Can a Bugeye ignition switch be replaced with a universal ignition switch ? If so how would the wires be attached ?

[Ohiobugeye]

Can a Bugeye ignition switch be replaced with a universal ignition switch ? If so how would the wires be attached ?

 

[JPSmit]

No reason you couldn't - a switch is a switch. That said, the Bugeye has two switches. (this from the book not experience)

1. The ignition switch (#7 in the wiring diagram I am using) It describes it as lighting and ignition. This would be the key switch I presume.

2. The starter switch (#5 in the wiring diagram) This is the push button on the dash.

The starter button is easy peasy it would just be some kind of a push & release button.

The ignition switch is a bit more complicated as it seems to have the lighting as a part of it as well. Sooo you might need a two function switch but even that isn't hard to find and you would just need to swap the wires over. I suppose you could also get two switches, one to the ignition and one to the lights. Looks like the brown/blue wire brings power from the voltage regulator.

 

[Ohiobugeye]

Thanks for the reply. I installed a new distributor { Lucas 25d} and the car was running fine. after I tightened the distributor down and I tried to start the engine all it would so is crank over but I had no spark to the plugs. I have 12 volts to the key ignition switch, the regulator the fuse connection A3 and to the coil but nothing coming out of the distributor . I'm trying to use the 4 wire universal ignition switch , { ground, Battery, accessories, and ignition } to isolate just the ignition portion of the system in order to test start the engine. I disabled the bugeye ignition switch by disabling the battery to the bugeye switch and running it directly to the battery connection on the universal switch. I think I should run the ign connection on the universal switch to A3 on the fuse block to get voltage to the ignition coil. The car has a 1275 engine so it has a electric fuel pump. Should I run the accessory connection to the fuel pump? All connections are clean and tight and no blown fuses.

 

[JPSmit]

I am rapidly getting out of my depth here in terms of wiring. However, doing many things at once and not looking for the obvious is totally my jam.

If it was running fine I doubt very very much you need a new ignition switch. Time to go back to what happened between 'running fine' and 'just crank over.'

do you have spark from the coil to the distributer? are the wires at the coil correctly connected? take a deep breath and work through your exisiting systems. If it was fine you are very very close.

 

[Bayless]

First, you need a wiring diagram, for both the bugeye and a later 1275 car. If it was running fine before you tightened the distributor then that is most likely where the problem originated. Probably something in that one step either broke a wire or broke a connection. Check the wire from the coil to the distributor. Remove the cap and verify that you have 12 volts at the points. They must be open to do that. Try to get everything done since back to that point before testing and report back. If still no joy, we can work it out together, one step at a time.

 

[Ohiobugeye]

I am not replacing the factory switch. As I said I have 12 volts to the original ignition switch the control box, the fuse connections {all 5} , the coil +& - . I have a Electric Ignition system , no points . I'm trying to isolate only the ignition system.That's where my problem lays. I've double checked all of the electrical connections for cleanliness and tightness. I Have factory ignition diagrams for all Sprites and Midgets and all wires are connected properly. I built this car from a $75.00 wrecked and TOTALLY parted out Bugeye Tub that was going to the scrap yard and over the last 20 years I've accumulated a ton of parts ,new and used so I have 3 Lucas 25d distributors , 2 electrical and one points. 2 working control boxes and 3 Lucas coils and 1 aftermarket UC15T. Ive tried all combinations using these parts with no luck. I have a Harbor Freight inline connection light inserted between the coil and the spark plugs and I get nothing. I have swapped out the distributors using Electric and conventional points with no spark. I will try Bayless suggestion of using the points distributor and check for spark there. Thanks and I'll post the outcome.

 

[Bayless]

Sorry if I gave more info than necessary. From earlier comments it sounded like you might be new to this. Now I can see you are on top of it all right.

 

[Ohiobugeye]

No problem at all. All information is wanted and welcomed. Without this forums assistance I probably would have given up on the project. At 80 years old the arthritis in my hands and failing memory make maintaining a classic difficult. Thanks for the advice.

 

[hueyhoolihan]

if i understand your post, and if the car was running, and all you did was to tighten the distributor clamp and then it lost spark. i'd be looking for a loose wire in and around the distributor or a distributor that's lost its ground somehow.. it's not all that uncommon for a ground wire to be connected to a clamp.

 

[Ohiobugeye]

It took me all summer trying to get the 1275 running. After trying 3 distributor set ups both points and electronic, 3 coils and the coil to distributor wire it finally dawned to me I had been using the same distributor cap ,I replaced it and she roared to life. Thanks to all the suggestions and advice.

 

[Ohiobugeye]

Clutch hydraulic problems . When I got the car running well i went to bleed the hydraulic system starting with the clutch. The tube some how developed a pin size hole and when the clutch was pumped it sprayed hydraulic fluid all over the engine bay. When I converted the front brakes over to disk I changed the master cylinder over to a 3/4 inch but evidently I left the old 948 slave valve in place . I ordered a new tube assembly from Moss ordering the 1275 package and when I installed it the fitting to the slave valve the fitting threaded but seemed tight and when I pumped the clutch it once again sprayed fluid all over the bottom of the engine and floor . I stripped the threads to the slave valve. I rooted thru my parts and I found a new and 2 used slave valves after I ordered a new 948 slave valve. My question is does anyone know the thread size and type of the 1275 master cylinder and the 948 and 1275 slave valve. the tube size is 3/16 on both . I truthfully had no idea that the 2 slave valves were different until I noticed different part numbers in the Moss catalog.

 

[BobHaskell]

Clutch hydraulic problems . When I got the car running well i went to bleed the hydraulic system starting with the clutch. The tube some how developed a pin size hole and when the clutch was pumped it sprayed hydraulic fluid all over the engine bay. When I converted the front brakes over to disk I changed the master cylinder over to a 3/4 inch but evidently I left the old 948 slave valve in place . I ordered a new tube assembly from Moss ordering the 1275 package and when I installed it the fitting to the slave valve the fitting threaded but seemed tight and when I pumped the clutch it once again sprayed fluid all over the bottom of the engine and floor . I stripped the threads to the slave valve. I rooted thru my parts and I found a new and 2 used slave valves after I ordered a new 948 slave valve. My question is does anyone know the thread size and type of the 1275 master cylinder and the 948 and 1275 slave valve. the tube size is 3/16 on both . I truthfully had no idea that the 2 slave valves were different until I noticed different part numbers in the Moss catalog.

I would think that the hydraulic line fittings are the same and the bores are different.

 

[BobHaskell]

I would think that the hydraulic line fittings are the same and the bores are different.

I wonder if the aftermarket parts have metric threads.

 

[JPSmit]

I wonder if the aftermarket parts have metric threads.

I wouldn't be surprised. I spent an entire summer chasing a clutch line leak (1500) only to find the tolerances were so bad at the Master and Slave that it wouldn't seat at the bottom. I finally took my old ends and found a line to fit (plastic on the 1500) - Ohio Bugeye you might have an issue with it seating as well. The Threads I think are standard - same as brake lines - pretty sure it is 3/8 24.

 

[Bayless]

Surely they wouldn't change to metric threads knowing the other end is not. Ok, I assumed too much intelligence, didn't I.

 

[JPSmit]

Surely they wouldn't change to metric threads knowing the other end is not. Ok, I assumed too much intelligence, didn't I.

I don't think it is on purpose - it is parts sent out to jobbers - low bids *cough* chinesium *cough* - can't think what part I have under the hood - possibly the solenoid that has a metric screw - just because. My biggest issue with new parts though is not metric it is sloppy tolerances.