btw, twas i that sent the OP the message.
i went ahead and took the plung... count my truck with "the ones that no longer are able to start". i ran into some surprises, most notably that the PO didnt properly redo the steering column connector...
i dont know the first thing about electrical stuff, but i guess im about to learn first hand! btw, if i want to make the steering column connection right... where should i start? im really hoping that that portion can be purchased seperate from "an entire steering column".