The Truck of Doom: An Occasional Build Thread

[FuzzFace2]

Little by little and before you know it all will be done but ........ the onion has more layers  LOL

On the wipers the other day mine would not work on interment or park and never done that before?
Then got thinking I just washed under the hood as it had pollen and dye from a AC leak I been trying to find and think water got into the wiper motor / park assy.
After driving it a few days it had time to dry out and seams to be working as the factory wanted it to.

So if you dont have a good cowl to hood deal maybe water got into the wiper motor / park assy. and why it may not be working if it was before?

I also dont think you need to drop the steering column to change out the IGN. switch as I dont remember doing so when I messed with mine.
It may make it easier but you then have to deal with the column plastic's and I dont want to mess with them and have them break.

Good luck on the list
Dave ----

[mat in tn]

if you are replacing the switch, it is not necessary to remove anything but the switch itself. but you do need to be able to "see" what you are working on with your eyes closed so to speak.  it is never going to be as easy as while the column is on the bench. I guess the issue really becomes more personal as we all have different abilities and limitations. I know that I'm not as flexible as I once was, and I'm impressed by those much older than me who still get so much of this stuff done and done well. it fuels my never give up attitude. young men, get out there and build something! something real! break shit! fix it! repeat!  

[Dorsai]

Between being out of town on vacation for a week, work, and this-and-that I've only just now gotten around to starting work on this stuff.  Today's achievement was getting the old switch off the truck without dropping the column (thanks for the suggestion Matt) - the more I looked at that, the less I liked it.  Once I did, the problem was obvious:



The original switch is on the left, of course.  Best I can tell 42 years of wear and tear caused just enough of the plastic to wear away under the metal fingers holding the connector to the body that internal pressure from the wiring caused the two halves to come apart.  I'm glad the problem is this obvious, I'm much more confident now that replacing the switch will fix my problems.  Can't wait to have windshield wipers again!

[Gary Lewis]

Wow, that's obviously the problem.  

And with that pin in the new one it'll be easy to align things.  You'll have wipers, and all of the other accessories, at all times.  

I need to do something like that on Big Blue.  Twice lately when my brother has driven he's not rotated the key back far enough and the A/C didn't come on.  I've not had that problem, but obviously something's not quite right so I need to fix it.

[Dorsai]

It's been about 105 degrees in my garage this week, so I haven't been motivated to do much with the truck...but then this guy showed up to remind me that I need to get a move on:



So heat or not, this evening after work I was out there.  Good news is, I've got the new switch in and apparently aligned properly; the truck starts, the windshield wipers and instruments all work, and I don't need duct tape on the key to keep everything going.  The bad news is this:



What is this piece?  It fell off when I unbolted the switch originally, and I didn't realize it was there - if I had, I'd have noted its location and purpose before removing it.  I looked at the diagrams on the documentation page for both the steering column as well as the ignition switch, and I'm not seeing it.  Is it some kind of bracket to keep the rod in position along the steering column?  

[ArdWrknTrk]

Matthew, one of the wiring harness connectors plugs onto that little tab/bracket.

Let me see if I can find a picture...

[Dorsai]

A picture would be awesome if you have it - there is absolutely zero room up there, and I can only see anything if I lay on the floor with my legs hanging out of the truck, and use a little mechanic's mirror to get an angle on the switch.  Still better than dropping that column, though.

[Gary Lewis]

Jim is right.  Someone else posted a pic of that thing recently and asked what it is.  And someone said it is a support for a connector.  I was thinking it is C305 but I'm not finding anything about it.  I'll keep looking ...

[Gary Lewis]

I'm really striking out.  I thought it was Shaun/Salans7 that ID'd the part, but I'm not finding it.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm not having any luck either, Gary.  

I do remember there was a nice Illustration.  🤷‍♂️

[Dorsai]

I appreciate the effort, but don’t kill yourselves trying to find that post.  I may start a new thread tomorrow for it in hopes of getting additional eyes on the problem.

Also, I have a vague idea of the original orientation of the piece, so I can try to reposition it and see if there are any likely connectors in the vicinity.  The piece fell free as soon as I took the nut off, so it may not even have been attached to anything.  If so, it may not be worth worrying about.

Regardless, thanks for checking!

[Dorsai]

Actually, was it this?

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Ignition-Switch-Question-td117073.html

[BigBrother-84]

Maybe this bracket?

[Dorsai]

That sure looks like it!  And it seems to be by C305A, so Gary’s memory is pretty good.

That should be everything I need to put things where they belong - thanks guys.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes!  You found it!  Both of y'all.  Thanks!  Maybe I'm not as crazy as I thought.

Matthew - Is there a number on it?  I'd like to add info to the documentation this round, and can cross-ref the ID # that is on it to the part number.

[BigBrother-84]

Gary Lewis wrote

Maybe I'm not as crazy as I thought.

If so, Gary I can tell you that’s also the case for a lot of us, continuously scratching our head to retrieve something!

[BigBrother-84]

Haaa… If I had just half of your fabulous memory (sigh).

[Dorsai]

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes!  You found it!  Both of y'all.  Thanks!  Maybe I'm not as crazy as I thought.

Matthew - Is there a number on it?

Alas, no...that would have made the original search for its purpose easier.  It's just a bare, stamped bit of metal.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, thanks. I’ll put something up and link to it here…  

[Gary Lewis]

Please go see what you think on the Ignition Switch tab at Documentation/Electrical/Ignition.