Gary Lewis Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 It is not a tilt wheel. Definitely the 2 clicks in the ON position is odd. To double check I swapped back my stock switch and that confirmed it was a good ignition switch. A 35 y/o electrical component, those were better times. Starliner - You are saying that the old switch does as the new switch does and has two separate positions in On? Just wanting to make sure I understand. Jim - If you look at the schematic you can see there are multiple wipers. And from my experience it isn't uncommon to find that they make and break at different positions in the rotation. For instance, it is not unusual at all to have the grease set up in the winter so that letting the spring pull the switch back to On just gets the ignition circuit and not the one that powers the radio and other accessories. And to get the accessories on you have to manually rotate the switch farther. So in this case the switch is coming out of Start on the left wiper so the starter motor is turned off, but not out of Start on the right wiper so the ballast resistor is still being bypassed. That's very good to know. And, the alignment process doesn't fix that. Just the ingenious testing with the DVM. Well done, Starliner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starliner Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 Starliner - You are saying that the old switch does as the new switch does and has two separate positions in On? Just wanting to make sure I understand. Jim - If you look at the schematic you can see there are multiple wipers. And from my experience it isn't uncommon to find that they make and break at different positions in the rotation. For instance, it is not unusual at all to have the grease set up in the winter so that letting the spring pull the switch back to On just gets the ignition circuit and not the one that powers the radio and other accessories. And to get the accessories on you have to manually rotate the switch farther. So in this case the switch is coming out of Start on the left wiper so the starter motor is turned off, but not out of Start on the right wiper so the ballast resistor is still being bypassed. That's very good to know. And, the alignment process doesn't fix that. Just the ingenious testing with the DVM. Well done, Starliner! Necessity is the mother of invention. Its definitely something with the actuator rod. I tried using electronic cleaner and even cleaned the rod and column with steel wool but it is a mechanical hang up which is preventing a nice healthy return to ON from START. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Necessity is the mother of invention. Its definitely something with the actuator rod. I tried using electronic cleaner and even cleaned the rod and column with steel wool but it is a mechanical hang up which is preventing a nice healthy return to ON from START. Thanks. That's great investigative work! Now you know how and why it happens, even if you can't find a fix right away at least you can avoid it happening again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 That's great investigative work! Now you know how and why it happens, even if you can't find a fix right away at least you can avoid it happening again. There’s been many people that did not realize they have a tilt wheel on this era of truck. Turn signal lever pushes forward. You may well know but thought I’d mention it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old55pete Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Necessity is the mother of invention. Its definitely something with the actuator rod. I tried using electronic cleaner and even cleaned the rod and column with steel wool but it is a mechanical hang up which is preventing a nice healthy return to ON from START. Thanks. Now Im not sure about your 84, and I was thinking that my 86 with tilt has four poshions in the ignition. Before I commented, I went out and checked. Mine has ACC, lock, unlock only then on/ run and start. I also checked my Brick nose and it is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starliner Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 Now Im not sure about your 84, and I was thinking that my 86 with tilt has four poshions in the ignition. Before I commented, I went out and checked. Mine has ACC, lock, unlock only then on/ run and start. I also checked my Brick nose and it is the same. Not a tilt when but very interesting info. I think we are zeroing in on things here. The problem is still there. It quit on me and I had to put my spark box on it to get home. This is getting old. I'm wondering if the cold heats up too much being mounted horizontally on top of the engine in front of the carb. Also, maybe I will get a ballast resistor and put it in line to see if that helps. Like I said, this is getting old! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Not a tilt when but very interesting info. I think we are zeroing in on things here. The problem is still there. It quit on me and I had to put my spark box on it to get home. This is getting old. I'm wondering if the cold heats up too much being mounted horizontally on top of the engine in front of the carb. Also, maybe I will get a ballast resistor and put it in line to see if that helps. Like I said, this is getting old! My coil was mounted horizontal from the factory and it was fine for 24 years. Electrical components wear out, especially when they're being cycled hundreds of times a second. Has your truck been backfiring at random? When this happens, does it just stop, or does it get worse and worse until it finally dies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starliner Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 My coil was mounted horizontal from the factory and it was fine for 24 years. Electrical components wear out, especially when they're being cycled hundreds of times a second. Has your truck been backfiring at random? When this happens, does it just stop, or does it get worse and worse until it finally dies? It just dies and wont restart. I can smell the unburned gas. It is a swapped out coil so the original one was likely fine. Not likely the problem is downstream of the coil since my emergency starter box gets me home. It is somewhere between the key and the coil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 It just dies and wont restart. I can smell the unburned gas. It is a swapped out coil so the original one was likely fine. Not likely the problem is downstream of the coil since my emergency starter box gets me home. It is somewhere between the key and the coil. If it cuts out clean and then will restart when cold, I respectfully suggest it IS downstream from the coil These are classic symptoms of a failing DSII module. The green wire going to the module has to sink the same current that's going through the coil. The transistor inside really can't take the abuse. We (somehow) have to find a solution to your balky ignition switch. But unfortunately I think it's time to replace the module as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starliner Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 If it cuts out clean and then will restart when cold, I respectfully suggest it IS downstream from the coil These are classic symptoms of a failing DSII module. The green wire going to the module has to sink the same current that's going through the coil. The transistor inside really can't take the abuse. We (somehow) have to find a solution to your balky ignition switch. But unfortunately I think it's time to replace the module as well. Ohhhhhh, I hear ya. I did replace the ICM , but now you have me thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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