Steering column wiring

[Wookie316]

On your 8 wire plug for your steering column I have a couple questions. It's a 71 Charger. I put an Ididit column in my car, but it is away for repair currently and I need to start the car. Which wires do I jump to do this?
Also my Tremec has a neutral safety switch and I'd like to use it, so which wire do I tie it into?
I can get a photo of the plug tonight, but I just don't have one right now.
Thx in advance for the help.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

several ways:

Red jumped with blue to keep the running circuit sourced, and jump red with brown and yellow just for cranking.

if your ignition system is working propperly, the brown circuit ( ballast bypass ) can be even "obioused" and engine can start even without this wire attached for cranking.

you can make this even in engine bay, feeding the ballast blue wire straight from batt and jump out the starter relay

if you want to make work the cluster, will need to source the black wire at ign switch harness too... this is ACC circuit

you can make this even at fuse box... jumping bot male prongs inserted into the fuse box ( one is BATT the other one is ACC circuit )

giving some other options because the ign switch plug is male bullet terminals on underdash harness, which are not easy to jump out from plug... if they were female, was way easier, but female is at ign switch pigtail.

NSS switch wires... dunno the tremmec, but original is plugged to starter relay and is just a safety ground, so you don't have to deal with it.

if cranking from starter relay, the NSS circuit is obvioused

 

[Wookie316]

Thx. Much appreciated.

 

[Wookie316]

So Brown or yellow will be neutral safety then?

 

[idrivemopar]

So, interesting, my 73 RR original harness had similar melted wires, from before I bought it way back when, but I thought it was maybe because someone had hacked up the harness and was running too much stereo gear in the car. Is this a common problem with 71 to 74 cars and what typically causes this issue?

 

[Nacho-RT74]

NSS wire runs to starter relay, not column

the tipical wire which gets melted or overheat are actually red and blue. You can see this on terminal cavities really... those melted sections seems to be an external heat source

which plug is that one ? colors doesn't meet with original colors ( editing, is the turning switch harness )

 

[Wookie316]

That is the one that is under the dash. Being 40 plus years old, who knows what's been messed with? So if I run the NSS wires to the starter relay, how do I wire them? Do you have a diagram or reference photo you can supply? Thx.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

here a view of the ign switch harness plug with the tipical burnt area, the one on the left is the turning switch, like the one you shown

- - - Updated - - -

That is the one that is under the dash. Being 40 plus years old, who knows what's been messed with? So if I run the NSS wires to the starter relay, how do I wire them? Do you have a diagram or reference photo you can supply? Thx.

you told me about a tremmec tranny, right ? really dunno. Original NSS system runs the ground safety wire straight to the starter relay... is a brown traced yellow, but HEY, you don't need to deal with it! whats you worry about ?

- - - Updated - - -

now I see you want to make to work the NSS from the tremmec tranny on your car.

well I dunno how is it the tremmec system... if is just one wire which provides ground when in P or N to close the circuit, will run to the starter relay existant brown traced yellow wire.

how the reverse light works on the tremmec tranny ?

 

[Wookie316]

I believe they just complete the circuit. I can't see why it couldn't just run through the switch but I will have to test with an Ohm meter to see if that's how it works?

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

The terminals on the Tremec NSS are closed when the trans is in neutral. You will need to provide a ground to one side and run a wire from the other terminal to the starter relay to provide the ground to the primary side of the relay only when in neutral. I run my Tremec NSS in parallel with the factory style clutch pedal safety switch, will start only with the clutch pedal depressed OR gear selector in neutral. Finding the correct connector to fit the Tremec switch pig tail proved to be a challenge, could not get any info from Tremec or Keisler to identify it. Ended up finding something from a late model Ford at the local Pick & Pull to fit it. Other option would be to cut off the pig tail connector and provide your own connections.

 

[Wookie316]

Ok. What's the difference between a manual and auto starter relay? Or are they the same?

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

I just edited that part out, there was an earlier relay used that did not have a provision for an external relay primary ground. Just remembered these years both manual and auto used the same relay with two primary connections.

 

[Wookie316]

Have you got photo reference of which pin to use on the relay? Thx.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Pictures added, note the relay shot is an auto car, brown with a yellow trace for the NSS wire. Manual trans cars used a dark green wire between this terminal and the clutch pedal switch.

 

[Wookie316]

Ok so if I am reading this correct, the NSS terminal acts as a ground for the relay? Ground one side of the switch in the tranny and run the other to the relay? That's it? Because my car was not originally a manual it does not have a switch, but I could always put one in I guess?

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Basically correct, the factory auto NSS and the manual clutch pedal switch grounded to their mounts and provided a switched ground through a single wire to the starter relay. The Tremec NSS is not internally grounded to the trans case and you will need to provide a ground to one of the two leads and run a wire from the other lead to the relay. Again, it’s an isolated single throw switch, closed circuit when trans is in neutral.

 

[Wookie316]

Cool. That was very helpful. Much appreciated.