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Old 05-02-2018, 10:14 PM   #13
CW4B
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Join Date: May 2018
Location: San Antonio, TX
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Re: 70 C20 w/HEI Starter Stays Engaged, Ignition Switch Smoked

Quote:
Originally Posted by VetteVet View Post
Your ignition switch has 3 brown wires, a 12 gauge one for the accessory power to the fuse panel which has a small brown white stripe connected with it, and 2 smaller brown wires which are the brake warning light wires.

These two wires are grounded internally by the key switch when the key is turned to the S or start position. Grounding these two small brown wires is a test for the brake warning light bulb. They are not supposed to be connected to anything inside the switch but the ground.

The green wires do the same thing for the temperature light if you have a light dash.

If the switch is shorting internally when it is placed in the start position the hot red wire will be shorted to ground through these two wires and they will burn up.
The 12 gauge purple wire will be shorted to ground as well and it may burn up also. It may also be shorted to the red power wire which will continue to send power to the solenoid and keep the starter engaged.

If you haven't already disconnected everything you can test this by dropping the shift lever in drive which will break the circuit on the purple wire and the starter should disengage.


Attachment 1780942
Vettevet, thank you for your Service and for this advice. My spidy senses are tingling, so I believe you hit the nail on the head. I'll let you know how it turns out soon after the new switch & connector arrive.
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