'59 Cushman Truckster Wiring Diagram/Reality Help

[Guest Bubbles & Brews]

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. I picked up a '59 Cushman Truckster. Got it running today but I have an electrical gremlin. While working on it I noticed a few misc, wires not connected to anything. Then, once I got it running, two symptoms. 1) the head light dimmer switch was hot as could be ... burn you hot.  2) the engine wouldn't shut off. The ignition key powers on/off the lights, engages the starter, but won't shut off the motor when switched off. So I looked at the wiring diagram and would appreciate your input. I am out of my element here. See attached pic of wires and diagram. 

 

Coming off the rectifier, I see:

• Two yellow wires. One connected to an orange wire going into the wiring harness. The other, not connected to anything. Related? There is a black braid covered wire coming out of the magneto with a red splice on the end not connected to anything. 
• There is a red wire with a yellow ring eye not attached to anything
• There is a black wire connected/crimped to a black wire that goes to the stud on the starter where the negative battery lead comes in also
• 

[JACK M]

My first thought is charging system.

I have seen where the ign switch is wired incorrectly and when you turn the key off the generator, or alternator will still feed the 'on' side of the switch.

I suspect that would be more common with an alternator exciter wire.

What is that potted thing next to the solenoid. It looks out of place for a 59.

 

Now that I look a little closer that solenoid cant be wired right. Way to small of a wire that should go to the battery.

[Guest Bubbles & Brews]

Yes, I was thinking a bad/mis wired ignition switch also. But with these random wires hanging out I wanted to check the wiring diagram.

 

I believe the potted part is the rectifier. Which wire are you referring to coming off the solenoid? You can't see it, but on the same post the blue wire attaches to the solenoid there is the positive battery cable. It is a big one. The negative battery cable is runs into the starter and then a big black wire comes off the starter and runs into the solenoid. 

[Guest Bubbles & Brews]

Looking at the diagram, it looks like the red wire coming out of the rectifier should be attached to the positive post on the rectifier along with the blue wire and the positive battery wire. Yes/no?

[JACK M]

So this has an alternator?

I guess I am not familiar with a rectifier with a generator and don't remember alternators as old as 59.

However even though I do own a Truckster I am no Cushman expert.

 

Looking a little closer it looks like there may be an alternator built into the magneto. Then yes the red would go to the battery, yellows to the mag,

A magneto ignition is usually turned off by offering a ground, in this case I can only guess it would be the orange wire.

[Rusty_OToole]

They have an alternator built into the flywheel along with the magneto. Same as a Model T Ford. The two yellow wires on the diagram, are AC. The rectifier turns AC into DC.

 

That type system typically used a cheap selenium rectifier. If it burns out you can replace it with a couple of diodes and get twice the output. If you get 4 diodes in a bridge you can double the output again. Not recommended unless you need more juice for some reason. Such as running accessories, or changing from 6V to 12V.

Edited October 11, 2017 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Guest Bubbles & Brews]

Thank you. Haven't figured out the correct wiring yet though. It is a tympanium regulator 620403. Only one yellow wire coming out of that is hooked up to anything. An orange wire in the wiring harness. There is a red wire coming off it not connected to anything. And I have a black wire coming out of the magneto not connected to anything. 

[58cushmantruckster]

I have a similar problem on my 1958 Cushman Mailster. Although none of the wires are connected to anything, so Im starting from scratch. My Magnito has 3 wires coming from it (all the wires are the same color) and a single pin starter and a Stator with red, black, and 2 yellows wires. I"m sure the red is to hot and black to ground but where do the yellow wires go and how do i excite the magneto to what wires. Im still looking for answers. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks Hans

PNW