bigrigpardo Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I recently purchased a 1959 b61 and i am having trouble making it do anything except honking the origional horn i believe it is the series parallel switches but since this is my first mack i am not sure the truck is located on long island and if any one could stop down and take a look or tell me what to do it would be a life saver i have had the truck for about a month and have had no luck.thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanscottbuilders Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I recently purchased a 1959 b61 and i am having trouble making it do anything except honking the origional horn i believe it is the series parallel switches but since this is my first mack i am not sure the truck is located on long island and if any one could stop down and take a look or tell me what to do it would be a life saver i have had the truck for about a month and have had no luck.thanksIf all of the batteries are good and all of the cables are good, and you know it - the series parallel switch would be next on the hit parade of things to look at. It gets a bad rap sometimes, and actually does not fail all that often.Check the simple stuff 1st - like all of the connections at the starter and series switch. If the engine has sat for a long period of time, the starter may be sitting on a bad spot. Can you push the truck to start it?My initial guess is that one of the batteries is weak - and for some unknown reason, that will foul up the whole starting process. My second guess is that one of the cables or connections is bad.If the truck has been sitting for any length of time, you might make sure that the engine and fuel distribution rack are free before you start it up. Also be sure that the rack returns to a closed position, so the engine will shut down properly without danger of over revving.Contact B61Fred, or Rob, or Fuzzy Buzzard on this forum to get better info, but start with the simple stuff before just replacing parts.Good Luck,Paul Van Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigrigpardo Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 If all of the batteries are good and all of the cables are good, and you know it - the series parallel switch would be next on the hit parade of things to look at. It gets a bad rap sometimes, and actually does not fail all that often.Check the simple stuff 1st - like all of the connections at the starter and series switch. If the engine has sat for a long period of time, the starter may be sitting on a bad spot. Can you push the truck to start it?My initial guess is that one of the batteries is weak - and for some unknown reason, that will foul up the whole starting process. My second guess is that one of the cables or connections is bad.If the truck has been sitting for any length of time, you might make sure that the engine and fuel distribution rack are free before you start it up. Also be sure that the rack returns to a closed position, so the engine will shut down properly without danger of over revving.Contact B61Fred, or Rob, or Fuzzy Buzzard on this forum to get better info, but start with the simple stuff before just replacing parts.Good Luck,Paul Van ScottOk i was told by a local dealer that i could run it off off two 12"s one on each side but i dont know how to hook them up because the terminals were replaced and when i hook the two off the switch's to the positive then it arks so i have to switch one sidethe truck has not run for about 10 yrs but the motor spins by hand i would like to get it to spin before i go and do the fluids fuel injectors etc to pull start it i just want it to spin now i heartd to switch the truck to 12v i can et a 12v starter and hook it to the button with like a ford selenoid to make the connection but i dont know what starter or what and how many batteries are needed and if i do this do i need a new altenator and if so do i need too rewire see that is my chain of problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemack Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Sounds like from your description you are connecting the switch to the positive side of the battery, this truck is positive ground if it has not been changed. Connect the batteries with positive to ground and see what you get. The horn may be the only item that will work with polarity reversed.Firemack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigrigpardo Posted September 1, 2007 Author Share Posted September 1, 2007 Sounds like from your description you are connecting the switch to the positive side of the battery, this truck is positive ground if it has not been changed. Connect the batteries with positive to ground and see what you get. The horn may be the only item that will work with polarity reversed.Firemacknow what your saying is to hhok both switches to the groundnow if i do that and when i hook up the last wire and it arks is that a bad thing or is that normal because the only way it didnt is with one set up normaly and the other with the positiveto the ground Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy buzzard Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Go to 'oldmacksrus.com', look in info section for wiring diagrams - there is a hand drawn diagram for the series-parallel switch and the battery connections. Hook up batteries as shown on diagram, then start checking voltages at series-parallel terminals. If your problem is in the switch, you'll find it.Over & out from Ignorant RidgeTom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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