Wiring Diagrams

Electrical circuits information.JPG

Diagram for w,f,j,d and y models.JPG

Main diagram,lark after 1960.JPG

Main wiring diagram-hawk-1962.JPG

Lark and cruiser wiring diagram-1963.JPG

Question: I was having problems with my headlight switch breaker blowing after 10-15
min. Last week I posted some questions to the group for help and suggestions
and got some great advice.

Well, I never did rebuild the switch, what I did do however was to start
with the headlights and clean all contacts. When I removed my headlight
bulbs and started inspecting the connections, I found cold solder joints on
the socket the bulb connects to. I removed the brass clips from the Bakelite
connector and cleaned and soldered them back together. I next cleaned all
the junction boxes. Used a Dremel wire brush attachment to buff the terminal
connectors and blocks. Next used lithium grease on all surfaces and
reassemble. Here are some photos of what I learned from studying the wiring
diagrams. I hope this helps others in their restorations and trouble

Question: Why do my wipers come on by them selves ?

This is a parking switch problem. When you turn the dash switch off, a park
switch on the large gear in the motor housing supplies current to the motor
until the blades reach the rest position. I believe they normally "park" from
high speed, because on some model wiper motors, low speed was obtained by
energizing a second field in the motor that "bucks" the main field to cause the
motor to run slower. If the park switch is misadjusted, or worn, the blades may
over-run the "dead spot" in the switch and carry on for another sweep. Worn-out
wiper arms with weak springs will aggravate the problem.

When new, the park switch has a little spring-bronze leaf with a dimple stamped
in the end to provide what is basically a point-contact with the brass track on
the gear. The track on the gear is interrupted for a few degrees to provide the
"dead spot". As the the wiper motor wears, the dimple on the spring leaf wears
down from a point to a flat spot, finally becoming a hole. As it does so, the
effective width of the contact vs. the width of the dead spot on the track
becomes much greater, making park adjustment critical to impossible. I repaired
one once by finding a tiny round-head brass screw, sticking it through the hole
worn in the spring leaf, and soldering it in place, then clipping off the excess
screw shank. Worked perfectly. This is an easy repair to do. If you remove the
round plate attached to the wiper motor with 3 screws, the spring leaf in
question is on its back side.
 
 
 

Question: Why are my dash lights not as bright as the should be.
 
 

I finally have a complete illuminated dashboard in the 47 Coupe, only took me
14 yrs.

Here's the trick, or the problem that has stumped everyone.

If over the years you had a harness made for your dash 47-49, there is a real
goof in all of those harnesses. Depending on option's) there is a left gauge
or set, fuel, amps, oil and temp, then a clock and then speedometer. The clock
and the speedometer have two bulbs, which are mounted at the top and are
supposed to cascade or flood the face with light, UV - purple - what have you.
The cluster set has one bulb that is supposed to light the set of gauges from
the center.

On all the commercial after market harnesses, they never realized that the
center bulb has a SPECIAL socket, it is LONG NECKED, and it penetrates into the
cluster approximately 1 inch, the others just pop in.. I discovered this while
cleaning out a bunch of boxes and found some old cluster gauges. I removed this
long neck socket and spliced it into my new (14 yrs old) harness.............
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION.

After 44 years the radium dials still get excited by the purple UV filter. I
spent more time tonight driving around staring at the gauges, than the road.

Really neat.

Bondo, glowing

Alternator Swap

Question: How do I mount  a single wire alternator in place of my generator

Take the original mount, scribe lines thru center of both holes the whole
length of mount, drill new hole 11/4" back from original hole, move back
another 3/8" and cut bracket into 2 pieces. Oversize old generator thru bolt
holes to 3/8" or slightly larger, mount front of bracket on original stud using
new hole, turn rear of bracket 180 degrees and mount, use bolt long enough to
go thru front mount hole and alternator and have 1/2" minimum threads exposed
(threads only, no smooth area) put same diameter bolt, only longer thru rear
hole, bolts cannot touch, needs 3/8" minimum gap, once correct bolts
obtained, use coarse thread) mount alternator on front bolt, screw an "all
thread coupler" on it and screw rear bolt into coupler, use original adjustment
bracket and make sure pulley groove on alternator is same width so belt fits.

Question: I can't find a simple set of instructions to convert from the tired old generator to an alternator!!

