Cruise Control - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

crawdad · 08-27-2006, 01:45 PM

Well, I went and bought another one. An 86 long bed this time. I plan on using it to do a little towing and working around the house, but that was just my excuse for getting it

I'm trying to get the bugs worked out of it right now, and I was wondering if any of you could give me some advice on how to trouble shoot the cruise control. It looks like everything is there, but thats about all I know about cruise. What are some of the things I need to check to find out why it isn't working? Thanks.

**Phuloi68** · 08-27-2006, 07:09 PM

Button control on turn signal bad, broken wire in column? cruise control unit at bottom of column bad? Fuse?
Just a couple of ideas.

Slonaker · 08-27-2006, 11:53 PM

The wiring breaks a lot on the switch from what people tell me. It can be replaced in a couple of hours. The whole stalk is only about $45 or so in the HELP! section at auto parts stores if you don't need a chrome one. I replaced mine when the stalk broke off.

While you have it apart, it is a good idea to tighten up the bolts on the tilt mechanism if you have it. I didn't because it felt pretty tight, and it was flopping all over the place a couple of months later. I got to pull the whole thing apart again. Oops. I always seem to learn things the hard way...

Slonaker

piecesparts · 08-28-2006, 10:18 AM

If you go to the GM dealer and open up a shop manual for that year of truck, there is a whole troubleshooting section in there. This has you go to different plugs in the sytem and read out voltages. That will tell you what is faulty. Have the dealer copy the pages for you or look to buy a used book from them, they may have more than one in the stroage area.

crawdad · 08-28-2006, 12:34 PM

Ok, thanks fellas. I'll start checking things out. I'm an absolute dumbazz when it comes to things electrical, but I'll see what I can do.

pcmcobra · 10-14-2006, 09:46 PM

My cruise went out today....
I have the dash apart, what should I be looking for/at?
I see the black wire on the turn signal going down the column, then below I see a single black wire plugging into a plug with about 4 or 5 wires coming out and going uptowards the firewall. What am I looking for.
What a PITA.
thx for any help. Gonna keep the dash apart tomorrow and see what I can do.
pics:

help, please....

piecesparts · 10-15-2006, 08:07 AM

The cruise control has a couple of module boxes for it. The first being under the dash, mounted on the firewall by the gas pedal. The other is the actual module on the engine, that has the carb connected to it. The cruise stalk has four wires coming from it and it goes to this box on the firewall. Then the connections feed to the engine unit. The engine module has the vacuum connections for the diaphragm control and it is basically nothing more than a positioning unit, receiving data from the inside controls. The speed feed signal comes from a wire plugged into the back of the speedometer in the instrument panel.

The troubleshooting manuals from GM, start at the plug (from the cruise control stalk on the column) at the inside firewall box. The readings are taken with a ohm meter and is looking for continuity. The wires are fragile and break easily. Odds are that the problem will center there. The readings will lead you to what is working and what is not in different modes. It is not a simple explanation, but once you have the book infront of you, the steps are designed to lead even a FORD mechanic through the troubleshooting. I recommend a trip to a dealer and make copies of their pages, or buy a book somewhere. I purchase one for every vehicle that I buy and then keep them.

72freak · 10-15-2006, 11:32 AM

I will sound stupid...but when mine went out...there was a small round booster looking thing on the firewall beside the brake booster in the engine compartment. It has a linkage attached to it that runs down to the throttle body area. The linkage had broken off the booster looking thing . I re-atached it with a zip tie and that was my problem. Its workes ever since

pcmcobra · 10-15-2006, 02:03 PM

I found some info on alldata
I tested the plug from the switch on the turn signal lever to the bottom of the column with an ohm meter per instructions, all was well.
I'm putting my dash back together today. Not going to worry too much about it right now. I might fiddle with it if I get bored.
thx for the info.

08-27-2006, 01:45 PM	#1
crawdad Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Georgia Posts: 614	Cruise Control Well, I went and bought another one. An 86 long bed this time. I plan on using it to do a little towing and working around the house, but that was just my excuse for getting it I'm trying to get the bugs worked out of it right now, and I was wondering if any of you could give me some advice on how to trouble shoot the cruise control. It looks like everything is there, but thats about all I know about cruise. What are some of the things I need to check to find out why it isn't working? Thanks. __________________ 2012 Silverado LT 1500, 5.3, 6 speed auto '86 SWB C-10 Silverado

08-27-2006, 07:09 PM	#2
Phuloi68 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Valparaiso, In Posts: 1,114	Re: Cruise Control Button control on turn signal bad, broken wire in column? cruise control unit at bottom of column bad? Fuse? Just a couple of ideas. __________________ Phuloi68 Indy survivor Norwood survivor Big Sandy survivor for those who fight for it... F R E E D O M has a price the protected will never know. Last edited by Phuloi68; 08-27-2006 at 07:10 PM.

