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First off, I have a 69 Cutlass S with the original 350cid Rocket, Th350 trans, an HEI distributor, and the previous owner did a column to floor shift conversion...
The previous owner half-assed rigged the wiring throughout the whole car. I only got to drive it for 6 months, then it wouldn't start one day. When I did drive it, sometimes it wouldn't start unless I jiggled the column and found the sweet spot then it would start again....
Since it wouldn't start, I've replaced the battery, battery cables, starter wires, and checked the starter. I had the starter wire to the dash connector at the firewall burn up when I tried starting it.... I've recently replaced the entire dash wiring harness with a used harness I got out of another '69 Cutlass.
My question is.... On the engine side, there's a black wire with orange stripe coming out of the Alternator/Forward Lamp Connector on the firewall... What does that wire go to exactly?!?
Any help, advice, diagrams, etc. is appreciated!!! I just want my baby to start up again because after 2 years, there's a hole in my heart from not driving her.
It sounds as if your problem lies in the neutral safety switch.
^^^This. Your car originally had the NSS at the base of the column. I'm guessing that the half-fast floor shift installation neglected to install or connect the correct NSS for a floor shifter. Without the backdrive linkage to the trans, your column-mounted NSS isn't being positioned properly, and if the column collar rotates slightly out of position, the car won't start. This is a very easy fix and yet another example of why no-cost troubleshooting should be performed prior to spending hundreds of dollars on unneeded new parts.
My NSS is still mounted on the column. I bought a brand new switch since it stopped running and installed it back on the column too.... Can you please explain the "easy fix" correct NSS for the floor shift for me? By the way, the floor shifter that was installed is a B&M Quicksilver... If that helps
Also... Are you saying that the entire reason the car won't start is just that the NSS column switch should've been properly installed to the floor shifter during the conversion?.... I didn't have to replace all of the starter and battery wiring or the entire under dash harness?!?!
The NSS on the column was operated by the column shifter. When you converted to a floor shifter, there is NOTHING that operates the NSS anymore. Factory floor shift cars actually had a rod from the steering column to the trans, even on floor shift cars, because the Feds required the shifter to be locked with the key. This rod also operated the NSS on the column. If the backdrive rod isn't present (and I'm guessing it is not), then NOTHING is operating the NSS. I suspect your backup lights don't work, either.
The collar on the steering column rotates clockwise as the shifter moves from PARK down to DRIVE. Friction will hold it in the PARK position if the backdrive rod is missing, until it vibrates out of position, causing the car not to start. "Jiggling" the column likely accidentally put it back into position. Replacing the backdrive linkage or moving to an NSS on the floor shifter will fix the problem permanently. Simply replacing the NSS was again only luck that it's in the right place. The reality is that you didn't need to replace anything to fix this problem, you simply needed to understand what was causing it and rotate the column collar back into the fully counterclockwise position.
Does your floor shifter have a NSS/backup light installed on it? The simple and proper fix would be to relocate the stock wiring to it.
Typically that's an extra-cost kit for that shifter, and the switches you get are the crappy, low-current microswitches. This is one place where I'd certainly run a relay if using that switch.
Does your floor shifter have a NSS/backup light installed on it? The simple and proper fix would be to relocate the stock wiring to it.
The B&M quicksilver shifter does NOT have the connectors for the NSS or backup lights.... If I can find them, all I gotta do is run wiring from the NSS/Backup light connectors on my harness over to the connected on the floor shifter and my car will start right up?!?!
The B&M quicksilver shifter does NOT have the connectors for the NSS or backup lights.... If I can find them, all I gotta do is run wiring from the NSS/Backup light connectors on my harness over to the connected on the floor shifter and my car will start right up?!?!
Yes. You can buy them from the usual sources, like Summit:
Presumably you would need two, one for NSS and one for backup lights. In the mean time, you can simply jumper across the two purple wires in the connector that plugs into the stock NSS and bypass the whole thing. Of course, that means the car will start in any gear, so be sure it's in PARK first, but it will do that now anyway.
Also, if you do decide to go with the NSS on the floor shifter, you need to pin the steering column outer tube to the inner tube. The collar needs to be rotated all the way counterclockwise to allow the key to rotate to the LOCK position. If you don't pin the two together or install the backdrive linkage, eventually the collar will vibrate out of position and you won't be able to get the key out of the ignition. We get a question about that here about every other month or so.
Ok. Awhile back, I tried jumping the NSS wires and start the car but it didn't start at all.... Any idea why it didn't?.... Maybe it was just because I didn't have the column in the correct position?
And just throwing it out there again... Thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it more than you can imagine...
I'm an Army veteran suffering from depression and PTSD, having major family issues right now and while troubleshooting everything I can think of in the past 2 years to get my Cutlass to start again, I also battled and beat lymphoma twice.... I've felt like my entire life has fallen apart and I don't know why but if I can get my Cutlass up and running again, it will somehow make me feel like everything will finally be ok and there's hope again.
The next thing you need to do is find out if you have 12v on the purple wires with the key on. Unjumped it will be on one of them. Glad your working through your demons and health issues. I bet getting her running will help also.
Yes. You can buy them from the usual sources, like Summit:
Presumably you would need two, one for NSS and one for backup lights. In the mean time, you can simply jumper across the two purple wires in the connector that plugs into the stock NSS and bypass the whole thing. Of course, that means the car will start in any gear, so be sure it's in PARK first, but it will do that now anyway.
Also, if you do decide to go with the NSS on the floor shifter, you need to pin the steering column outer tube to the inner tube. The collar needs to be rotated all the way counterclockwise to allow the key to rotate to the LOCK position. If you don't pin the two together or install the backdrive linkage, eventually the collar will vibrate out of position and you won't be able to get the key out of the ignition. We get a question about that here about every other month or so.
What's easier... Pinning the inner & outer columns together or installing the backdrive linkage?
March 28th, 2016, 06:31 AM
