[Shiny]

Installing a steering column on 70 LeMans, have a connector with pink and orange wires that doesn't have an obvious home. I failed to photograph on disassembly.

There are 3 connectors coming off harness near the neutral safety switch. Two are obvious, the pink and orange is not. What is this connector for and where does it go?

First of all, the aftermarket switch I bought looks the same as the switch that was on my original column:



The connectors for neutral safety and for reverse are obvious, but leaves 2 pins oriented 90 degrees:



I have one connector left that is obviously not a 90-degree connector. It has pink and orange wires. I could not find it in my book. Where does this go?



Maybe it is for an accessory or option I don't have and is not connected?

Also curious what the two 90-degree pins are for on the switch?

[West Coast GTO]

I think the pink and orange wires are for an auto trans kick down switch . Since you are using the neutral safety switch, that means you have a manual trans, yes?

[Shiny]

Thank you West Coast GTO!

That's embarrassing, as I looked at the column-mounted switch in that same diagram more than once, but obviously didn't look at the kickdown switch. Doh!


Yes, that is the connector.

I think that switch is unique to TH400 and is not used on my 350 LeMans with TH350, correct? This would tell me I don't use it and can just tape it or leave it hanging.

And no, the neutral safety switch was used on my automatic. It is driven by the backdrive mechanism that rotates the column. I am swapping from column shift to console shift, but the backdrive is still there. I just installed it yesterday as I was bolting the column in.



Thanks again.

[West Coast GTO]

I am not sure but believe that the TH350 has a kick down switch adjacent to the carb.

[johnta1]

Th 350 uses a cable that runs from tranny to carb linkage.

[Shiny]

Thanks for confirming, John

That's what I had in my head (and in my car), so had blocked out the downshift switch when looking for the connector's home.

I still want to know what the two extra pins positioned at 90 degrees to each other are for on the switch. But I am also not going to stew over it now. I think I was stuck on why I had a connector that didn't mate to the switch.

[LeoP]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Thanks for confirming, John

That's what I had in my head (and in my car), so had blocked out the downshift switch when looking for the connector's home.

I still want to know what the two extra pins positioned at 90 degrees to each other are for on the switch. But I am also not going to stew over it now. I think I was stuck on why I had a connector that didn't mate to the switch.

Maybe for the Seat Belt warning switch?????

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by West Coast GTO

Since you are using the neutral safety switch, that means you have a manual trans, yes?

just as a tidbit of info here, manual floor mount transmission didn't use the column mounted neutral safety but had a separate switch that the clutch pedal presses against. Both manual and auto cars need the back lock mechanism installed because the column rotation has a few functions. on auto floor shift, it uses the neutral safety to only allow the car to start in either park or neutral. back up lights are driven by the column rotation by both manual and auto, and floor shift manuals also need to be put in reverse which rotates the column to the park position so the steering wheel locks and the key can come out of the ignition. Because of that, a manual transmission column switch is different than an automatic transmission column switch because reverse and park are in two different positions on the keyway between the two trannys.

Now guess how long it took me to learn all of that when I had my first car in 1986 and it had been converted to a 4 speed (poorly) before me and I couldn't figure out why the back up lights didn't work!

[Shiny]

gto4evr that is interesting, thanks for posting

Sounds like a lesson earned.

Wonder now if my switch will work?

I put in an aftermarket floor shifter, so I'm not confident the backdrive linkage will even be close, let alone the switch. What could go wrong?

[gto4evr]

Shiny,

you should be fine with the aftermarket shifter. I'm assuming since you say the backdrive is hooked up, it's still being driven by the gear selector so each gear detent moves the backdrive the same distance as the factory shifter would. you'll just have to make sure your adjustment is set up properly for it all to be working properly. If not, loosen the bolt that locks the back drive linkage to the shaft that goes up to the steering column, then put the car into park. Then make sure the steering column collar is rotated all the way to the left by grabbing it and twisting it (key should come out freely in this position). Then go back under and push up gently on the rod and pull down a bit on the shaft collar and tighten it. Then just check to make sure you can start in park/neutral and if back up lights come on at correct positions. if not, loosen the two mounting screws on the NS switch and slide it back and forth over the column to catch your sweet spot and you're good to go.

[Shiny]

Thanks again gto4evr

Yes, I expect it will work out. I used the bracket for the tranny shift control arm that came with the shifter, so even if the cable 'moment arm" is different than the stock bracket, the backdrive angle should be the same as stock for any given gear selected. Net: the backdrive rod is still rotated by the shift control arm on the transmission.

The adjustment for the backdrive linkage to the column is spelled out in the shop manual, and my aftermarket shifter won't affect any of that.

I appreciate I may need to mess with the switch alignment after the backdrive is adjusted.

The only thing you said that had me worried was whether the switch was correct for an auto, as you spelled it out well about park and reverse being a different setup for manual.

There is some uncertainty here, as I replaced my original column shift steering column with one for a floor shift. I bought a new switch which looks like the old one, so I'm optimistic. If it turns out not to be correct, you have educated me well and I'll know what to do.

[Held for Ransom]

Your first NSS must have been replaced. Original used a 4-prong switch.



And, in '70, the TH350 kickdown cable attached to the gas pedal rod.

[Shiny]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

Your first NSS must have been replaced. Original used a 4-prong switch.

Makes sense, thank you again!

To add to the confusion around this, and to make myself feel better, Ames sells a switch with too many pins as M156L.

Link to Ames M156L

The extra pins were suggested earlier in the thread to be a seat belt warning switch. Regardless, Ames lists as a replacement for 69-73, so maybe GM introduced the change after 70?

[Held for Ransom]

Yes, the extra spades were for the later system ('72) but will work for the earlier years.