Help Wanted - Can't shut off my engine

[John_Mc]

Guys, I was able to get my newly rebuilt V-12 running and all is well except I have a wiring issue of some kind and the ignition switch on my column does not turn the car off.  Now I am no electrician of any kind, but let me cover the basics of the problem.  First, it's not the switch.  I've done a continuity test and it works just fine.  Plus I checked for power on one side and then checked for power on the other side and the switch works exactly as it should.  Secondly, my right side coil is hot all the time with 6+ volts and the left coils show 3+ volts.  This is whenever the battery is connected.  I've even tried with the generator AND with both leads of the ignition switch disconnected and the engine still starts.  I have a wiring diagram but can't seem to follow it where it will point to my issue.

I'm not sure where to start here.  It appears as if power is getting to the coils and bypassing the ignition switch totally.

 

If it were your car, where would you start??  It's really unnerving not be able to turn off the car.  I've choked it to stop, but how can I find the issue??  Thanks in advance.

 

[JFranklin]

You need to cut the voltage to the coil to stop the spark. You might have 2 wires shorting together.

[John_Mc]

Thanks very much and you might be right, but I think my wiring is messed up at the resistance junction.  Is there a diagram anywhere or can someone tell or post a picture of what this junction block should look like when wired properly???    Here's what I have now, and it can't be right.

 

[retiredmechanic74]

2 hours ago, John_Mc said:

Thanks very much and you might be right, but I think my wiring is messed up at the resistance junction.  Is there a diagram anywhere or can someone tell or post a picture of what this junction block should look like when wired properly???    Here's what I have now, and it can't be right.

 

In your second pic I see that all the wires are on one terminal that doesn't look right to me because the bare terminal would have no use. I would undo those wires and check for power on one of them then connect that wire one at a time to the other wires and check for power each time at the coils. If what I suspect one of those wires is for the coils and should go to the unused terminal. Also after finding  the power wire put on the relay and test the unused terminal for power. 

[retiredmechanic74]

2 minutes ago, retiredmechanic74 said:

In your second pic I see that all the wires are on one terminal that doesn't look right to me because the bare terminal would have no use. I would undo those wires and check for power on one of them then connect that wire one at a time to the other wires and check for power each time at the coils. If what I suspect one of those wires is for the coils and should go to the unused terminal. Also after finding  the power wire put on the relay and test the unused terminal for power. 

Are there any other contacts on the relay in the second picture??

[19tom40]

John, the wire from the ignition switch goes to the terminal with the buss bar on it. The only other wires that should be on it are the radio wires and the heater wires. I would connect the ignition switch to one side of the buss bar and the radio and/or the heater to the other side.

 

Edited March 18, 2018 by 19tom40
add photo (see edit history)

[38ShortopConv.]

John,
  Someone has been messing in there. The wiring at the resistor block looks pretty right to me except that heavy brown wire [ its a live feed, red arrow] should  be  reconnected to  that empty  [live]  terminal on the black  relay.   The  taped  wire [red arrow]  on the resistor strap should stay , it  comes from one side of the ignition switch. The other side  of ignition switch should connect to the live terminal on that black overload cutout relay with the heavy brown wire you need to relocate. The ignition  power supply should not go thru black relay.  Relay controls lighting not ignition. Bear in mind the relay could be faulty  [open circuited], .  The two red wires should each  go to a coil connection.  Do you know any tame  auto electricians?

[John_Mc]

Thanks very much.  Yes, someone has been there for sure.  I spoke to Tom above and he is helping me as well.

[ralphnof49]

I will try to attach photo which should help. This is from 1947 Lincoln and the base is more square but hope the wire colors come out OK.

[John_Mc]

Great shot and I did figure it out.  Basically the colis were being powered around the ignition switch.  Thank you for all the input

[John_Mc]

Happy to write that all the wiring issues are solved, thanks for all the help from Tom above and others.

[Beltfed]

Ralphnog49,   You may want to think about addressing the upper coil wire (red in your pic).  From the pic it looks very close to the center feed buss for the ballast resistors.  If it shorts to the buss, you will notice nothing as the engine will still run fine.  But you will feed that coil bank too much current and it might burn out. Henry, being as cheap as he was, would not have allowed the ballast resistors unless they were necessary.

[ralphnof49]

Thanks Beltfed, I will check the wires.