08-27-2006, 11:53 PM	#3
Slonaker Insert Witty Text Here Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 3,415	Re: Cruise Control The wiring breaks a lot on the switch from what people tell me. It can be replaced in a couple of hours. The whole stalk is only about $45 or so in the HELP! section at auto parts stores if you don't need a chrome one. I replaced mine when the stalk broke off. While you have it apart, it is a good idea to tighten up the bolts on the tilt mechanism if you have it. I didn't because it felt pretty tight, and it was flopping all over the place a couple of months later. I got to pull the whole thing apart again. Oops. I always seem to learn things the hard way... Slonaker __________________ '86 Chevy C10 (Sold 04/19/13 ) Stock '01 Silverado

08-28-2006, 10:18 AM	#4
piecesparts Parts and more parts Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lebo, Kansas (middle of nowhere Posts: 6,821	Re: Cruise Control If you go to the GM dealer and open up a shop manual for that year of truck, there is a whole troubleshooting section in there. This has you go to different plugs in the sytem and read out voltages. That will tell you what is faulty. Have the dealer copy the pages for you or look to buy a used book from them, they may have more than one in the stroage area.

08-28-2006, 12:34 PM	#5
crawdad Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Georgia Posts: 614	Re: Cruise Control Ok, thanks fellas. I'll start checking things out. I'm an absolute dumbazz when it comes to things electrical, but I'll see what I can do. __________________ 2012 Silverado LT 1500, 5.3, 6 speed auto '86 SWB C-10 Silverado

10-14-2006, 09:46 PM	#6
pcmcobra Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 1,684	Re: Cruise Control My cruise went out today.... I have the dash apart, what should I be looking for/at? I see the black wire on the turn signal going down the column, then below I see a single black wire plugging into a plug with about 4 or 5 wires coming out and going uptowards the firewall. What am I looking for. What a PITA. thx for any help. Gonna keep the dash apart tomorrow and see what I can do. pics: help, please.... Last edited by pcmcobra; 10-14-2006 at 09:58 PM.

10-15-2006, 08:07 AM	#7
piecesparts Parts and more parts Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lebo, Kansas (middle of nowhere Posts: 6,821	Re: Cruise Control The cruise control has a couple of module boxes for it. The first being under the dash, mounted on the firewall by the gas pedal. The other is the actual module on the engine, that has the carb connected to it. The cruise stalk has four wires coming from it and it goes to this box on the firewall. Then the connections feed to the engine unit. The engine module has the vacuum connections for the diaphragm control and it is basically nothing more than a positioning unit, receiving data from the inside controls. The speed feed signal comes from a wire plugged into the back of the speedometer in the instrument panel. The troubleshooting manuals from GM, start at the plug (from the cruise control stalk on the column) at the inside firewall box. The readings are taken with a ohm meter and is looking for continuity. The wires are fragile and break easily. Odds are that the problem will center there. The readings will lead you to what is working and what is not in different modes. It is not a simple explanation, but once you have the book infront of you, the steps are designed to lead even a FORD mechanic through the troubleshooting. I recommend a trip to a dealer and make copies of their pages, or buy a book somewhere. I purchase one for every vehicle that I buy and then keep them.

10-15-2006, 11:32 AM	#8
72freak Rottenwood Garage Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Marietta, Georgia Posts: 4,321	Re: Cruise Control I will sound stupid...but when mine went out...there was a small round booster looking thing on the firewall beside the brake booster in the engine compartment. It has a linkage attached to it that runs down to the throttle body area. The linkage had broken off the booster looking thing . I re-atached it with a zip tie and that was my problem. Its workes ever since

10-15-2006, 02:03 PM	#9
pcmcobra Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 1,684	Re: Cruise Control I found some info on alldata I tested the plug from the switch on the turn signal lever to the bottom of the column with an ohm meter per instructions, all was well. I'm putting my dash back together today. Not going to worry too much about it right now. I might fiddle with it if I get bored. thx for the info.



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