Rogillio Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 My switch has the following positions:park (parking lights) - on - off - low beam - high beamSo in order to turn on the lights, you have to pass thru 'off'. I was curious as to how this worked when the car was running so I tried it Saturday afternoon. When I switched thru off to turn the lights on, the engine missed for just a split second.I got to thinking about this and see no reason for such a swith lay out. Seems like it should be:off - on - park - low - highOh well, maybe I'm a little late offering design improvements for a 1926 design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 My '31 light switch works the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cozza Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 My '31 light switch works the same way. John, At least ours won't shut off the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 John, At least ours won't shut off the engine. Oh yeah....he was talking about IGNITION switch. D'oh....I need to put my glasses on before I read this stuff.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I have had had my car for almost three years and had never noticed that before! DOHH!Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hchris Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 My switch has the following positions:park (parking lights) - on - off - low beam - high beamSo in order to turn on the lights, you have to pass thru 'off'. I was curious as to how this worked when the car was running so I tried it Saturday afternoon. When I switched thru off to turn the lights on, the engine missed for just a split second.I got to thinking about this and see no reason for such a swith lay out. Seems like it should be:off - on - park - low - highOh well, maybe I'm a little late offering design improvements for a 1926 design. I think the logic runs that if you were in a well lit street you might not notice if you only turned parkers on rather than headlights, by designing the switch this way you cant make that mistake if you only want parkers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 (edited) It would be nice to think that some logical thought was given to the design and you might be right but, with respect, I personally doubt it. Wouldn't it mean that the subsequent improvement in design was not given as much consideration :confused:Ray. Edited August 7, 2014 by R.White (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete K. Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 The light switch should be separate from your ignition switch, even though your key switch is in the center of the light switch, they are two different switches. You may be having problems with the guts of your switch where the movement of the lighting lever is dragging your ignition contacts to an open point within it. I have worked on my '25 Dodge Klum switch and I can say there are weak points within that key switch. It can be a delicate operation to get it right if the switch is worn or has been monkeyed with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Having taken a look at the switch on my car I am in agreement with you Pete. The lighting switch does not compromise the ignition which is controlled by the key. The design is not at fault. On my car the main beam works fine but the dimmed setting is dead. Might there be a fault with the resistor coil on the back of the switch? I don't know if it can be repaired or if separate wires to double filament bulbs would be an option worth considering? Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogillio Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) The only key slot on my car is the transmission lock. The 5 position switch looks original and mechanically there is no way to get from the "on" position without passing through the "off" to get to either of the 2 light positions. The schematic in the manual shows a 5 contact switch....as best as I can tell as it is very small print.Ray and Pete, does your car have a key for the ignition switch?Just to clarify, the off position of the switch breaks electrical connection to the coil so going from on thru off interrupts fire to the distributor. I'm wondering now if someone made a change to the switch from the OEM switch. If so the did a good job with the old labels for the switch position. Edited August 10, 2014 by Rogillio (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Yes. The key goes in the centre and the lights are operated by a lever. Mine is a Clum switch. The other type used is Briggs and Stratton. There is a lot of variation in this area....Just ask Machinist Bill! ;)LOL.Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete K. Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Yes, my car has the original key for the center ignition switch. It is a KLUM switch & key. I suppose the label "OFF" would be for the lighting switch AND the ignition key. The ignition key turns a quarter turn to the right for "ON". The transmission lock is a separate deal altogether.Ray, The Dodge headlamps use a single filament bulb (at least on the '25's), as you know, so a resistor coil like yours is needed to bleed off "current" for your "dims". If you lift off one end of the little coil on back of your switch, an Ohmmeter test will show at least if the coil is "open". If this is the case, a new coil is needed. Today, a much easier solution is to install a carbon resistor OR a ceramic wire wound resistor in it's place. It has to be hefty enough, maybe a 10 Watt resistor? The Ohm rating would be the same as the original coil. Somewhere I may have this information but I will have to search. I'm still using the original resistor coil. Re-wiring for different bulbs seems like a lot of extra work. I would go for a new resistor on the back of the switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Greatly appreciate your help and advice, Pete. I'm chasing my tail with the cattery being so busy just now...making lots of cash!... but when the madness passes, I will get right on to those lights and let you know how I get on.Cheers, Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogillio Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 Cattery? Is that a cross between a cat house and catering service? :-) Sounds like a hoot. I think I need to buy you a lager the next time I'm in England? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 A cattery is a premises for the boarding of cats. My wife and I look after people's cats while they are on vacation etc. People here often prefer to board their pets with establishments like ours rather than have house sitters feed them. We have been running this business for 15 years and we still love what we do. The main disadvantage for us is that although we are open all year round, the business is rather seasonal so we have to make as much as we can at this time of the year to see us through the quiet winter months. We are licensed by the local authority and can cater for up to 50 cats.Can you give us a first name Rogillio, it is less formal. If you come to England we should indeed have a noggin and natter but I can see I will have to get you drinking some of our wonderful real ale which I much prefer to lager!! (Said with greatest respect to our Australian friends who live on the stuff:p)Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogillio Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 Sorry, name is Mike. The 4 Rogillios (wife and 2 kids) have been in England a few time on vacation.....holiday. London is the coolest city in the world....next to NYC. We have 3 cats....and 3 dogs....and 3 horses. Going on vacation is always a logistical challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machinist_Bill Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Yes. The key goes in the centre and the lights are operated by a lever. Mine is a Clum switch. The other type used is Briggs and Stratton. There is a lot of variation in this area....Just ask Machinist Bill! ;)LOL.Ray.After buying several switches that I "Thought" would fit the only one that fit my dash was the Briggs & Stratton. For what I've spent Ray I could have flown to London, drove to Whales, and met you there. I could have bought all the Ale for the night, flown home, and still have $$$ left over!Ain't life grand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Hey Bill, if you come over here try and head for Derbyshire in England. Wales is a foreign country to me! Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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