Upstate Chat 2019 - 2020
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A 2 (01-23-2021)
01-25-2021, 06:35 AM
#1525
02-01-2021, 05:46 PM
#1527
It was too cold last weekend to work on the MGA, so I bamboozled myself into working on the '57 Volvo PV444.
My fix for the so called “Gorilla Spring” Ignition switch:The very first issue that I had with my “new” PV444 in 2016 was a stuck ignition switch. If I turned the key two clicks to the right, the key would be stuck and I could not turn off the car without risk of breaking the key. I would resort to “stalling” the car and then disconnecting the battery if I inadvertently turned the key two clicks to the right. Then I had to remove the switch from the dash to remove the key and then with a screwdriver, to turn back the switch.
The prior owner had fitted the car with a bypass start button, so that the key only needed to be turned one click to the right. But I often overlooked this nuance in my ham fisted efforts to start the car.
This weekend, I addressed the problem once and for all by installing a new Bosch ignition switch. I used switch # 0 342 309 006 with numbered screw terminals.
The first order of business was to determine if I could use the switch by removing a small trim ring on the dashboard. Otherwise the new switch would not fit. This trim ring was just held in place with 4 tabs and fairly easily removed.
The second order of business was to understand how the switch was wired. I took a photo of the wiring at the back of the switch, and with a wiring diagram identified the various wires. I had an extra red wire, however, that I think was supposed to wire the supplemental electric fuel pump - but this wire went to the fuse box and was redundant to the green wires as near as I could determine, so I ultimately deleted this extra red wire.
Initially I planned to just replace the switch, but in the end, I sacrificed the coil as well.
I first cut the old switch off at the armored cable.
Then, to expose the ignition wire, I cut the armored cable off at the coil. This revealed the ignition coil wire, which unfortunately had become very brittle with age with the insulation cracking in several places. I attempted to re-assemble using the original coil, but I felt that I had a continuity problem with the wire and eventually I abandoned this plan.
Instead, I gutted the coil and used the coil housing to host a new 6 volt coil.
The original internal coil wires were packed in a plastic insulation material, not oil as I expected. After cutting off the top of the coil, I resorted to heating and burning this plastic with a propane torch, melting the plastic in the process. This was dirty, outdoor work but it allowed me to dig out the old coil wiring and the plastic. Internally, there were two sets of outside shims. I separated these and would use two of the pieces to shim in the new coil assembly.
I wired the new switch as follows: Terminal #30 – red, power in, hot; Terminal #50 – Grey – Starter solenoid; Terminal #75 – Green, accessories; Terminal #15 coil and fuel pump.
The supplemental electric fuel pump was tied in at the fuse box (was fused) and would pump if the key was turned left for accessories or turned right for the coil. I didn’t like this. I just wanted the fuel pump to be activated when the car was powered up for driving. So I tied the fuel pump into Terminal #15 with the coil.
I test fit the new coil in the car, shot the carbs full of starter fluid and with my fingers crossed, I turned it over with the starter button that I have left in place for now. The engine quickly (and happily for me) caught fire.
Tonight I’m painting the external casing and I will likely use a dab of epoxy or a spot weld to make sure the coil is firmly held within the casing. But I was pretty happy with the result and the fact that this annoying problem will be a thing of the past.
My fix for the so called “Gorilla Spring” Ignition switch:The very first issue that I had with my “new” PV444 in 2016 was a stuck ignition switch. If I turned the key two clicks to the right, the key would be stuck and I could not turn off the car without risk of breaking the key. I would resort to “stalling” the car and then disconnecting the battery if I inadvertently turned the key two clicks to the right. Then I had to remove the switch from the dash to remove the key and then with a screwdriver, to turn back the switch.
The prior owner had fitted the car with a bypass start button, so that the key only needed to be turned one click to the right. But I often overlooked this nuance in my ham fisted efforts to start the car.
This weekend, I addressed the problem once and for all by installing a new Bosch ignition switch. I used switch # 0 342 309 006 with numbered screw terminals.
The first order of business was to determine if I could use the switch by removing a small trim ring on the dashboard. Otherwise the new switch would not fit. This trim ring was just held in place with 4 tabs and fairly easily removed.
The second order of business was to understand how the switch was wired. I took a photo of the wiring at the back of the switch, and with a wiring diagram identified the various wires. I had an extra red wire, however, that I think was supposed to wire the supplemental electric fuel pump - but this wire went to the fuse box and was redundant to the green wires as near as I could determine, so I ultimately deleted this extra red wire.
Initially I planned to just replace the switch, but in the end, I sacrificed the coil as well.
I first cut the old switch off at the armored cable.
Then, to expose the ignition wire, I cut the armored cable off at the coil. This revealed the ignition coil wire, which unfortunately had become very brittle with age with the insulation cracking in several places. I attempted to re-assemble using the original coil, but I felt that I had a continuity problem with the wire and eventually I abandoned this plan.
Instead, I gutted the coil and used the coil housing to host a new 6 volt coil.
