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Thread: Cold Start indicator

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Mt Rose highway, near Reno, NV
    Posts
    225

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    Thank Lumpy. Looking at the parts catalog it seemed there was a metal bracket which somehow held the switch on. Looking at the switch it seems to clamp directly on to the choke cable.

    With the cost of the switch and an unknown cost for the correct otter switch I may utilize the warning light for my missile launching system instead.
    --David

    1959 TR3
    1970 Series IIa 88" ("Homer")

    My hovercraft is full of eels.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Marblehead, MA
    Posts
    383

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    Yeah - I think Ike has one with the correct metal bracket that clamps/secures it in place… The RN one appears to clip on.
    1968 Series IIa
    1997 Defender SW (Original Owner - Sold)

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Plattsburgh NY area
    Posts
    1,011

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    [QUOTE=slowmo;103983]Thank Lumpy. Looking at the parts catalog it seemed there was a metal bracket which somehow held the switch on. Looking at the switch it seems to clamp directly on to the choke cable.

    the switch with the bracket is for earlier models, your vintage would have the switch on the cable as you note.
    THING 1 - 1973 88 SIII - SOLD
    THING 2 -1974 88 SIII Daily Driver - SOLD
    THING 3 - 1969 88 SIIA Bugeye Project
    THING 4 - 1971 109 SIIA ExMod - SOLD
    THING 5 - 1958 109 PU
    THING 6 - 1954 86" HT

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    5

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    Quote Originally Posted by SafeAirOne View Post
    Well, lumpydog's answer MAY be correct. Some engines had a simple system that merely went through the light switch then to ground as described by lumpydog, and some went through that same switch, enabling the light, then on to a temperature-activated switch (sometimes known as an "otter" switch) on the front of the engine, which illuminated the light by grounding the circuit once the engine is warm, reminding you to "turn off" the choke, so to speak...



    [EDIT:] Bob beat me to it--I spent too much time researching the name of the thermal switch.
    Yep - I need this otter switch. I believe it is part number 545010 called a Thermostat Switch or Choke Light Switch. Different from the switch on the cable, which I removed. The switch on the cable tells you the opposite of what the Otter switch tells you. Otter switch says - hey - use your cold start. Switch on the cable says, hey, push in your cold start cable. Hard to find the otter switch. Rovers North doesn't seem to have it anymore.
    Thanks!
    Mike

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    5

    Default Otter Switch for Choke Light

    Quote Originally Posted by mikeshaw247 View Post
    Yep - I need this otter switch. I believe it is part number 545010 called a Thermostat Switch or Choke Light Switch. Different from the switch on the cable, which I removed. The switch on the cable tells you the opposite of what the Otter switch tells you. Otter switch says - hey - use your cold start. Switch on the cable says, hey, push in your cold start cable. Hard to find the otter switch. Rovers North doesn't seem to have it anymore.
    Thanks!
    Mike
    I did find one. Yep - called Otter Switch, it seems everywhere. Now I just need to test mine to see if it's really broken.

    Thanks all!
    Mike

  6. #16

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    Hi all, great info in this thread. My 1975 SIII 109 has the otter switch (no wire attached), and what appears to be a previously replaced choke cable with no cold start cable switch. The wires behind my cold start dashboard indicator light were cut. Does anyone know if the otter switch and choke cable switch were meant to exist together, or was it either/or? If they were meant to exist together, does anyone know the correct way to wire everything up?

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    300

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    The otter switch and cable switch work together , and are connected in Series. Wiring goes from ignition switch , through the warning light, then the cable switch and finally connected to the otter switch which completes the circuit to ground when the engine up to temp. Both the cable ( Choke operated) and otter ( Engine Warm) switches need to operate to illuminate the light. During the S3 production the otter switch was deleted and just the cable switch retained, which meant the light illuminated whenever the choke operated.
    Last edited by roverp480; 07-19-2023 at 07:06 AM. Reason: Further explanation

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