4-Speed Neutral Safety Wiring

[X33RS]

Does anyone have a good picture of the wiring in and around the steering column on a 4 speed car that would show how the wires tie in at the 2 prong column switch?

The AIM is a little vague on the wire diagram.  It only shows an automatic 4 prong column switch with 4 wires attached, yet also shows the 4 speed clutch pedal neutral safety switch wired in with it.  That in a nutshell is a little confusing to say the least.  Unfortunately there is no clear cut picture for a 4-speed car for a 2 prong column switch.

To explain what I have may help.   My clutch pedal neutral safety is wired and working (a pair of 12 gauge purple wires)   I have 4 wires not connected and the terminals have been snipped off.  A 20 gauge pink and a 20 gauge light green.  A 12 gauge purple and a 12 gauge purple with white stripe.

The 20 gauge pink is hot when key is on, which should be correct.  The light green I know triggers the back up lights.  I believe these 2 wires should be connected to the column switch to trigger the back up lights.   The 2 purple wires (one with white stripe)   I believe may have something to do with the emergency flashers (also not working) and may not go to the column switch at all like the AIM shows.....or??

What I can't comprehend from the AIM is how these 4 wires tie together on a 2 prong column switch, since it only shows a 4 prong automatic column switch in the AIM.

A good picture would be great, or a clear explanation, or even a link to a correct wire diagram for a 4 speed and not a generic "one diagram fits all"       I've searched to no avail.
Thanks.

[bertfam]

For the neutral safety switch drawing, you need to look at UPC 6, sheet B10. The schematic (UPC 12, sheet D2) shows BOTH the standard transmission "clutch pedal operated" neutral safety switch and the optional "Automatic Transmission" switch. You won't have both (unless the car's been converted from an automatic to a manual transmission!)

For automatic transmissions, the neutral safety and backup lights are incorporated into the same switch. For manual transmission cars, there are two separate switches. The neutral safety switch, located on the pedal support, and the backup light switch, located on the steering column.

The neutral safety switch for the manual transmission uses 12 gauge purple wires on both sides of the switch. (For automatics, one is purple and the other is purple with a white stripe)

The 20 gauge pink wire comes FROM the direction signal flasher TO the backup light switch. The 12 gauge light green comes FROM the other side of the backup light switch TO the rear harness, and then on to the reverse lights.

I'll let someone with a 69 post pictures, but that should get you started.

Ed

[X33RS]

Thanks Bert,
   I had figured out the pink and light green just an hour ago.  I knew it had to be the pair of wires for the backup lights that connected to the steering column switch with only 2 terminals.  I was just puzzled with the AIM drawing mixing an auto column switch with a 4-speed clutch pedal switch in one drawing.
     I had a spare plastic dual terminal plug and factory #56 connectors so I put those together, plugged it into the switch, put it in reverse and turned on the key and like magic...back up lights      All of the back drive linkage was intact on the Muncie, just that someone had cut these wires off long ago for what ever reason.

  There is another switch on the clutch pedal that you speak of, with 12 gauge purple wires going to it.  That is all intact and functional, it will not start without pushing in the clutch, and cannot remove the key without putting the trans in reverse, just as I remember the factory intended.

[bertfam]

I was just puzzled with the AIM drawing mixing an auto column switch with a 4-speed clutch pedal switch in one drawing.

Yes, anything in a GM schematic from that time period with a broken line ( - - - - - - - ) indicates the wiring for an optional part. In this case it's the optional automatic transmission neutral safety/backup light switch.

Note that most options are NOT included in the standard wiring diagrams, but the automatic transmission was so common that it's included. You'll see a few other "broken line" wires in the schematic too, but for the most part, the standard wiring diagram won't include options.

Ed

[Kelley W King]

That for whatever reason might be that it was a fad in the 70,s to run your back up lights. Usually off a toggle switch. For some reason it was thought to be cool. I did it on my 67 Chevelle.

[x77-69z28]

In New York, it meant you were lookin to race.
Buddy

[X33RS]

Thanks for clearing that up Bert.  What you say would make perfect sense, but on my AIM I have no dotted lines for either the 4 speed neutral safety or the 4 prong automatic neutral safety.   It just has solid lines showing the purple wires splitting off and going to both switches.   That's what was so confusing.  I knew that wasn't correct, you can't have a clutch switch and an automatic switch wired in conjunction with each other.  Doesn't make sense, and it's because of this that I couldn't decipher the correct wire procedure.

I've read from many about how the wire diagrams in the AIM aren't always the best, and I just found one example of that.   Wouldn't have hurt to print one more piece of paper (or 2) and clear up some of those idiosyncrasies. 

[bertfam]

I'm referring to the broken lines inside what I have circled. Your AIM isn't like that?

Ed

[X33RS]

Yes kind of.  On a regular 8x11 sheet of paper it's so small that it almost appears to be broken lines because of the other wires that are crossing through it.   But when you blow it up as big as you have it above then it becomes more obvious.  It's a case of old eyes and too small of print     Doesn't help that the AIM I have has sat on a shelf for 35 years and bought at a swap meet.

When it comes to wire schematic I much rather prefer to look at a colored page with more detail and easier print to read.

[bertfam]

It's been 10 years and I'm not sure he's still selling them, but Larry DuBois made a full color schematic with a lot of detailed circuit information in a PDF format. Unfortunately, he only made one for the 1969 model year and then kind of lost interest, but even that is WELL worth the few dollars he was asking.

This is the last email address I have for him, so give him a shout and see if he's still selling them.

dsrtracing@charter.net

Ed

UPDATE: HERE'S a link to his page, so it looks like he IS still selling them. And I also found an ebay reference. His ebay ID is 69-er and HERE'S his ebay auction list.

I just wish he would do one for the 67 and 68 model years!

Ed

[69Z28-RS]

I bought one of Larry's packages, and it is good to help one understand the factory wiring.   If you purchase it, he includes both the PDF version, and he sent me a color hardcopy in 'notebook' form.  it's well worth the $$ he asks if you are getting into the wiring aspects of a '69...

[X33RS]

Thanks a million Bert and Gary, that's exactly what I could only hope to find.  I'm getting one on the way asap.
 

[X33RS]

Just to let others know, he is still selling these.  I bought mine yesterday, and he offered it several ways, in CD form, a color printed booklet, (both of which have to be snail mailed) and PDF format that he can simply email to you.

I chose the PDF format, his response time is fast, I had it emailed to me within the hour,  downloaded that to a thumb drive, and my wife will take that to work and print colored copies so I'll have a booklet I can use while at the car.

Thanks guys.

[bcmiller]

X33RS, just so you know, user bertfam is Ed. His name is at the end of the posts he made above.

It's a general courtesy for users to let us know their name. That can be done by putting it at the end of the post or listing a name in your signature file (bottom) or profile (on the side).

It also makes it easier to converse when we know a real name rather than a username/handle.

[bcmiller]

In New York, it meant you were lookin to race.
Buddy

In my neck of the woods, driving around in the evening before dark with your parking lights on (light switch pulled halfway out) meant you were looking for a race. I drove around with mine like that a lot on weekends.