Turn Ignition Key Clockwise or Counterclockwise

[46CoupeSD]

Hello everyone,

 

I recently had a mechanic rewire my (mostly original and stock) 6v 1946 Special Deluxe. Prior to dropping it off at the mechanic, I would turn the ignition key clockwise and then push the starter button on the dash. This would engage the starter and allow the car to start.

 

Now, after it has been rewired with a new harness, turning the key clockwise only powers the accessories (such as headlights). The key needs to be turned counterclockwise in order to engage the starter. Prior to this I didn't even know the key was able to turn counterclockwise. 

 

Which is correct? I can't seem to find an answer on this anywhere in the forum or in my shop manual, and this seems to be the incorrect way to have it wired.

 

Thanks!

[Young Ed]

Clockwise for run counter for accessories. Did they put the switch in upsidedown? Key should go teeth up

[joecoozie]

9 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

Clockwise for run counter for accessories. Did they put the switch in upsidedown? Key should go teeth up

Could it be wired incorrectly, too?

[46CoupeSD]

14 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

Clockwise for run counter for accessories. Did they put the switch in upsidedown? Key should go teeth up

I don't think they changed the switch/key slot - the key still goes in "teeth up."

[Plymouthy Adams]

even 180 out the key movement is still the same...only the orientation of the key change

[46CoupeSD]

18 minutes ago, joecoozie said:

Could it be wired incorrectly, too?

That's my fear... they incorrectly wired this calling into question the entire wiring job...

Edited November 2, 2023 by 46CoupeSD

[LazyK]

It's wired incorrectly. 

[kencombs]

Miswired, but probably only two wires need to be swapped.   The accessory and ignition posts.   That is assuming everything else works as it should.

[D35 Torpedo]

Well that's moronic...but, not surprising..

[harmony]

I'm scratching my head on this one.

  

Ok,,,, so you go to pick up your car and pay the bill.  Then the mechanic hands you the keys and says " Have a nice day" ??  Didn't he happen to mention that you now have to turn the key counterclockwise for the car to start,  because,,,,  bla bla bla.  ???.   

Lets say, for discussion sake,  he just said "Have a nice day"  You get in the car and go to start it up by turning the key clockwise and pushing the start button and nothing happens.  Then what???  Don't you walk back inside the shop and explain that the car won't start?  Perhaps the mechanic says " which way did you turn the key"  with a look on his face like you've done something stupidly wrong.  ???  Or does he say.  "Ohhhhhh yeah sorry, I forgot to tell you that you have to turn the key counterclockwise to start the car now because,,,,  bla bla bla". 

 

Back to scratching my head.  ???

[DonaldSmith]

Let me understand  this.  The ignition switch of the era has OFF in the middle, where the key can be pushed in and pulled out (notches up).  To the left, (counterclockwise) is ACC, powering all the good stuff.  To the right (clockwise) is ACC plus IGN.   All the good stuff works, and the Ignition is hot. 

 

The way this switch is wired, turn it left for IGN, and the ignition is hot, reportedly.  Are the Accessories on?  To the right, are the Accessories on, but the ignition is off? 

 

 

[Ivan_B]

Maybe I am completely off, here, but are you still using the same ignition switch/key? ?

[desoto1939]

So I quess we al assuming that the owner of the car provided the mechanic with a copy of the wiring diagram for the car.  The diagram shows which wires get connected to which specific gage, switch,etc.

 

Or did the owner provide a complete wiring harnes from a specialty company such as Rhode Island wiring or another company.  Most quality companies label and number each wire and they correspond to where they get attached on the car. 

 

So it seems there are still questions that need to be answered.  from all of my driving experience and I am 72 year olds and I have driven a 1915 Overland touring car, several model A's, my 1939 Desoto and also other various other cars, the key has always been turned clockwise to activate the ignition and counter clockwise to turn on the accessories.

So why would the mechanic not follow the standard pattern or maybe the ignition switch was original rewired incorrectly and he just followed the wiring scheme that was currently in the car.

 

The owner of the car needs to provide more info.

 

Rich Hartung

[Sniper]

2 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

maybe the ignition switch was original rewired incorrectly and he just followed the wiring scheme that was currently in the car.

 

On 11/2/2023 at 9:10 AM, 46CoupeSD said:

Prior to dropping it off at the mechanic, I would turn the ignition key clockwise and then push the starter button on the dash. This would engage the starter and allow the car to start.

 

Seems more information was given.

 

 

[kencombs]

Regarding my post above, I'm not familiar with that specific switch, but a lot of older vehicles with starter buttons had a simple 3 post switch.   Bat/ign/Acc.     So swapping the last two will cause the exact symptoms the OP sees.    Lots of industrial and farm machines are that way also.

[desoto1939]

Sniper, I have been following the posting and read the post but I did not remember from my prior reading that the car started regularly by turning clockwise before rewiring the car.

 

So, the poster still needs to ask why the mechanic wired the car backwards?  Would be nice to hear a reasoning and why he did not see the issue after the car was tested.

 

Always nice to know why something was done incorrectly. Maybe the wires were not long enough to go back to the original setup who knows.

 

Rich