m35a2 twist style start

I'm new so please don't club me like a baby seal for asking this question! I searched and didn't find the answer, so here goes. I went and looked at a 1987 m35a2 today and the starter switch was broken and dangling from the dash pannel. It WAS a twist style switch (different from all the other deuces on site) which appeared to be the same one used in the m35a3 parked next to it. It seemed that they could be easily swapped, but the switch terminals had no cavity designations to match up the connections and was wondering if the wiring diagram for this vehicle would be findable and if there are markings or something to get the right wires in the right place?

M35a2 wiring diagram

Thanks for the reply. The attached schematic shows a 2 wire switch. The one I was looking at has 4 wires. The other 5 deuces had a push button (2 wires) and the one I am looking to buy has a quarter turn switch with 4 wires. I wish it were a 2 wire type because it is so simple. I left without getting it started. My volt meter is at work and would have helped greatly, but I still kinda want to know what's what.

Either its a very late model deuce or someone has did some rewiring thats the wiring diagram from the TM
good luck . Do a search in the TM's for a A3 wiring diagram TM's are availible at; www.jatonkam35s.com

It's a 1987 m35a2. I guess it's a pretty late build. The thing has 400 hours and 3600 miles on it. Drop sides, hard top, and heater. Little rust. I just gotta run it to make buying it worth it to me. This will be my first M.V. and want to get it right and not buy a junker. It was used by the Air Force (still has an A.F. tag on it) and doesn't have an oil slick under it! Compared to the other vehicles I looked at, it's other visible issues are manageable.

Somebody in florida posted in a thread about a air force deuce with that type of switch . Do a adavanced search for
"air force deuce" thread is Need starter switch by pctrans. saturn surplus has the switch part #12276263

Edit; Also look for thread "Start switch" by dhall it states wire #74 and #27 are the start wires but wires #117 and #118 go through the switch also

The starter button is just a momentary switch. Shouldn't matter if its a push button or twist style switch.

gimpyrobb said:

The starter button is just a momentary switch. Shouldn't matter if its a push button or twist style switch.

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crossing wire #74 and #27 should make it start to see if it runs

It doesn't have an oil slick under it because its an old air force truck. They only had trucks for show. Wait till its driven a while, it will "mark its territory" like the rest of them. Mine is ex air force and it leaks everywhere.

gimpyrobb said:

It doesn't have an oil slick under it because its an old air force truck. They only had trucks for show. Wait till its driven a while, it will "mark its territory" like the rest of them. Mine is ex air force and it leaks everywhere.

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Done a fair amount of reading around here . 1st iv heard about them being leakers . Mine dont leak anything ,,,,,,,,,, yet .

If it aint leakin,you aint driving!

Yeah, as a mechanic, my first instinct when seeing it with no leaks was "does this thing have oil in it?" I will try the starter thing again today most likely. I'll write down the circuit numbers and give 'em a try. I still wanna know what the other 2 wires are there for. People just dont make a 4 wire switch for the **** of it. They gotta do something!

Post the wire numbers, going to your start switch.

All wire numbers are standardized with mil vehicles.

Some one just used a switch out of a 5 ton.
As for the AF trucks. Mine had to have the clutch and flywheel replaced(****fly boys). And they used the fuel tank to dispose of some kind of sealer stuff.

The USAF M35A2c's do have the twist switch...

In the vehicle info packet that came with my 1988 USAF M35A2C, there is a letter from AMG telling units to replace the starter switch the truck came with to one specified in National Highway Traffic Saftey Adminstration recall campaign # 89V-138.

Yea Pete has the same thing going on and of yet he has not traced down the extra wire( pair) he did find just the two heat in and out to the starter and is just useing them and starts fine. Wonder if this mod was for the eather start and gave it a shot just when starting. Pete still has the flame heater installed on his and the eather start but no bottle installed.

emmado22 said:

The USAF M35A2c's do have the twist switch...

In the vehicle info packet that came with my 1988 USAF M35A2C, there is a letter from AMG telling units to replace the starter switch the truck came with to one specified in National Highway Traffic Saftey Adminstration recall campaign # 89V-138.

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My AF M35A2C '87-'88 came with the push botton switch. But I think it was a replacement.?.

Do you have any info on the recall???

Just what I posted. AMG sent the letter on january 24, 1990,

I found this online:
http://www.ownersite.com/recalls/recalls.cfm/1989/AM%20GENERAL/M44A2/

The interesting thing it says it to replace the switch and harness assembly. I'll take some pics of my switch and wiring tommorrow.

I ASSUME that all the USAF trucks in the 87-88 production run up until the recall came out are affected by this recall. I also ASSUME that the USAF performed the recall an all affected trucks. as in the letter from AMG to the unit my truck was with at the time, it listed them by serial #. Knowing how seriously the USAF takes maintainence, it got done and noted.

Well here is a pic of mine. It has a sq plug that plugs into the harnes and has 4 wires coming out of it, 117 and 118 are butt conected together. The other 2 go thought the switch, but do not have the plug that should go on the back of the switch. But I'm not sure if I have the "new" switch or just an NOS one that they put in.

Sorry not to follow up. I didn't purchase the truck (foolish mistake most likely) and bought one from GL. I am very pleased with the one I bought and guess what, it has a wonderfully simple push button that works perfectly! I concluded that it was the starter at fault on the Air Force truck previously mentioned. The thing was completely shorted internally. After looking at mine, the AF deuce had a completely different starter and solenoid. Still haven't seen a wiring diagram that looks like what I was working on. Thanks all for the replies!