Answer:

GM Wiring
 

On the back of the alternator is the battery lead wire. Usually a red insulator but not always, and on the SIDE of the case is a place for a 2 wire plastic plug. The plug leads are parallel with the edge of the case. IF you find an alternator with the 2 wire spades INLINE with the fan, this is the older style WITHOUT the internal regulator. Where this thing plugs in cast on the case below the opening for the plug should be a number 1 and 2 below the respective terminals. Wire #1 goes to the key switch, this wire is HOT with the key in the RUN position, NOT THE START. Wire #2 can be hooked directly to the big battery wire on the back of the case. It is a sense voltage source for the regulator. The idiot light is rather unique. the light is a small dash lamp bulb on a special plug in base. NORMAL lights require a ground and a hot wire. THIS LIGHT IS NOT GROUNDED, instead both leads are insulated from the car body. One side goes to the key switch, where it is fed 12 volts when the key is ON, and the other goes to #1 on the alternator. With the key ON and the engine not running, the light lights up, as there is a voltage difference between the 2 leads. AS the engine is running this wire has 12 volts across its entire length and the lamp goes out, as BOTH LEADS have the same voltage, than the alternator is charging. If the alternator quits charging, then this wire loses its voltage and the light says I ISN'T WORKING, so you know something is wrong. Usually on the GM's the battery wire off the back of the alternator goes to the battery side terminal of the starter solenoid. There is an inline fuse here most often on the originals, consisting of a fusible link. Ditto for the headlights and the rest of the cars wiring needs. If you have an ammeter, make certain that the STARTER DRAW IS NOT PUT ACROSS THE TERMINALS OF THE AMMETER. The location of the ammeter can depend on what you want to know. There are 2 places to put it, which I won't get to here. A normal GM internal regulator alternator can have an output from 45-70 amps depending on several variables. By changing the internal windings and rotor it is possible to get 120-140 amps, but the life is shortened. You can also have a self excited alternator, by changing the regulator and then you have NO little wire plug to worry about, Just the big battery wire. Speaking of which, this battery wire MUST BE 10 gauge minimum and I like to solder the terminals on the end. I don't trust crimp connections. If you have to run this wire a long ways, then the wire MUST BE BIGGER. Delco manuals sometimes call for #1 wire sizes for some alternators and 3/0 for some starters, but you OUGHT TO SEE THE BATTERIES!!!

Answer: Molar Swap

I know most are going to recommend the one-wire GM setup but I prefer the Mopar unit. If you start with the standard Stude V8 bracket on the exhaust manifold the front lug of the Mopar alternator bolts to the front of the Stude bracket and positions the belt alignment perfectly (assuming you use a single groove pulley). A piece of angle iron with one hole drilled in it is welded to the Stude bracket to make the support for the rear lug of the alternator. The early Mopars ('61-'69) used the same voltage regulator as the alter nator equipped Studies. It's a simple two wire hookup. The '70 and later used a solid state regulator with three wires. The regulator can be mounted in the same location as the original Stude and most of the original wires used.
 

Starters

There are 3 different types of starters for the older cars. The differences are apparent, and the problems will also be apparent..
Type 1. We have a starter where the solenoid provides 2 jobs at the same time..The first is providing the battery current to the actual starter motor, and 2, is physically MOVING the bendix into engagement into the flywheel, thereby forcing the starter motor to turn over the gas motor. For convenience here, I will call this a GM type as its mostly used on them..

Type 2. The solenoid IS NOT mounted on the starter motor itself, but is mounted elsewhere on the vehicle. The Solenoid IS STILL the switch to provide the current to turn it over, BUT does not physically throw the bendix into the flywheel.. HOWEVER, in THIS particular model, there is a special field coil, and a mechanical lever that, when current is applied to the starter, this lever has special windings in 1 field coil that PULLS the lever into the hole in the field, thereby engaging the bendix into the flywheel. Commonly used on most older Fords.

Type 3. in this starter, the solenoid is mounted elsewhere and is just the current switch. When current is applied to the starter, the starter spins, and the bendix is SPUN out, due to the coarse threading inside the bendix body..SOMETIMES, the bendix is actually 2 pieces in construction and a very heavy spring is bolted between the pieces, and in other cases the bendix is 2 pieces, but are not easily separated..
This type can be EITHER manufactured by Autolite, Prestolite, OR Delco. Also used by Chrysler.

So, we get in the car, turn the key, and NOTHING...
Diagnosis time.
Which of the 3 types starters do you have? lets, assume that the battery cables are ok, the battery is charged and all the grounds are in place... THAT is the first thing to check, irregardless of type.
Lets say we have a type 2 OR 3, the inertial throw the bendix out when it spins type..or the normal Ford. Solenoid is either 2 wire, OR 3 wire.. 2 BIG wires, and either 1 or 2 small wires.Common to ALL externally mounted from the starter solenoids is this, ASSUMING NEGATIVE GROUND VEHICLES, for the moment.

