Finally had some time to get back on my latest project on the Vette ..... replacing the wiper switch [ assembly inside the column that the multifunction, directional lever mounts into ] on the drivers side of the steering column. My left directional could not be turned on before this .... That is all back together now and it feels great... left and right directional click like they should and the headlights bright switch clicks on and click off ....
But here's my question.. In order to do this repair the ignition switch had to be moved part way out of the other side of the column so that the upper column housing could be separated from the lower.
I put the switch in the locked position with the key then removed the key and pulled the ignition switch out partially, then when I was done I pushed the ignition switch back in place and tightened it's locking screw in place. I have everything back on the column EXCEPT the steering locking plate, the airbag coil, steering wheel and airbag.....
Before I put them on I wanted to try the directionals with the battery reconnected and the ignition switch on. BUT when I put the key in the ignition switch it will not turn !!! Is that to be expected with the items I mentioned above still off the column ? I really don't want to put those back on until I know for sure whether or not I should be able to turn the ignition switch at this point ...... That snap ring that holds the locking plate on is a real pain to get on and off !!! Let me know if you
have any idea if the locking plate and steering wheel have to back on before you can turn the key..... Or did not leaving the key in the switch after I locked it have anything to do with this ..... Thanks !!!

 

You have a situation with the rod/rack and pinion of the ignition. It's difficult to tell where but you could check the rod at the ignition switch before you dis-assemble everything. If you can activate the switch manually moving the rod at the lower column then I'd say your issue is above and you can do the job over.

 

WVZR-1 thanks..... Quite a mechanical marvel, the innards of one f these columns ... If I find the problem is in the upper column section... What should I look for ? Move the ignition lock cylinder out of the section it fits into and then what do I need to align ? It slid right back in without much effort the first time.... does the rod sometimes slip out of where it is supposed to be at the top? Or is it fixed in place up there and can slip out of where it is supposed to be down at the ignition switch end ...... I remember it being a real bear to get the headlights brights on/off rod to line up ..... is it like that ?

 

Found the issue.... When I separated the upper column housing from the lower and then put those back together the rack at the top near the ignition cylinder must have come slightly out of time with the gear that rides on it.... A little prying on the rack pushed it back into alignment... now on to getting the rest of the upper column back together...... Thanks......

 

I had found this image last night late and was going to post it so you had an idea where I thought your issue is/was but had errands and never got to it. I'm guessing (not really) that you corrected the synchronization of the plastic sector and the cast rack. It is important that the spring is orientated correctly on your assembly. This isn't a C4 column but a very typical Saginaw that uses the same rack/pinion as the C4.

 

Thanks WVZR-1 !

OK... put the turn signal switch back in and the small bracket that mounts to it and supports the directional lever/ multifunction switch. The mechanisms work nice now... can click on left and right directionals, brights on and off and turn the hazards on and off ...... Battery has been disconnected all the time I have been working on this, But when I reconnect the battery and turn the ignition key on,, the dash lights up and the chime chimes, but the directional lights do not come on or neither do the hazards or can I turn the wipers on when I activate each switch ...... mechanically it all works, but electrically it does not,,, and the connectors are all plugged in, I checked..... I do have the airbag fuse out since I have not put the locking plate / airbag coil / steering wheel or airbag back on ... Want to make sure that the switches all work before I do that..... Does the airbag fuse have to be in for the column to function electrically ? I don't have a wiring diagram.... Can I put the fuse back in and test the directionals, etc without the airbag back on ?? Taking my time on this because I know what I pain it is to get that locking plate snap ring on and off... don't want to do that until I know everything below it is fine ....... Thanks...

 

Buy yourself a new wire retainer for the lock plate.

I wouldn't think the SIR fuse controls what you say doesn't work BUT some GM won't crank/run with blown or missing SIR fuse. First inclination would be problem with connectors on the column but you say you've checked. You can put the SIR fuse in.

Do the stop/brake lights work? Do back-up lamps work?

Check the individual fuses for turn, wiper etc.

 

WVZR-1, Thanks... I had already gone to the local Chevy dealer and bought one of those wire retainers for the lockplate.... what a ripoff.. $10 for a small piece of shaped spring wire... But the old one was kind of beat up from taking it off.... Wouldn't want that to pop out after doing all the work in the column !! I haven't had time to plug that airbag fuse back in ..... it is hard to get at the way I have the car in the garage right now,, hard to open the passenger door much...... But the weird thing about the lights, with that fuse out .... Keep in mind they all worked fine before..... Headlights work and I can turn brights on and off ..... parking lights all work ... only the upper, center brake light comes on when you step on the pedal, the other brake lights do not .... and no reverse lights ...... Again, I did the column work with the battery disconnected so hard to see how I could have blown another fuse,, but I will check ...... Could be the way they have that airbag fuse wired in on the 92s ..... I will try it tonight .....

