Two electrical questions

[mreid]

My 1974 has had a lot of poor electrical modifications that I have corrected, but I have two questions that are probably common to all:

1. When I attempt to start the car when it is cold, if it doesn't start on the first crank and I release the key (moves from the spring loaded start position to run) the alternator light stays on but I have to return the key to off and then back to start for it to crank again. What circuit or feature causes the starter to be locked out unless I return the key to off?

2. My windshield wipers do no park when I turn them off (park feature not working). I may have knocked a connection loose while working behind the dash. What is the most likely culprit?

Thanks all!

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by mreid

My 1974 has had a lot of poor electrical modifications that I have corrected, but I have two questions that are probably common to all:

1. When I attempt to start the car when it is cold, if it doesn't start on the first crank and I release the key (moves from the spring loaded start position to run) the alternator light stays on but I have to return the key to off and then back to start for it to crank again. What circuit or feature causes the starter to be locked out unless I return the key to off?

2. My windshield wipers do no park when I turn them off (park feature not working). I may have knocked a connection loose while working behind the dash. What is the most likely culprit?

Thanks all!

Mark,

Ignition switch. The 911 mechanical ignition switch is designed not to go back to START position after your release the key (after attempting to start the motor). There is a mechanical lock to prevent the STARTER getting activated while the motor is already running. Need to go back to off position to go to START again. Someone might have a better way to explain the concept.

Tony

[mreid]

Tony, that makes perfect sense, thanks!

Now, where's Dennis for question 2?

[fanaudical]

Tony's response makes sense to me on the ignition switch.

I think most likely issue with wipers failing to park is the wiper switch; search the forum here for additional details.

[pete3799]

I just fixed the wiper/park problem on mine.
It was the switch in my case. There are some contacts that get bent and need to be tweaked back into position so that they make contact.
Remove the switch and work on it at the bench as you won't be able to see how it works in place (steering wheel and clam shell need to come off).

The contacts for the off position are the ones you need to work on. Work the switch and you'll see which ones move when you switch it to the off position
In this picture I believe the blue and black at the top of the pic. are the ones that need to connect to get the wipers to park. Put an ohm meter on the blue and black and make sure they make contact in the off position.

[timmy2]

Originally Posted by mreid

Tony, that makes perfect sense, thanks!

Now, where's Dennis for question 2?

LOL, I was sleeping at 07:21 here on the left coast on a Sunday morning.
Lots of possibilities, does the intermittent switch work?
Some really good information throughout this thread.
wipers not parking no intermittent wipers

[mreid]

No rest for the weary my friend!

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

[spuggy]

I just found this thread, searching for something unrelated...

Originally Posted by boyt911sc

Ignition switch. The 911 mechanical ignition switch is designed not to go back to START position after your release the key (after attempting to start the motor). There is a mechanical lock to prevent the STARTER getting activated while the motor is already running. Need to go back to off position to go to START again. Someone might have a better way to explain the concept.

Tony

Exactly how it works - and, pretty sure, the reason why.

However, I suspect older cars didn't have the lockout on the electrical switch. Any long-term and/or original owners know for sure - and, ideally, when lockout appeared on cars from the factory?

I have 2 ignition switches with the 911 part #; the one that came fitted in my '77, and a "probably original" one taken out of a Euro '86 930. Neither of these switches have the lock-out; when I first got the '77, if it stalled from cold, could just move the key from RUN to START and release when the motor fired.

So seems likely a '74 wouldn't originally have had the lockout either?

The later ignition switch - the 964 part # that's all that's available now - certainly has the lockout; got several of those - including one in the car now.

I'm thinking both of the 911 switches I have without lockout are likely original - maybe they added the lockout on some revision of the switch?

I'll eventually open up a 964 switch and see if the lock-out can be removed; that difference actually bothers me a little...

[T77911S]

I think there may be a connector under the dash near the steering column for the wiper switch,
if you unplug that and the wipers keep running it is the switch inside the wiper motor. if they stop it is the switch.

power is always going to the wiper motor. there is a switch in there that is cam operated. when the wipers get to the parked position the cam opens the switch and turns off the power to the motor. you may be able to "adjust" it. I have never opened one