Ignition Switch Question

[ChaseDale3and8]

Hi guys, I'm having a lot of electrical issues with my '86 K10 lately. I was about 6 miles from home it just quit running in the middle of an intersection and I ended up calling for a tow back home. The only electrical that still works is the head and tail lights.

So since the guages, turn signals, back up lights all quit working before it totally quit running altogether I figured the switch must be bad. I bought a new Ac/Delco switch for it and dropped the column down for access to it yesterday. It started getting dark on me last night so I quit on in figuring I'd put it back together today since I was off anyway.

Now I'm having a problem getting the switch bolted back on! It seems the rod that goes to it is not only about an inch too long, but works the opposite direction the switch is supposed to! What gives here? The rod goes in that hole on the side of the switch right? That's the only place I see that it CAN go, and not only that, it seems you really have to twist the hell outta that rod sideways to even try to get the switch even close to the column! Is it supposed to be in a bind like that? It seems the rod works in the opposite direction its supposed to in order to operate the switch, which i know should be impossible since it only goes together one way! It was getting dark when I got the old one out last night and I even had trouble getting it out of there but I finally got it out. This is getting ridiculous, and I'm losing patience real fast! I figured I'd better ask for some help before I tear something else up!

Anybody know or have the proper procedure for the replacement of one of these electrical ignition switches? The Haynes Manual that I have here isn't really any help. All it said was put the switch in lock and pull the steering wheel and lower the column. Not much more than that though, and it sure doesn't help me get my truck back on the road. I'm at my wits end with this thing! ...Joe

 

[Tyger13us]

i would say ya ether have the wrong switch? or your trying to put it on upside down/backwards,, the bar points up into the switch,, the column holds the bar in the switch,, so as to say the bar from the key switch should be between the switch and column,, the electrical plug in should be pointing to the right/pass side of the truck.........

 

[ChaseDale3and8]

i would say ya ether have the wrong switch? or your trying to put it on upside down/backwards,, the bar points up into the switch,, the column holds the bar in the switch,, so as to say the bar from the key switch should be between the switch and column,, the electrical plug in should be pointing to the right/pass side of the truck.........

You were exactly right! I was trying to put it on with the wiring facing up and it should have been facing toward the passenger side just like you said. I actually went out to a guys house last night that I know who parts these old trucks out. He had a couple of columns out of trucks that he had already parted out so I took some pictures of how it all went together so that I wouldn't forget this time! As soon as I saw how it was supposed to go together, the light bulb went off, then I checked back here to say I'd found out how it goes together when I saw your post! Thanks! There is no community like the square body guys! I really appreciate the help, cause if I hadn't gone out to look at that column last night I'd have found out the correct way it went together after I read your post! Now it's back together again, so I can try it and see if the problem is resolved or if I need to rewire the engine bay with the harness I just bought last night. Thanks again for the info and help! ....Joe