Ignition Switch

[professor229]

Bought a 1971 240Z manufactured in August.... starting was difficult and to make a long story short, the switch does not make contact when the key is turned to "start" meaning no power to the coil.... I need a new switch. Looked at all of them from several suppliers and they are ALL wrong. So I pulled the switch to see if I could find the correct parts number on it.. no such luck (did find an HO 60) but??? I did order a switch for a 1970 240Z and took a photo of it next to my bad switch... both are five terminal... the one on the right is larger (the new one) and mine is a smaller diameter with only one connecting screw... The entire key assembly is a Kanto Seiki KV-3..... I only need the five position switch.... All ideas appreciated... I would love to contact Kanto Seiki but Japanese is not my strong suit... I did contact Nissan, and tried to chat with their online parts... they asked me for the parts number I needed and that is when I knew there was not going to be any help there.... I am VERY close to getting a momentary switch at Radio Shack and wiring it directly from the battery to the coil and using it at the same time as I turn the key to start to send the pure 12 volt juice to the ignition system... I did that to hotwire the car to prove the start terminal on the switch was bad.... otherwise, the switch is fine... BUT I would rather find the correct switch... hate cobbled stuff....

PS... the third attachment is of two key positions.. on my KV-3 mine is the five position on the right....

Any help is appreciated.... and thanks!

Dennis

[ZCurves]

Will the larger link up to the lock assembly? Sometimes the replacement part is a little different than OEM. It looks like it would fit on the top (pic #2). See if I am close- I hate rigging stuff.

If you have to punt, I found a complete Cylinder Lock and Switch Assembly at Advance. I thought this post was eerie because I replaced the assembly just last night.

Buy Beck/Arnley Key, Lock and Ignition Switch Assembly 201-1179 at Advance Auto Parts

Good Luck.

[zKars]

Yes the early ones had that one-screw switch body which is different from the later ones. Buying the entirely new assembly as found by ZCurves will fix the problem. Electrically they are the same. It will mean a new key for you.

I think Captain Obvious has a thread recently about taking the switch apart and cleaning the contacts.

I have an old 1-screw switch in my collection (I check it) if worst comes to worst. Let me know z240@shaw.ca if you need it.

[Captain Obvious]

I didn't start the thread, but in this thread >> http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/electrical-s30/47917-ignition-switch-sticking-start-position.html I did admit to cutting an ignition switch open, cleaning and bending the contacts a little, and then epoxying it back together as a temporary fix for a dying switch.

I sure hope you can find a replacement for your single screw switch. I wouldn't consider what I did as a recommended course of action. Even though I'm still running that reworked switch almost a year later.

[SteveJ]

So you made it over here from ZDriver. Was I not fast enough responding to you over there?

[Wade Nelson]

I haven't bothered to read the entire thread, but...

A lot of people don't understand the relationship between the ignition switch and the coil.

On older vehicles coils get their power from tWO DIFFERENT SOURCES.

When you are cranking it gets power DIRECTLY from the switch. In fact, you could run a wire from the starter solenoid DIRECTLY to the coil and you'd be fine.

Once the engine is running, the coil receives power THROUGH a dropping resistor, known as a "ballast resistor" that drops it down from 13.8 or whatever the alternator is putting out down to 9.6V or so.

Understand the reason why: While cranking, your battery voltage will drop considerably. To make a good spark you need every volt available. So the coil is connected directly but ONLY while cranking.

When the engine is running the coil would produce TOO MUCH voltage. Over time it will eat away your points, even the electrodes on the plugs will get vaporized. So the ballast resistor drops the voltage down a bit.

In terms of history, I got one of those aftermarket "blaster" coils and wired it direclty on an old Subaru. Less than 5000 miles later the electrodes on my plugs were completely gone!!!

So in YOUR case, you can pretty much use ANY ignition switch that fits mechanically PROVIDED you wire the coil up in a suitable fashion. You don't have to run all over Japan looking for the OEM switch.

HTH.

[280~Master]

If your trying to look original you could always install a push start somewhere under the dash.

This is from my parts book from back in the day. 48750-E7705 that may be it..