This is a wierd problem and solution, on a 1955 Dodge 270 Hemi automatic.
Thought it would be of interest to the list. The car belongs to a friend of
mine several states away.
Joe Paolucci
Walton, Ky
----- Original Message -----
From: "The Petersens" <mikenjeri@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ted Brooks" <brookstc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Joe Paolucci, Jr."
<joeyjr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 3:28 PM
Subject: '55 Dodge Mystery Solved
> Symptom: Turn the ignition switch to "Start". There is a strange "fffftt"
> sound from under the hood. The dome lights, parking brake indicator light,
> tail lights, and parking lights are out. Turning the ignition switch back
to
> "Start" has no effect. The starting circuit is dead. Disconnecting and
> reconnecting the battery resets the circuit breakers in the headlight
switch
> and everything is OK again. Turning the ignition switch to "Start" results
> in a brief starter engagement for less than a second and the lights go out
> again as before.
>
> Diagnosis: With the ignition switch off, jumping from the battery to the
> "ST" post on the solenoid activates the solenoid and the engine turns
over.
> This gives the impression that the solenoid is OK. With the "ST" wire
> disconnected from the solenoid one can turn the ignition switch to "start"
> and the lights remain operational. This means that activating the solenoid
> from the ignition switch sets off the chain of events to trip the breaker
in
> the headlight switch.
>
> Solution: Replacing the starter solenoid solved the problem. My theory is
> that the solenoid went bad, but was still good enough to turn the starter
by
> jumping to the ST input to the solenoid. The signal flasher has a wire to
> the IG post of the starter switch. With the ignition switch in the start
> position the signal flasher can "see" the bad solenoid. When activated by
> the ignition switch, the bad solenoid (internal short perhaps) causes an
> electrical overload through the signal flasher and on up to the headlight
> switch. The circuit breaker (there are 3, more than one may have tripped)
in
> the headlight switch for the dome lights, tail/park lights, and
accessories
> from the AC post of the ignition switch thinks the signal flasher has gone
> south and trips. This explains why the parking brake light, dome lights,
> taillights, and parking lights did not come on until the circuit breaker
> reset itself.
>
> Joe - I think this would be a good one for your electronic bulletin
boards.
>
>
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