No power to starter after steering column work..

[Calfdemon]

1972 F250 with auto transmission

First thing I did was disconnect the battery. I then removed my old steering wheel to take out my old broken turn signal switch. I also removed my dash cluster to get a better view of the wires behind. I cut the old TSS wires up top and taped each one to the matching wires on the new TSS and then pulled the old wires out the bottom of the steering column which pulled the new wires down through the channel and out under the dash. I then put my upper steering column back together and installed a new Grant steering wheel with adapter kit.

I was running out of light so I figured I would wire the new TSS into the plug adapter tomorrow afternoon when I get home from work. I reconnected the battery and when I went to start the truck, nothing.. Not even a click. I did not have my dash cluster back in at this point as I didnt think that would matter, but I reinstalled it anyway (plug and speedo cable) and still nothing. My cab light doesnt even dim when I turn the ignition.

I checked all of the wires from my ignition and they have not been touched. I dont see any obvious fuse problems. What could it be?? Is there a safety check in the steering column that detects PARK for starting the vehicle? That is my theory and since I did not rewire the steering column, that might be what it is. At least, that is what I hope it is. But all of the wires go to the TSS which sits in the steering column above the shifter. I did not see any obvious electrical connection to the shifter, so I am afraid that I have some false hope that this is the issue. Does anyone know if the safety switch for starting the car in gear is actually in the steering column or is it in the trans?

At this point, I am open to any ideas or suggestions. I wont be able to try anything until tomorrow afternoon, but fire away please!! I hope it is just a matter of getting the TSS wired back up and plugged in. But nothing is ever that simple for me.

Thanks in advance..

-Rich

[fordman]

you could have messed up the alignment of the neutral safety switch. yo ucan get under the dash near the fiewall and readjust the switch it is on top of the column. pull it all the way over to the drivers side and turn the key. if it starts then it needs adjusted.

[Calfdemon]

Ok, so the safety switch is under the dash and not in the column then? Can someone post a picture of the safety switch so I know what I am looking for tomorrow? Is it attached to the column somewhere near the firewall? And if this is the problem and I am able to start the truck when I move it, how does one go about adjusting it so it is set properly? Is there a trick to it or will it be obvious once I look at the switch? Thanks for the suggestion.

[papabug71]

The safety switch is on the column. It works off of a little "tang" that pushes the switch over when you move the shifter to park. The little tangs are very flemsy & will break easily. I would check that to start with.

You should be able to see the switch on the top side of the steering column, about 1/2 way down, under the dash.

Last auto steering column I rebuilt had 3 tangs inside of it from where they had broken off, fell inside the steering column & been replaced over the years. If it were me, I would just wire around the switch, but I dont own an automatic truck.

Here is a schematic showing the location of the safety switch. You can see it on the steering column, under the dash.

http://www.fordification.com/tech/image ... wiring.jpg

[Calfdemon]

Thanks for the link to the schematic. I am sure this is going to be the problem. If I did in fact break it, then I am going to have to wire around it as I do not have a replacement part and need to get the truck started and moved from where it is currently parked.

Is there an easy way to set the switch so that it always shows in park if I did in fact break the "tang"? I dont think I have ever tried to start an automatic while in gear in my entire life, so I would think its a safe bet that I wont start now. I wont be too worried about bypassing the safety switch.

I would assume that it is wired so that it completes a circut when the vehicle is in Park and the circut is broken when not. So bypassing the switch and completing the circut permanantly should do the trick. Just looking at the schematic, it appears that there are going to be at least 4 wires coming from the switch. Does anyone have any experience bypassing this and know what colors are involved and which wires would need to be spliced together? It is probably 2 wires for park and 2 wires for neutral and I would assume that the tang completes the circut between the top and bottom wire for each position. But I am assuming this while looking at a drawing so any 1st hand experience is welcome. If it is as I suspect, then I should be able to splice any 2 of the top/bottom wires together to bypass this switch.

Again, just preparing for any type of scenario that I may come into when I look at it later today. Hopefully it is not broken and I can just adjust it, but may as well have a backup plan.

Thanks again for any and all help with this.

-Rich

[fordman]

the tang is metal. it can break or pop out. since it snaps in. the two of the four wires do complete a circut. the other two are for the back up lights. i have seen them with bailing wire on them to hold them over so they would start. the adjustment is loosening two botls and sliding the switch closer to the tang when in park.

[Calfdemon]

Ah, perfect! Thanks for the info on the adjustment, Fordman. And the reverse lights are something that have not been working on my truck since I got it, so their "loss" will not be noticed if I have to wire around this for now. But with this info, maybe now I will be able to figure out why my reverse lights have not been working as well...

[Calfdemon]

Well, you guys were spot on with the problem.. Sure enough, the metal protrusion is no longer there. I can reach down in front of the switch and feel the broken nub, but have no idea where the rest of the metal bar went.

I took the switch off of the column and manually manipulated it into a position where the truck would start. Now, here is my ingenious idea.... I originally was going to wire around the switch so it would always start, but instead have decided for now to mount the switch hidden away under the dash so it will work as my killswitch. In order to start the truck, you will have to know where the switch is and then manipulate it so it is in the correct position to start the truck.

Of course, I still will not have reverse lights, but I can live without those for now and will figure that out later. I can always put the switch back in the future if I decide to fix the safety switch, but in the meantime, I think I just made lemonade out of lemons.

Thanks again for all of your help with this. Truck starts and now I can drive again..

-Rich

[fordman]

you can buy those tangs new from the vendors for less than 10-15.00 i think.

[Calfdemon]

Yeah, I should probably just buy another tang and fix it. That way, I can still try and get my reverse lights operational. I think I will wire a kill switch into one of the wires going to the safety switch though. Seems like a good place to wire a kill switch and a very easy way to do it. That way it will have to be in park and the kill switch button will have to be depressed in order to start the vehicle.

Anyway, thanks again for all of the help on this. Problem solved and new ideas formed.

[1971 Farmer-250]

Lucky I found this thread! I was about to post the same question regarding the nss/reverse lights. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove a broken tang and replace with a new one?

[fordman]

a pair of pliers is all you need. the tang snaps into the column tube.

[Calfdemon]

I used a flathead screwdriver when I was at the junkyard and was able to a get a few of them (figured it never hurts to have an extra). It was a bit of work to pop it off, but pretty easy to put them on. I was going to use pliers, but was afraid i was going to break the tang again if I went that route... Wedging a screwdriver under one side of the clip, I was able to pop it off in one piece after a bit of work.

By the way, I still wired a push button to my neutral safety wires so that the truck cannot be started unless the button is depressed. I have it hidden out of sight under my dash but in easy reach. Perfect place to wire the hidden kill switch.