separate the spring cable from the end and solder a new wire to the spring loaded contact.
 
Yes Bob it is a tight fit - however I cutoff the extra stud length and it fits. Barely ... it will do till other things get fixed.

Tom, I made a Vinegar mess but not near as bad as you did :D
 
Mark from Indy said:
Yes Bob it is a tight fit - however I cutoff the extra stud length and it fits. Barely ... it will do till other things get fixed.

Tom, I made a Vinegar mess but not near as bad as you did :D
Click to expand...

I'm sure glad I did the vinegar treatment. What I could see inside the block with the water pump removed, looked nice.

One more problem I just thought about when using a simple toggle switch is that some people have no respect for other people's property. I went to the store for 5 minutes and when I came out I found someone had turned on my headlights. Another time I went into the store for 2 minutes and when I came out someone had stolen all my magnetic dash plaques.
If someone turns on your toggle switch it can kill the battery and burn out the coil.
 
If you want a switch that is identical to the replacement found in the 30's. Briggs and Stratton makes an alarm switch. Also the 8n tractor switch is the same. These are available from Dennis Carpenter.
 
Better pay attention to Bob C's post #8 if you use to long of a starter switch or if a replacement style switch becomes loose in the dash panel. If a switch terminal wears through the paint and grounds to the gas tank you will burn up every wire in the dash harness, unless you have a safety fuse at the starter. This is the good luck version. Bad luck version is that you set the car on fire. I have seen a switch short to the gas tank happen two different times while on tours. (not my car) Making up a new dash wiring harness and rewiring from scratch to get the car home is not a quick or fun fix when done on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Note the tractor supply switch is similar to what the reproduction parts vendors sale.
 
If he has a stock ignition system I think all it will do is ground out the points and stop
the engine if it touches the gas tank.
Bob
 
Bob C said:
If he has a stock ignition system I think all it will do is ground out the points and stop
the engine if it touches the gas tank.
Bob
Click to expand...

That's right, plus it will keep the coil on full time, which in about a half hour can burn up the coil. At least one guy's coil got hot enough to catch on fire.
 
RonC said:
Only if the points are closed
Click to expand...

The switch is before the points, so if the hot wire coming from the coil happens to be the terminal touching the tank the coil will be energized. It happened to my 29 with a repro switch. Luckily I just happened to touch the coil and found it was getting warm, so I was able to fix it before any damage was done. I had to bend the terminal sideways.
 
Nor will I drill a hole to make sure it clears .....:D

The NAPA switch has to be modified so the key side nut can actually screw past the shoulder it has - like I said not ideal - to clear with safety. I won't suggest that one for anyone with a 30 Coupe as I have except as a temp. solution.

I found the local Orscheln's farm store has the 8N switch and will get it today as a better choice. I'll find a use for the other switch.

Thanks to all !

Mark
 
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