Neutral Safety Switch Wiring Oddity
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Neutral Safety Switch Wiring Oddity
I guess I never noticed this (and maybe I did but the oldtimers erased it) but thought I would take a pic in case someones testing and runs into this.
I was talking with a CF member about his neutral safety switch and he noted the purple and purple/white flip from the car harness to the NS switch harness. I went out to check my old harness and it was the same.
So if your looking for 12 volts coming IN to the NS switch on the purple/white FROM the ignition switch make sure you follow the wires up to the connector to make sure your on the correct wire.
I was talking with a CF member about his neutral safety switch and he noted the purple and purple/white flip from the car harness to the NS switch harness. I went out to check my old harness and it was the same.
So if your looking for 12 volts coming IN to the NS switch on the purple/white FROM the ignition switch make sure you follow the wires up to the connector to make sure your on the correct wire.
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Canboro Ontario
Roger, I had not noticed that, until now that you brought it up. I am assuming that the plug, only goes one way, and that it is correct that they flip like that, or are they suppose to be the same ?????
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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From: Dayton, Ohio
This might be difficult to understand but I'll try.
During "testing" (not guessing) if one of our members is asking for help and goes to the switch and puts a 12v test light on the exposed terminal of the purple/white and the test light fails to light he is going to assume at that point there is no power coming from the ignition switch because he was testing the WRONG wire.
We've all experienced these little wrong turns while diagnosing an electrical problem ,which for some of us is a momentary hmmm but for a rookie it can have him dropping the steering column to inspect the ignition switch and then "Corvette electrical system overload".
During "testing" (not guessing) if one of our members is asking for help and goes to the switch and puts a 12v test light on the exposed terminal of the purple/white and the test light fails to light he is going to assume at that point there is no power coming from the ignition switch because he was testing the WRONG wire.
We've all experienced these little wrong turns while diagnosing an electrical problem ,which for some of us is a momentary hmmm but for a rookie it can have him dropping the steering column to inspect the ignition switch and then "Corvette electrical system overload".
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I have 3 older purple-purple type harness's my others are later purple-green or purple-yellow harness's.
2 of the older ones (73 and back) are the same with the , flipped. The other one bubba got hold of and put a jumper in to take the place of the switch but wires in the car harness plug are in the same location.
I'm hoping some others will chime in with their experiences on this very boring subject.
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
While not 100% related to the subject, and hope I not hi-jacking, I just posted that in attempting replacement of this switch, I can't seem to separate the connectors for the back-up lights from the switch to the console wires. Roger, if you wouldn't mind, could you please look at the switch's harness in your pic and see if there is a tab holding the 2 back up connectors together or do they just pull apart? I don't see a tab but I don't have a lot of room to work. Jud
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Jul 8, 2011 at 11:23 AM.
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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From: Dayton, Ohio
While not 100% related to the subject, and hope I not hi-jacking, I just posted that in attempting replacement of this switch, I'm can't seem to separate the connectors for the back-up lights from the switch to the console wires. Roger, if you wouldn't mind, could you please look at the switch's harness in your pic and see if there is a tab holding the 2 back up connectors together or do they just pull apart? I don't see a tab but I don't have a lot of room to work. Jud
I just posted to your thread. You'll just have to pull but use 2 pair of pliers so you don't pull on the wires. No tab.I did go out and pulled apart the one in the pic.
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Team Owner
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From: Crossville TN
Roger...
Your scenario is correct, if you are using a test light. Personally, I'm not a 'test light' kind of guy...I'd rather use an ohmmeter and check out the circuits without power running in them. Nasty things happen to some folks when they leave power on while diagnosing an electrical problem.
(the modicon is not really meant to be a "Rock On!" symbol in this case; I just thought the little sucker looked like he just got hit with 220 volts!)
Your scenario is correct, if you are using a test light. Personally, I'm not a 'test light' kind of guy...I'd rather use an ohmmeter and check out the circuits without power running in them. Nasty things happen to some folks when they leave power on while diagnosing an electrical problem.
(the modicon is not really meant to be a "Rock On!" symbol in this case; I just thought the little sucker looked like he just got hit with 220 volts!)
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Roger...
Your scenario is correct, if you are using a test light. Personally, I'm not a 'test light' kind of guy...I'd rather use an ohmmeter and check out the circuits without power running in them. Nasty things happen to some folks when they leave power on while diagnosing an electrical problem. (the modicon is not really meant to be a "Rock On!" symbol in this case; I just thought the little sucker looked like he just got hit with 220 volts!)
Your scenario is correct, if you are using a test light. Personally, I'm not a 'test light' kind of guy...I'd rather use an ohmmeter and check out the circuits without power running in them. Nasty things happen to some folks when they leave power on while diagnosing an electrical problem.
(the modicon is not really meant to be a "Rock On!" symbol in this case; I just thought the little sucker looked like he just got hit with 220 volts!)I'm always open to ways different from my own to diagnose problems.
Thanks
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Florida
I agree an ohm meter is a useful tool,would you mind describing the steps you would take using an ohm meter to diagnose a problem described as "no starter engagement when turning the key to the start position" ?
I'm always open to ways different from my own to diagnose problems.
Thanks
I'm always open to ways different from my own to diagnose problems.
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
Determine the wiring path from the schematic; pull fuse [if necessary]; put probes on either side of switch circuit; turn ignition switch to see if connection is made. If you need to 'see' voltage, leave battery connected and switch meter to DCV scale...check for 12v. 
[But, you already know all of this stuff....]
[But, you already know all of this stuff....]
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Orange Park Florida
Determine the wiring path from the schematic; pull fuse [if necessary]; put probes on either side of switch circuit; turn ignition switch to see if connection is made. If you need to 'see' voltage, leave battery connected and switch meter to DCV scale...check for 12v. [But, you already know all of this stuff....]
[But, you already know all of this stuff....]