neutral safety switch

[SLICKCOLLECTOR]

how do i wire in a neutral safety switch. my original column is a 4 speed column. truck now has a C6 transmission with a mustang floor shifter from 1969. i have identified which 2 wires from the shifter are used to insure ignition is only energized when shifter is in park. i think only trucks equipped with a cruisomatic had a neutral safety switch. i have a wiring diagram but i am not an electrician and can't decipher the wires and current flow. i have looked an using the switch on the starter solenoid but i don't think that is correct. thanks.

ps: the 65-66 automatic column has some red w blue stripe wires, the mustang shifter harness uses those same red/blue wires also that serve as the interrupter switch with the starting and maybe the ignition circuit. that is what i am trying to do. i don't know if the neutral safety switch shuts off both the starter activation or the ignition as well. i see some of that on the wiring diagram. i have a dealer ship orange book for 1966 and 1967 that shows the complete wiring diagrams for all ford trucks and cars from mustangs to falcons and every vehicle ford made in that year. makes my head spin to think about the wiring complications. the mustang ignition starting and charging circuits show that same red-blue number 32 wire. the trucks do not show that neutral switch at all. got me baffled. must be in the turn signal switch. there is a red/blue wire on the ignition switch. i can't find it on the diagram.

jim

[unibody madness]

I am sure the electrical gurus will chime in. I have been wanting to do the same for my manual t-5, my idea was to interrupt the signal to the solenoid so the starter can not turn unless the clutch depressed ... if the starter won't turn the engine can not start at a dead stop even if the ignition circuit is on

[9Fingers]

If you have a multimeter, you need to confirm that when your floor shifter is in park, you have continuity between the ends of the two wires you identified. Also make sure that the same two wires are open, when the shifter is in reverse, drive, 2,1. It may also show continuity when in neutral, I'm not sure. With the meter on Ohms, the needle will move when the circuit is continuous, and not move when the circuit is open. Some meters have a tone that will buzz when continuous, and not when open. Once you are sure its continuous in park, then you can identify the wire that activates the starter solenoid. On my truck its the small post on the hot side of the fender mounted solenoid. You can test it by removing it and trying to start the engine. Once you have the correct wire, you need to splice into it. I use flux and solder to join wire together and shrink tubing to insulate the joint. Where you splice the wire going to the solenoid, will connect to one wire coming out of your shifter you previously identified as the neutral start switch. The other end of the wire going to the solenoid, ties into the other wire from the shifter. Again, use flux, solder the wires, and I usually put two layers of shrink tubing over the solder joint. Here is a drawing that may help. This will only interrupt the current going to activate the starter solenoid, it will not affect the current going to the coil, points, and condensor.

[SLICKCOLLECTOR]

i have identified the 2 wires that only close when in park. red/blue. another 2 pair of wires only close when shifter is in reverse. for the back-up lights. i think i have been fooling with the wrong side of the starter solenoid. i'm dizzy from looking at wiring diagrams. i'll give it another look tomorrow.

jim

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

Cannot say how true BUT all the 65/66 columns I had taken apart had a 2 prong neutral safety switch with just spades and 67-76 had the 4 wire switch

[SLICKCOLLECTOR]

after inspecting 2 dash harnesses that i have in a box i have concluded that only the 65-66 automatics had the provision for the neutral safety switch. the 4 speed truck has no thumb push connectors for the neutral safety switch. the red/blue wire has those connectors for the NSS on the dash harness for only trucks equipped with automatics. o/w like mentioned you can wire it into the starter post on the starter solenoid.