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My '49 Custom 8 came without the ignition switch and I suspect the previous owner was hot-wiring it to get it to run. There is a wire coming off the coil that goes nowhere. Not sure which terminal on the coil or if that wire would go to the positive or negative battery?

There is also a pair of wires coming off the harness close to the oil pressure sender that I have no idea what they are supposed to go to.

Any help here is greatly appreciated.

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The sort of yellowish wire from the coil NEG terminal should go to the ign switch which would have 3 terminals but be slightly different depending on if it is a 22nd series or 23 series 49. 22nd switch would be held on by a thick sort of blockish screw on bezel and have only two positions -- Off and one position to the right for On. 23rd would be held by a stamped stainless steel thin and tapered bezel and have 3 positions with the third position to the left for accessory. The terminals would be AM (or battery feed), GA for all switched wires from switch except the coil which would be on the COIL terminal. In a 22nd series GA and COIL would energize at the same time. On a 23rd switch COIL would only be hot in the right ON position. The POS terminal of the coil would go to the distributor and if there is an Overdrive, a second wire would be on that same terminal.

I cannot see much of the engine but possibly there might be part of an Electromatic Clutch control valve in the right upper area and what looks to be part of power cylinder bracket below the distributor. If that is the case the extra wires may be part of that option. If not then if you could post a photo showing almost all of that side of the block including the gearshift linkage area and another showing the firewall we might be able to see what if anything is missing. The wires might be for a reverse light switch which would be near that area and activated by shift linkage.

Here's some clearer pics.

Thanks!

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I am thinking the wires were originally going to the coil and maybe were disconnected when they did whatever to make it run without an ign sw. . Someone has replaced one of the coil wires with a light colored wire and the other disconnected wire may be part of the OD kickdown circuit. If the lighter wires is a battery feed, with a normal Packard positive ground battery connection it is on the incorrect terminal. So much grease and in such poor condition it is hard to see where they go -- but I would not use them in that condition anyway. You do have the Electromatic Clutch option which unlike so many found today still looks to have all parts present. You have an R11 OD so a later production 22nd series. The reverse light switch is present and appears to be wired.


I would definitely be doing something with the wiring before hooking up a battery. Those wires on the generator also look to be a short waiting to happen as does a few others.


If you have not downloaded it already there is a 22nd series wiring diagram in the literature archive. That one shows the R9 OD used in early production 22nd series so you will need to look at the 23rd series diagram for the correct R11 OD and EC option applicable to your car. To see if the theory of the disconnected wires originally going to the coil is correct, you could try using an ohmmeter and see if one of the disconnected wires ends near where the ign switch would be. The other would be going to one terminal of the kickdown switch which is a plunger type switch positioned low on the firewall near the starter motor and operated by the accelerator pedal linkage pushing the plunger at one end of the switch. Kickdow sw is not to be confused with the accelerator switch that is a sort of rotary lever actuated switch also operated by the accelerator linkage but is part of the EC option and is located higher on the firewall.

Driving a well-sorted ElectroMatic and R11 system is almost like driving an automatic! You still have to shift but the clutching is done for you and you can even come to a stop without pressing the pedal. Getting it well-sorted is another matter but I think it’s worth the effort.

Perhaps the Electormatic system is making feel different from a traditional "three on a tree"?
Even with the clutch depressed I can't hardly move the shift lever.


Quote:[UPLOADING IMAGE.... PLEASE WAIT]

Having the EC does not make a difference in the feel or operation of the trans as it only affects the clutch. Turning it off reverts to clutch operation just like a car that does not have the option. The hard to move shift lever may be due to lubrication or lack thereof. After a lot of years with dirt and water running down the shift tube, corrosion or rust on the upper 2-3 lever can cause a real problem. The bottom R-1 lever is not often affected as it is more protected. The two levers must be completely free and able to independently rotate one at a time for the transmission to shift properly. Frequently the upper lever wants to seize to the tube which can result in hard or no shift or lockup at the trans.

If the operator lever is hard to move DO NOT force anything or there is a good chance a piece of pot metal that holds the lever can break. Before trying too much more place a few drops of oil in the hole at the bottom of shift tube just above the levers at base of steering column and get a few drops of oil to run down the outside of tube and get in the space between tube and the upper 2-3 lever. If the lever won't separate enough from the washer at the top to get in a few good drops you may need to remove the upper clip and slide the washer upwards so oil can get directly on the tube and run in the space around the lever. If rust has already set in you may need to do a penetrating oil for a day or two followed by regular oil. In worst cases, if an oil application does not help then the levers must be disassembled and areas cleaned of all rust and corrosion.

Here is a photo showing where to lubricate.

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If Howard’s tips do not free it up, then the column will have to be disassembled and grasped before reassembly.

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Do you mean greased?

So, in order to temporarily wire the engine to start The positive terminal of the coil would go to ground and the negative terminal would be switched to positive to turn the ignition off and on?
Once coil is activated, then what is necessary to engage the starter motor?

I'm studying the electrical diagram but it's hard to wrap my brain around this positive ground when I've been working the opposite my entire life.

[quote]
HH56 wrote:
I am thinking the wires were originally going to the coil and maybe were disconnected when they did whatever to make it run without an ign sw. . Someone has replaced one of the coil wires with a light colored wire and the other disconnected wire may be part of the OD kickdown circuit. If the lighter wires is a battery feed, with a normal Packard positive ground battery connection it is on the incorrect terminal.