Bad68442

Hi all,

Working on 72 442 convt. It looks like there are 2 wires (1 black & 1 white) that go to the drivers side door jamb switch.

I bought a new 2 spade door jamb switch, but seems to be a little bit long, door does not want to close.

Rather than force it, or re-align the door, etc. I see a slightly shorter door jamb switch for sale on PP web site .. 3/8 thread ... says it will fit 72.. but its only a single prong, bullet style.

Can I just combine the 2 ground wires onto the one jamb switch?

Thanks as always

Jim

joe_padavano

Review the wiring diagram. The white wire provides ground for the dome and courtesy lights. The black wire is for the ignition key buzzer. If you connect them, you've now connected the buzzer to the light circuit, which means that any time you put the interior lights on (like rotating the headlight switch **** to turn on the dome light), the key buzzer will also go off.

Are you sure the new switch is too long? The factory switches are "self adjusting" to account for assembly and door alignment tolerances. They are purposely set up long and the plastic sleeve is supposed to slide to the correct position the first time you close the door.

Bad68442

Thanks for the quick response Joe .. question answered what would happen if I joined them.

Buzzer would get pretty annoying.

I was not aware that they "self adjusted" ... given new paint I was closing door pretty gingerly ... I will close it a little harder and see what happens!!

Jim

joe_padavano

I know the factory switches are that way. I can't vouch for aftermarket ones.

4speed455

https://www.ebay.com/itm/161349712552
I used these on my 70 Cutlass. As Joe described they were installed long and adjusted when the door closed.

joe_padavano

The eyelet should slide in the nut when you shut the door.

joe_padavano

And just for completeness, this is from the Fisher Body Manual.

cjsdad

The factory switch is literally a square peg in a round hole. The sleeve around the pin is slightly squared and pressed into the round hole of the nut. They are longer than necessary when new so that they can fit almost any door gap on any GM vehicle. The head of the switch pin will bottom out against the sleeve and press it into the nut causing it to "self adjust" when the door is closed. They get painted and squished and generally abused over their lifetime and can loosen up so they don't work properly anymore. If you remove the whole assembly and extend the sleeve back to the "as new" position you can re-square the sleeve so that it can "self adjust" all over again.