 

Everything you mention certainly seems to indicate a connector problem OR turn signal switch problem at the column. The center brake light is separate but most everything else goes through the turn signal switch. The back-up lights are also supplied power by the turn signal fuse I believe.

 

Got it ! Finally had some time to crawl under the dash to check the turn signal switch connector which I had reset last time I was under there....... Well, with some of the things I moved around under the dash, I guess it was not locked and it had slightly separated ... was hard to see until I got all the way under there ...... So you were correct, nothing to do with fuses, etc.... Everything works now !!!! But the last thing I am fighting with is that wire ring that locks the locking plate in position .... Wow ! Is there a special tool for that or do you just have at it with a small screwdriver and a pick ??? Any tips ??? Doesn't help that they put 2 extra ridges between where it starts on and where it has to end up .... Thanks...

 

Was able to get that wire ring on to lock the locking plate in place..... used 2 small screwdrivers and alot of picking at it .....
I now have the airbag clockspring on too.... since I didn't take the column out or release the locking mechanism on it,, I just placed it back on the column the way it was when I took it off ... All that's left is the steering wheel and the airbag......

 

Well keep us posted - sounds like you're almost there!!

 

When putting the clockspring back on, if you did not remove the column from the car or release the centering spring on the back of it, it's just a matter of putting it back in place just as it was before dis-assembly, right ? Cause that's what I did..... Haven't been able to get the steering wheel or airbag back on yet... been away..... Thanks...

 

Well finally got it all back together. That multifunction switch [ some folks refer to it as the wiper switch, but I believe the Field Service Manual calls it the multifunction switch ] is a tough part to get to.

Pointers I would pass along are:
1. To get that wire ring off that holds the locking plate on I used 2 small flat blade screwdrivers.... prying it out of the groove by getting under the it in the groove away from the open end and then using the second screwdriver to pry the two ends out..... then just wiggle it up the shaft.... patience.....
2. To get the pin out that mounts the multifunction switch to the upper column housing, you have to separate the upper housing from the lower by about an inch or so.... then you can push the pin out from the top with a small diameter punch or any pin-like thing you can find that will fit in there. Then remove the multifunction switch from the column. Before you pull the cable up and out of the column make sure you tie a string or wire to it that you can later use to pull the new switch cable down the column.
3. When putting the upper and lower column sections back together make sure you have the headlights brights rod lined up on the multifunction switch end (top) and the dimmer switch end (bottom).. Takes alittle positioning of the rod but it is very doable...
4. Another problem I had to deal with was the ignition key cylinder to ignition switch [which is mounted down by the dimmer switch] mechanical rack assembly alignment went out when I separated the upper and lower column. The Field Service Manual has a good picture of how this needs to be aligned, and one of the replies above in this post has a link to it. What I had to do was just realign it by gently prying the rack into position... Didn't require too much force just some easy nudging ....
5. Make sure all the wires go down the bottom side of the column, just like they did before you started, especially if you have an airbag... While you are positioning the wires / cables make sure that there is not too much slack in there.. you don't want any of them getting kinked or rubbed as the steering wheel is turned. Make sure to put that plastic protector back in around the wires at the bottom of the column when you are all done...
6. If you have an airbag, be sure to avoid hitting the release button on the back of the clockspring mechanism... that way you can just put it back on just as it was when you are done without having to reset the clockspring. However, if you need to do that reset, it's not that bad and is described in the FSM.
7. Most important ... as you are disassembling the column.... Use your smartphone or camera and take pictures at each step.... that way when you get to putting all the stuff back together you can see what it looked like before you got in there and messed with it ... That helped me ALOT ! I have some photo's that I can post if anyone thinks they might help..... I just have to remember how to post them on this site...
8. I bought the multifunction switch off of Ebay for $80. It appeared to be of good quality to me.. The company /seller claims he gets them from the GM supplier,, for what it's worth.. I believe he is based in Atlanta... SpecialtyPartsDirect http://www.ebay.com/itm/230817504014
This part can cost much more from other sources...... not sure if you would be getting anything better for the extra $$$...

Keep them American musclecars runnin' .........