You have 1 wire from the battery TO the solenoid.. if a 6 volt system, it has to be TWICE the size of a comparable 12 volt. The OTHER big wire goes down and connects to the starter.. 1 SMALL wire comes from the key switch and is HOT ONLY when the key is in the START position. if you got a pushbutton, substitute this for the key start position..
With a friend handy and a test light, unhook the small wire from the solenoid and have friend turn the key/button and attempt to start the vehicle.. Check it with your test light and see if its hot.. this is a yes/no situation. if no, the problem is in the keyswitch/button OR the wiring to it.
Wire is hot... turn off the key/button and REconnect the wire.. Test light shows battery voltage on the battery side of the solenoid? Check it.. try turning the key again. DOES the solenoid CLICK? yes/no again.. if NO, then remove the solenoid from the car body, check for corrosion/rust under the mounting area, clean and remount. try again. no click? solenoid is apparently bad. replace.
Solenoid DOES CLICK.. Take the test light, and check the starter side of solenoid for voltage. yes/no again. if you HAVE voltage on the starter side, see below, on checking the starter. if NO, then the heavy contacts inside the solenoid are wore out. replace solenoid and see if fixed.
IF, and only IF, you have 2 small wires on the solenoid AND its a 12 volt, then sometimes, the second little wire goes to the key side of the coil, and applies a full 12 volts to the coil ONLY WHILE the car is cranking. once it starts, this wire is 'dead'(no 12 volts) and the normal ballast resistor is put into play. (car runs great, but hard to start? Check this wire, if present) If this wire stays hot, you have a mysterious short life on points scenario.

For those of you with GM motors, we have the following. Type 1 and CERTAIN model Fords.
key does nothing. Now the fun begins, starter/solenoid is down UNDER the exhaust manifold.. maybe you can get to the top/maybe not. We HAVE to have access to the starter if you want to check on the car. HOWEVER you have to get to it, we need to check the battery terminal on the solenoid cap, and the SMALL WIRE on the cap, mounted on the right side at 3 o clock assuming you are looking at the cap from the back.. We have battery voltage at the top of the cap? Cable is not loose? if no, fix these problems. if YES, unhook the small wire at 3 o'clock, and have friend attempt to start the car. test light again. Got voltage when key turned to start? yes/no. No means a broken wire somewhere.. yes means hook it back up..while listening/feeling the solenoid, attempt to sta>

Transfer interrupted!

lets for the moment assume a 12 volt starter..
ALL starters I ever seen have 4 brushes 2 hot and 2 ground..lets take a starter apart.. a GM with the solenoid.
Got the starter off, and sitting in a vice with the back up in the air.. there is a small bolt on the 6 o clock position on the solenoid that connects the solenoid into the starter case. remove that small bolt.. there are 2 bolts that hold the solenoid to
the case.. remove them. a slight turn gets the solenoid out from under the case. and a spring showed up..
2 bolts hold the back cover on. remove them. BTW, this is a case that has NO BAND on the back end of the case,
about 3/4" wide or so.. this is a 350 Chevy type starter of a 70's vintage.but applies to certain other types as well. cover came off, and you are looking at the brush/commentator end. How's the brushes??
they are mounted in metal and plastic holders and BETTER BE above the metal or plastic. burnt wires? brushes wore down to the metal or plastic where THAT is touching the commentator.. found the problem..
shop time. nothing visible? but had voltage to this point.. SHOP TIME.

lets take a Ford OR the type 3, whatever the brand.. We have a BAND of metal on the rear of the case (opposite end of the solenoid) that has to be removed.. you now see the brushes. BEFORE removing the 2 bolts OR 4 screws that hold the back cover plate on, MARK IT, so it can go back the same place.., you MUST find in a Ford the 2 brushes that must be pulled out of their holder in order to get the back plate off, you can pull all 4 out, don't lose the springs. If you have the type 3, removing 2 small screws holding the brush leads in place, will allow you to pull the back cover off.check length of brushes, burnt wires and so forth. GM AND type 3 starters RELY ON a good ground to 2 brushes, gently grab
the brush lead and try moving it where its attached to the case.. Gm's are riveted on, and some type 3 are riveted, others are bolted.. Ford Ground brushes are usually welded.

