What are these wires for ?

[teamharvey]

The PO`s wiring was a mess, and I am beginning to go through it. These 3 wires were left hanging. The purple wire in the middle had/has a jumper wire ( second pic ) or ignition would not work. Without it, blazer will not start. I would like to get this correct........???

Thanks,
Bret

[Sweet72]

Bet you a dollar it's the Neutral safety switch.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I had the same issue with the purple wires. They were disconnected from the switch at the bottom of the column. It's weird, I have another set of purple wires hooked up to an aftermarket ammeter under the dash, don't know what they're for.

[JimKshortstep4x4]

The wiring is from an automatic harness. The two green wires are the back up wiring and plug onto the neutral safety switch in the backup light position. The purple wires are for the starter solenoid and should be plugged onto the neutral safety switch. The orange and white wire is for the brake light switch which is mounted on the steering column support.

Jim

[teamharvey]

Thanks Jim, I am very new to all of this. Here is a pic of what I have coming from the column. I know where the main (curved) clip goes, but the two single wires I have no clue. It seems I don`t have the neutral switch as well. I do know that I do not have reverse lights so I am hoping one of those two single wires is for that. I am pretty sure the single wire with the clip on the end is for cruise.

Thanks,
Bret

[Russell]

The middle one is park neutral switch, the one on the right is a plug for a relay (no idea what for though) and I don't reconize the one on the left...

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I just went through the same crap today so I feel your pain.... Do you have a cruise lever on the column?

[JIMs70GMC]

The wires in the last pic do not go to any of the plugs in the first pic. The switches are further down the column. I had the same problems when I put and auto cab on a 4spd chassis and have the jumper in your second pic. I had to use my 4spd column as the auto column was dammaged during a front end collision.

[teamharvey]

I just took all the levers off and the single wire with the clip is for cruise.

[Longhorn Man]

That is a van tilt isn't it? That would explain why everything is disconnected. The single gray wire is for teh PRND21 indicator lamp, and the tripple wire with the blade style plug is cruise control.

[chickenwing]

Originally Posted by JimKshortstep4x4

The wiring is from an automatic harness. The two green wires are the back up wiring and plug onto the neutral safety switch in the backup light position. The purple wires are for the starter solenoid and should be plugged onto the neutral safety switch. The orange and white wire is for the brake light switch which is mounted on the steering column support.

Jim

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

That is a van tilt isn't it? That would explain why everything is disconnected. The single gray wire is for teh PRND21 indicator lamp, and the tripple wire with the blade style plug is cruise control.

These 2 gentleman are dead on as usual. I think the truck fiber optic pointer will fit the van column if you have all the bits an pieces. The neutral safety/back-up light switch is one and the same. Both the green and purple connectors plug into it. The van switch location is a bit higher up than the truck. Dunno if you will have to lengthen the wires to make em fit.

[teamharvey]

Ok, here is what I have, sorry if I have been confusing. I have a van tilt column. It has a cruise lever/button and wire but non-funtionable. In the first pic is my column out of the blazer, no wires were disconnected except for the large clip. The tilt wire and unidentified wire were hanging loose. In the second pic, it shows where the large clip was disconnected from the harness. This was just floating up under the dash, not attached to the column in any way.

Red = cruise wire
Blue = unidentified
Green = from harness to column

[chickenwing]

Longhorn answered ya, that wire is to light up the gear indicator pointer.

[teamharvey]

Originally Posted by chickenwing

The neutral safety/back-up light switch is one and the same. Both the green and purple connectors plug into it. The van switch location is a bit higher up than the truck. Dunno if you will have to lengthen the wires to make em fit.

So I quess I am missing the switch ?

[OhioDan]

Check out these wiring diagrams. Maybe they will help?

http://www.geocities.com/chevroletc1070/wiringdias.html

[Longhorn Man]

Yes, you are probably missing the switch. Look on the column its self, there will be a white plastic piece that wraps about 1/3 the way around the column if memiry serves. That is the NSS
If you are not worried about back up lights, and if you think you can remember to put your truck in park, then you can bypass the whole switch.

[WRMZ71]

On the van tilt when you put them in our trucks the NSS and back up light plug in won't work as it is further up on the column than where it was on the old column. There is a post i remember reading about somebody cutting out a piece in the column and making it work.

[WRMZ71]

oh yea that and the fiber optic pointer is a no go. I believe all the van columns should just have a little light bulb there that lights up the shifting display. Thats how mine was anyway and it came out of an 81

[neonlarry]

Here is the post describing how to move/install a N/S switch on a van tilt that will work in a truck. About half way down there is a pic of the switch itself, you can see the terminals where those plugs attach.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...threadid=63328

[teamharvey]

You guys are great ! I can`t thank you enough for all the help.I am missing the NSS and have no clue how it works off the column. I read the post on how to alter a van tilt, but from the pics mine seems to be different. I do not have a slot where it would originally attach as on the post.
Here is what I have ( in the middle of sanding to paint).

[WRMZ71]

thats exactly your problem. Those holes are where the switches should go but you can't use them as they will be right against the dash

[chickenwing]

Originally Posted by WRMZ71

oh yea that and the fiber optic pointer is a no go. I believe all the van columns should just have a little light bulb there that lights up the shifting display. Thats how mine was anyway and it came out of an 81

I know the van columns originally had a light but if you had all the fiber-optic stuff including the truck pointer could you make it work well?

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by chickenwing

I know the van columns originally had a light but if you had all the fiber-optic stuff including the truck pointer could you make it work well?

The pointer and PRND21 indicator would not move...no room to pivit.
The fiber optic cable would work, but the pointer that is on the tilt, has no provisions for it.

[JimKshortstep4x4]

Team Harvey,

From your picture of the column there was not a neutral safety switch setup.
The two slots are for centering the column on a tab.

Solver made a pretty good procedure for installing the neutral safety switch
but it sounds like you are not sure how to start. I would suggest starting with a center line down the tube using the alignment slots as a reference.

The center line will be the center of the opening for the switch. Measure up from the bottom of the column 7 3/4" and draw circumferential lines 1 3/16"
around the tube on either side of the center line. Measure up 3/4" and repeat the circumferential lines. This is the hole to be cut out and it should end up at 3/4 wide by 2 3/8" long centered on the center line. I use a cut off wheel to cut the hole. Once the hole is cut weld a small angle onto the shift tube, centered with the shifter in neutral. (1/4"x1/4" x 1/2" long).

With the angle in place the neutral safety switch for a truck can be used to line up the screw holes that hold the switch down. This is done with the switch in neutral and the shifter in neutral.

Here are a couple of pics, (sorry about the quality).

The first one shows the measurement of the slot from the lower end of the shaft.

The second pic shows the switch in neutral with the slot in the switch on the angle which we welded to the shift tube. Once the switch is positioned like this the mounting holes can be drilled into the column. I always center the screw holes in the slots to give good adjustment both ways.

Jim

[chickenwing]

Wow Jim! You have that written up in the FAQ's? Or maybe it vcould be attached to Solvers thread? It's allways good to have more than 1 perspective on a task.