The original internal coil wires were packed in a plastic insulation material, not oil as I expected. After cutting off the top of the coil, I resorted to heating and burning this plastic with a propane torch, melting the plastic in the process. This was dirty, outdoor work but it allowed me to dig out the old coil wiring and the plastic. Internally, there were two sets of outside shims. I separated these and would use two of the pieces to shim in the new coil assembly.
I wired the new switch as follows: Terminal #30 – red, power in, hot; Terminal #50 – Grey – Starter solenoid; Terminal #75 – Green, accessories; Terminal #15 coil and fuel pump.
The supplemental electric fuel pump was tied in at the fuse box (was fused) and would pump if the key was turned left for accessories or turned right for the coil. I didn’t like this. I just wanted the fuel pump to be activated when the car was powered up for driving. So I tied the fuel pump into Terminal #15 with the coil.
I test fit the new coil in the car, shot the carbs full of starter fluid and with my fingers crossed, I turned it over with the starter button that I have left in place for now. The engine quickly (and happily for me) caught fire.
Tonight I’m painting the external casing and I will likely use a dab of epoxy or a spot weld to make sure the coil is firmly held within the casing. But I was pretty happy with the result and the fact that this annoying problem will be a thing of the past.
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NH_s2k_Guy (02-02-2021)
02-08-2021, 07:55 AM
#1529
Just a quick weekend Lincoln Pond report.
From the last two storms, there has got to be close to 2 feet of snow on the roofs. Mike had us plowed out so that we were able to get in, but we haven't seen that much snow up there in quite some time. I pulled what I could off of the cabin with the snow rake, fed the birds and pulled snow off of the sailboat. I didn't really do much else.
We went for a long ride on Saturday. We took that road through Jay towards Whiteface so that we could see the looming mountain. But instead of going left towards Lake Placid, we went right towards Wilmington. Took the toll road up Whiteface as far as was opened (The North Pole and Santa's Workshop were closed! And maybe out of business!) Then went around the north side of the mountain to a 4 hut village and power station called Franklin Falls. Then worked our way to Saranac Lake. We checked out a place called Mt Pisgah on the far side of Saranac Lake. There is a micro ski slope there with prices at $15 for adults, $8 for kids. T-Bar for a lift. Just one big open slope of about 15 acres. It looked like it was favored by the Amish, as there were at least three girls/women skiing with ankle length cotton skirts. Then worked to Saranac Lake. They did have the ice castle pretty much fully built in the roadside park. Bypassed Lake Placid on the Military Road and made our way back to L.P.
On Sunday, I went out for more birdseed. When I was a teenager, there was a ski slope called Otis Mountain that we heard of but never visited. I didn't even know where it was. But over the years, I have seen a place called Otis Mountain in Elizabethtown, so I decided to drive in there. The road in is between New Russia and Elizabethtown. At the end of the road was a mini-mini-micro ski slope with a rope tow. Just a glorified hill, but it was open and had good snow - but it is very tiny. I had skis in the car and was tempted, but I had to get back to camp as we were driving home.
From the last two storms, there has got to be close to 2 feet of snow on the roofs. Mike had us plowed out so that we were able to get in, but we haven't seen that much snow up there in quite some time. I pulled what I could off of the cabin with the snow rake, fed the birds and pulled snow off of the sailboat. I didn't really do much else.
We went for a long ride on Saturday. We took that road through Jay towards Whiteface so that we could see the looming mountain. But instead of going left towards Lake Placid, we went right towards Wilmington. Took the toll road up Whiteface as far as was opened (The North Pole and Santa's Workshop were closed! And maybe out of business!) Then went around the north side of the mountain to a 4 hut village and power station called Franklin Falls. Then worked our way to Saranac Lake. We checked out a place called Mt Pisgah on the far side of Saranac Lake. There is a micro ski slope there with prices at $15 for adults, $8 for kids. T-Bar for a lift. Just one big open slope of about 15 acres. It looked like it was favored by the Amish, as there were at least three girls/women skiing with ankle length cotton skirts. Then worked to Saranac Lake. They did have the ice castle pretty much fully built in the roadside park. Bypassed Lake Placid on the Military Road and made our way back to L.P.
On Sunday, I went out for more birdseed. When I was a teenager, there was a ski slope called Otis Mountain that we heard of but never visited. I didn't even know where it was. But over the years, I have seen a place called Otis Mountain in Elizabethtown, so I decided to drive in there. The road in is between New Russia and Elizabethtown. At the end of the road was a mini-mini-micro ski slope with a rope tow. Just a glorified hill, but it was open and had good snow - but it is very tiny. I had skis in the car and was tempted, but I had to get back to camp as we were driving home.
02-08-2021, 09:50 AM
#1530
Former Moderator
Great report Jeff. I think we are having a typical winter after years of being spoiled with no snow.
reading your reports makes me wanna move north closer to the Adirondacks. Not sure if I can afford to live there though. Keep those updates coming.
reading your reports makes me wanna move north closer to the Adirondacks. Not sure if I can afford to live there though. Keep those updates coming.