If you got this far, you have NOW freed up the field coil case, some older type 3 have screws holding the field coil case to the starter nose. MARK IT, remove the screws and pull the case off. Now you have an armature shaft, standing in the nose end of the housing.. GRAB THE SHAFT of the armature and attempt to move it sideways... HOW MUCH does
it wiggle from side to side? IMO, if you can wiggle the commentator end of the shaft MORE THAN 1/2" the nose bushing is wore out, and needs replacing. shop time again.
The starter spun OK, but NOT THE MOTOR.. something is wrong in the bendix. GM. has on 'over running clutch' mounted in the bendix head. Supposed to LOCK IT while its trying to start the motor, BUT once it starts, is free spins in the opposite direction, preventing the starter from blowing up, while the bendix is removed from contact with the flywheel. Fords ALSO have over running clutches.. Type 3 MAY HAVE EITHER an overrunning clutch OR a centrifugal clutch.
This is unlocked at a certain RPM, dropping the bendix out of the flywheel. IF the clutch in the GM or Ford 'slips' the starter turns, but the motor don't.. Shop time. the Spring connected clutch can break the spring. Shop time.
 

NEXT.. assuming you have a starter that TURNS SLOWLY.. and the battery voltage is correct, load test the battery and its OK, and you determine the problem is in the starter. This applies to ALL TYPES..#1 problem is the nose bushing in the starter is wore out, and needs replacing.. a 12 volt starter is more forgiving on being loose than a 6 volt.. IMO 6 volt starters require tighter tolerances on the bushings as the load is actually DOUBLE a 12 volt, but the wattage draw is identical.
Nose bushings are the # 1 thing to replace. takes care of a LOT of problems right there.
#2 problem on ALL starters is the brushes.. wore out, dirty, greasy, loose ground leads, COMMENTATOR is wore down, grooved, burnt segment. and so forth.. BOTH the above are unless you got the tools and parts are a starter shop job.

# 3, not as common.. the FIELD windings.. burnt, shorted between windings. ALSO a shop job..the OLDER cars had cloth insulation in the fields, and if the car had been WET, rained in, etc, the insulation is probably bad, and it needs new fields.
SOME STARTERS- and it takes a good person willing to look, can be 'upgraded' 6 volt coils replaced with HI torque field windings, and/or 12 volt windings and USE THE SAME CASE. its a case by case basis. Example is a 6 volt case with 2 field windings and adding the OTHER 2 windings, making a 4 field case..
 

6 volt solenoids, are of a few types.. 3 wire OR 4 wire..a 3 wire is the same as the one listed above, diagnosed the same..
HOWEVER, there are SOME 3 wire, that to make the solenoid engage, you GROUND the little wire terminal, NOT THE WIRE, BUT the terminal, take a jumper and go to the car body-solenoid engages. This is a 2 coil solenoid, connected internally in a funny way.. there is a 4 wire that's a real pain.. 1 of the small wires goes to the key switch/OR button, and the OTHER is connected to car ground.This solenoid is essentially 2 separate coils in 1 case.

Determining which you have, takes a VOM Meter.
 

CORRECT TOOTH ENGAGEMENT in the flywheel... PER GM manual..with the bendix engaged into the flywheel, you should have as clearance between the top of a bendix tooth and a flywheel gullet the thickness of a regular sized paper clip wire.. .015 or so if I remember the wire size.. IF ITS GREATER, you run the risk of chipping off the tops of teeth, if LESS you WILL tear out the nose bushing in the starter QUICKLY, AND also run the risk of breaking some teeth in either the starter bendix OR the flywheel.
 
 

Distributor

  Can I use the GM window disributor in a 61 Hawk ? I noticed that Studebaker did not use it on the Hawks and was afraid it might hit the firewall.

Answer:

Actually, The Delco window will fit fine in a 60-61 Hawk (I have had one in mine for awhile) The real reason is probably in the Tachometer!(yes, I know not ALL 60-61's had the tach) The sending unit for the in dash Tach for these cars mounted under the distributor cap between the housing and cap. The Delco-1110864 distributor was used from 1957-61 and was the correct distributor for the tachometer sending unit. I would assume Studebaker didn't want to pay Stewart Warner to re-fab the sending unit to fit the "Window-unit" Delco. And they probably had plenty of Tachometers left to use up before the GT Styling /dash change came out..

How do I set the timimg on my R-2
 

Answer:

While the shop manual doesn't state it, the actual timing at idle, with the vacuum advance disconnected, is 4 degrees before top dead center (BTDC). This is the same as a standard Studebaker 289 V-8. I found that my R2 starts more readily and revs faster with idle timing at 6 to 8 degrees BTDC, and fully advanced timing of 40 to 42 degrees in by 2500 to 3000 rpm.

The advance curve is available in any Avanti or standard Lark and Hawk shop manual (for the Jet-Thrust engine). I don't remember the full centrifugal advance for the R-2 engine, but I think its only about 24 degrees BTDC because of Studebaker's fear of detonation under boost. Of course, all of the vacuum advance goes away under boost, so the 40 - 42 degree total advance number is designed to give you better fuel economy at cruising
speeds.

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