What does the switch under the starter button do?

 

Remind me again. What year is your truck?

Ah, I see it's a 50. There is no switch under the starter button unless someone added one there.

 

Au contraire kind sir. On the early Bonus Builts, and earlier Fords, there was a toggle switch which operated the dash lights.

 

I am guessing the switch under the starter button is a starter switch to start the start button...but I could be wrong.
Heheh.

 

Most definitely the switch controls the dash lights
Ed

 

So the switch is for the dash lights... good to know... dash lights must be burned out.

How does the switch work, is it the only way to power the dash lights or is it a secondary switch to the headlight switch?

 

Secondary - the parking/running lights have to be pulled on. It just allows you to turn the dash lights off for night-time driving.

 

m not an expert on 48-50 trucks but if your dash lights are not working it is probably the rheostat is burned up in your light switch. Get a new light switch.

 

Gentle suggestion: the Shop Manual is a great resource for wiring diagrams.

 

I know, I just haven't bought one yet. I have one for everything else I own.

 

I would bet money that the bulbs in the dash are still 6V and had not been switched over to 12V many years ago....

 

Ok onto the aftermarket plastic switch. It has two lime green wires that run to two terminals on the flasher, I can't see why and it doesn't seem to do anything.

 

I wouldn't think there is a rheostat in that little switch, it's a pretty small switch.

 

Just a WAG, but that switch looks like an afterthought to me. My guess is that, with the flasher installed, it was either a poorman's turn signal switch or hazard switch. If you can, trace the wires and see where they lead.

 

The thing is, it has hazards on the column, which work. Just from the flasher to the switch, both wires.