Moving the NSS

[KenB]

Due to an accumulation of malfunctions, I bit the bullet and opted to replace the steering column on my old 81 CJ7 , auto Transmission . So far, it looks like a pretty straight forward swap, except, the new column has a Neutral Safety Switch on the column, and the NSS now is on the Transmission . I would like to convert to the column switch, but need a little guidance/confirmation on the wiring. The wiring diagram in my Haynes shows a black wire {97}from the lower terminal on the starter solenoid to the NSS, and a red wire {52B} from the NSS to, as best I can tell, a 12v supply (shows it spliced to the electric choke). My little bitty mind is telling me to run the red wire to one side of the column switch and a black from the other terminal to the solenoid, and disconnect the existing black at the solenoid. Am I headed in the right direction??

 

[gert]

Yep that sounds good.....your back up light is also tied into the NSS so if you remove the plug the lights wont work

 

[KenB]

Thanks, gert. Sometimes these old eyes have trouble with all that fine print on the diagrams. On the diagram, the black wire is labeled 'Neutral Safety Ground', which is a little misleading. As far as the back up lights, don't have any on the rig right now. The new column has terminals for them if/when they get added.

 

[KenB]

Oops. A little correction here.
The black wire from the NSS to the solenoid is, in fact, a ground. The red wire is a constant 12v (key on), and must be to supply the back up lights. I ran the black from the bottom terminal on the solenoid to one terminal on the column NSS, then from the other terminal to a chassis ground. The NSS only connects these two when in Park or Neutral, completing the solenoid operating circuit. Amazing what you can find with a multimeter and a jumper.