I am a forum newbie.I have a 71 porsche 914 and the ignition switch went bad. I want to set it up with a master on switch and an engine start button. I'm having a hard time reading the wiring schematic, can someone tell me what wires to hook to master on switch and what wires to hook to start button. I have 6 wires: 1-red (thick) 2-red w/black stripe 3-black 4-black w/yellow stripe 5-grey(thin) 6-brown w/blue stripe(thin). Any help would be great.

Where in VA? See if you can figure out which color wires connect when you turn the key to the start position (I would think that would be for the push button) and which wires connect when you turn the key from start to run/on (ON switch)

Replace the switch!

If you look at tracks 80-81 on the electrical diagram

http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/parts/Elec...lectric_74E.jpg

you can see the starter and solenoid for a 74 electrical circuit but I can't tell you if there is any difference with a 71. I agree you could replace the switch...

Dude, put in a new switch. It is a bit harder on the 70 & 71s but it is the right repair. It will require some soldering. The column hooks to the wiring harness through a connector that is under the dash. You can remove the entire steering column and replace the switch "on the bench".

As an FYI the gray wire is ALWAYS hot when the ignition is off. This wire jumpers to the turn signal switch for the "park" light. I have seen this wire shorted out on 3 steering colums and that is out of a sample of 3.

Again I encourage you to replace the switch.....

Item #26 is the ignition switch and turn switch:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/parts/elec...lectric_71A.jpg
http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/parts/Elec...rical_1971a.htm
http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/parts/elec...lectric_71b.jpg
http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/parts/Elec...rical_1971b.htm

I agree with replacing the switch, but my old switch self destructed and I need to be up and running while I get a new switch ordered and installed.

I think red is power in, black is ignition on, black w/yellow is start, red w/black is radio power, grey is constant hot for park lights, and no clue what brown w/blue is.
I think red with black w/yellow would go to start button, and red with black, grey,red w/black would go to the master on switch.

I can't find any schematics that show the wire colors that I'm working with. I will be placing the start button + master on button below dash and using existing wires that went to the ignition switch, so I can install a new switch in the future and haven't butchered anything..... but I need to be back up and running right now.

did you see the color diagrams in my previous post?

I printed out the schematics listed in the post above (so I could see the wires and connections!) and it looks to me that the yellow wire goes to the starter solenoid so I think that would be your push button. There should be a red wire, that's +12V from the battery. Other wires shown in the diagram connect to the switch are a brown (looks like it goes to the buzzer, like when you leave the key in the ignition), a black wire that goes to fuse 8, a brown/white wire to the horn, a red wire (to 35, haven't found what 35 is) and a white (to 34, also looking for what that is)

I did, they are much more helpful in color than the black & white one I have in a shop manual. I don't see all the wires and/or the same colors that my 914 has though.... unless I'm just missing it.

I studied the schematic and the colors you listed and offer that, in 30+ years, the colors of the wires may have faded/changed/smeared/etc, for example, I found a white wire in the schematic whereas you list a gray wire. I also found a brown/white wire where you list a brown/blue (a long shot I know). Another problem with the color schematic that I found is that the ignition switch is on BOTH schematics (number 26, sorta in the middle of both pages) so that complicates it alittle but I never could find a black/yellow. Another problem is that some branches terminate with a number and I haven't figured out yet what to do with those.

Looking at the color diagram now, I see a black/green going to the emergency light flasher...