[mopar56]

well things are moving along on our 727 to a833 swap, we put the clutch and new donar pedals in today and all went well but there is a small silver box with an orange plastic box built on to it that has an electrical connecter containing several wires like dark blue, red, white and several other colors, it is held onto the column under the dash with two small 5/16 screws, there is also a small rod coming off it that clicks forward and backward, I cant see what it goes to but I think maybe it might be a shift interupt or start in gear protection that will no longer be required, this box is contacting the clutch pedal when it comes all the way up, if this is what it is can I just un-plug it, and yes we did use the period correct pedals, a direct bolt in.

 

[ImperialCrown]

That sounds like your ignition switch or high beam switch. Does the rod move with the ign key or high beam stalk?
Is it possible that the automatic transmission column is different than the manual transmission column? On some vehicles it was.
Does the donor vehicle still have its column?

 

[mopar56]

Ok, I checked this morning, it is connected to the ignition switch because the rod dose move back and forth when you turn the key but would that not just be connected with the auto gear shift?, what other purpose would it be? the ignition switch should just trigger different wires for power depending on position, the dimmer switch is floor mounted on this model, thanks for your help

 

[dana44]

It could be either. Does the rod go up into the steering column or down to the clutch? One indication would be whether it clicks and unclicks, or has a click that engages or clicks to disengage. With that many wires, I would also agree to the lights, the safety lockout usually only has two or three wires. Might be time to trace a couple of wires to see if they do indeed go to the headlight circuit. The clutch lockout should have a button that pushes against the clutch arm in the up position or the rod connecting to the clutch pedal itself.

 

[mopar56]

the rod goes up to the column there is no lock out for the clutch, it dose click up and down, if I put my hand on top of the box I can feel the rod moving up and down with the switch, I guess what seems odd here is that everything else bolts up so smoothly, the pedals bolted right in, there was even a small axcess panel in the firewall held in by two screws that cam right out for the clutch rod to go down to the "z" bar that just bolts in place so why would there be a different column?, I have also found on line a piece to replace the original column bezal to do away with the bump where the auto stick is, it just seems odd?

 

[dana44]

The column for an automatic would have been set up for a shift on the tree, so there would have been an attachment at the end of the column in the engine bay for the shift rod going to the automatic. This does sound like it is a switch for the headlights even though you have a foot button for the high beams. Does the column have a multifunction stock on the turn signal?

 

[mopar56]

well just a turn signal switch but thats all it dose

 

[mopar56]

oop's I forgot, this truck has factory cruise control, it is currently disconnected so I guess it is more of a multi funtion switch, the wire colors are dark blue,yellow, black with purple tracer, light blue, red, orange, and black, they go into a curved grey connector that the other half of the harness goes into a taped body harness which looks like it goes toward the headlamp switch possibly but what is the connection here? the lights stay on with the key off and are uneffected in any way it seems from the key switch

 

[dana44]

Do these colors correlate to the wires going to the cruise control by any chance? The switch may have been attached to the column to allow removal easier with the plug instead of just a pigtail, but the clicking part seems odd unless it was a parking pawl for an automatic lockout.

 

[valiant67]

The ignition tumbler turns and moves the rod which is connected to the actual switch at the bottom of the column. All the wiring associated with the ignition is at the bottom of the column, not at the top. I was thinking 1980 was too early for the setup I described above but that sure sounds like what you are dealing with.

 

[mopar56]

sorry to take so long, I am at work now so will have to check the colors when i am home and yes the key tumbler dose move the rod when it turns, I was thinking park pawl lockout as well?

 

[mopar56]

well as far as the colors go, yellow and dark blue and white are the three colors at the cruise servo under the hood so two out of three colors match?, maybe a coincidence? I don't know what colors are shared at the multi funtion switch unless I remove the steering wheel, guess I am going to have to tear this down a little further?

 

[valiant67]

sorry to take so long, I am at work now so will have to check the colors when i am home and yes the key tumbler dose move the rod when it turns, I was thinking park pawl lockout as well?

No, that isn't done electronically.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Thicker wires would be for the ignition switch. Thinner wires would be for the cruise control.

 

[John Wood]

It must be the actual ignition switch from the description. A typical one from 1980 looks like the switch in this E-Bay link:

http://www.ebay.com/ctg/BWD-Automotive-CS89-Ignition-Switch-/79438744

 

[mopar56]

yes definatley, that is it!, so what do we do?, can it be moved or upgraded? what do I do to get around this?

 

[mopar56]

dose anyone know if i can use an early in dash style of mopar switch and install it into the column instead of the one i have then i could run the wires down the column to the harness

 

[dana44]

If you are going to do it that way, it would be best to rewire the whole truck and use the switch from something that can go in the dash, like a 1968-1970 where the wiring harness is fairly simple. I don't think there is enough room to get the switch into the column without it being an issue unless you look into something back in the early 70s column shift, I think Charger went there in 1970, not sure if there is a column lock at the same time, so may require a little "investigating" on the internet to determine exact setup back then. I, if I may, would disable the steering wheel tumblers so the ignition switch can be used to disengage the steering lock, and have a key down on the dash and rewire the ignition system. Both anti-theft system and easier wiring elsewhere, right?

 

[valiant67]

You might want to see if you can get a steering column from a truck of that vintage with a manual transmission if the pedal setup is correct for your truck. Is yours a tilt column? Maybe the manual was only offered with a non-tilt column that may have not had the switch interference issue.

 

[mopar56]

yes the tilt issue is what is causing the interference I believe, so if I went to a non-tilting column it would fix things as that key switch and wiring was up top but they moved the switch below remotely off the rod for tilt, the thing is this truck has some unusual options for a 1980 s/b step, like cruise, tilt, option light package so we are trying to keep it some what like that and would miss the tilt, I did think of the key switch in the dash like my 56 but my son really wants this on the column to maintain a stock appearance look, I agree the space for the switch is tight in the column and not sure I could get an older one in there, the charger idea is a good one however that year was probably not available with tilt and a standard?, that is the key,(pardon the pun), maybe someone knows of a model that was available with tilt and a standard?, I am going to check with a locksmith friend of mine today and see if he has any ideas, thanks for your help