ewingr

I am installing a 2004 Corvette LS1 with electronic cruise control in my '56 Chevy. I have a '69 Oldmosbile steering column which uses the old style screw in cruise control arm.

I am told by John at Speartech that I need a 4 wire normally open switch. I am not having luck finding one that is normally open in the aftermarket.

Have any of you solved this problem on one of yhour conversions? What would you suggest?

[EDIT]
I am told that if I can find a cruise control arm from a 65-72 GM car I might be in luck. Not sure where to look for that, but it's a start.

76LQ9TA

iTrader: (1)

Send me an email and I will send the information when I go to work.
jeff_dauderman@yahoo.com

This company makes switches that look like GM switches for use with their cruise control. I bought one for my TA that works with my LQ9 engine w/ ETC. It was about $30 shipped. I have their site at work but can't remember it now. It looks exactly like the stock unit but has 4 wires.

76LQ9TA

iTrader: (1)

http://www.brandondist.com/products/OE_style.htm

I just remembered; I used the 250-3020.

ewingr

That doesn't screw into the column, it bolts on. So it won't work for me. And the Rostra ones that do screw in are normally closed rather than normally open. I spoke with them earlier before posting this thread.

Thanks for the thought though.

Oh, and I sent you an email per your earlier post. You can ignore it.

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (37)

Why not just wire a relay to reverse the function of the switch.

joelvette

iTrader: (11)

did you try dakota digital. they make a bunch of different switch/handles that look stock.
i think you have to have the resume function also, right (4 wire instead of just 2) all the early 70's i've seen so far are 2 wire screw on (got one). maybe a gm luxury car cruise stalk would have the resume function (check ebay) not necessarily to buy but to look at. i havent gotten that far in my build yet, so please keep us posted as to what you find out. thanx joel

ewingr

Yes. Theirs are made by Rostra.

And related to the number of wires, you are right: I need a 4 wire. The Tech at Rostra told me that a 65-72 GM one would work. Not sure about finding one of those.

The idea of the relay may be one that will work. Unfortunately, I am ignorant about how to wire up a relay, but I'm sure I can find out about that. I sent an email to John at Speartech to get his input.

A worst case scenario would be to use a dash mount one that is normally open, from Rostra. I don't like the looks of it, and it wouldn't be near as nice as having it on the column.

I'll keep you posted with what I end up with.

joelvette

iTrader: (11)

i was hoping that the dak dig one would work, and i agree i dont want a dash mounted one either.

76LQ9TA

iTrader: (1)

Can you explain why you need a normally open switch? The switch I have has 4 wires (Power, Ground, Set and Accel. From the GM diagram I have for my 02 escalade engine, the switch looks like the schematic. Am I missing something? Can you switch the internal pieces of the column? I have a couple extra F-body columns I can take apart for you. Then you can use this switch. I haven't driven my car yet. Your post has me concerned about the switch I bought working right.
http://www.bcae1.com/relays.htm
http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page1.asp
These are some pages about relays. To make a normally closed switch act like a normally open switch use a single throw double pole relay

ewingr

I'm afraid I cannot specifically why I need a normally open switch. My assumption is that the electronic cruise in that ties into the PCM expects a normally open switch, and hence newer switches (which do not fit my column) are nomally open. Whereas othe old switches are normally closed.

How do I know I need a normally open switch? I was told so my the man that made my wiring harness,John from Speartech.

Now,your switch is for a newer car (it's the Rostra one that bolts on, not screws in, right?)...and I am told that those are available in normally open, so yours may work.

I sent an email to John regarding using the relay. I'll post back the response I get back.

Oh, and thanks for the links on the relays. I had alwasy thought relays were used specifically to accomodate varying voltage needs, as opposed to open vs closed circuits. I'll be studying those links.

ewingr

Well, John said I could use relay, but I'd need to use a relay for each of the 4 wires.

Sigh....

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

Did John say you needed 4 relays? I think at most you would need 3, but one is probably enough. Do you have diagrams for the 2004 vette cruise control switch and the switch(s) that you are thinking of using? If I saw them I could tell you what you needed.

ewingr

I don't have diagrams of the cruise control switch. In my case, I'm not sure a diagram is that much a possibility.

What I have is a TAC (Throttle Actuator Control) module that I understand handles the electronic side of the cruise control. It wires into the PCM. There are 4 wires coming in from the PCM through the harness inside for the cruise conrol lever.

John did indicated that I would need 4 relays, and he went on to complain about how the aftermarket is not keeping up with the times.

So, given that I have 4 wires, do you still think I only need 3? (I can look at the harness tonight and see how the wires are labeled if that helps).

I have one of the aftermarket fuse boxes that includes 2 relays that I haven't used. I suspect I could uses those two, and get two more and put up under my dash with the several others I have for various things. I should get a quantity discount on them.

By teh way G-body, I like your Avitar.

76LQ9TA

iTrader: (1)

This is the schematic I have for an 02 LQ9 from an Escalade. I would think this should be the same as the corvette with ETC. The older gm switches for cruise only had 2 switches in them instead of three. This is because they used a vacuum system to adjust the throttle.

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

I think that you should only need 3 relays even though you have 4 wires since normally one of those wires is to supply power to the switch, and the other 3 are the actual outputs.

If you could post what the wires are labeled that would help, also what computer/harness are you using (I know its a speartech harness but did it start out as a 2004 vette harness and computer?)
If the diagram above is the same for a vette which I believe it is, the later model GM switches will work, My 85 El Camino uses a 4 wire NO switch, as do many of the 80`s cars, but it does not thread in, it snaps in.

Do you have a pic of your switch? Maybe you could put a threaded end on a newer style switch.

Did you figure out which cruise control lever you are going to use?

ewingr

g-Body

I need to get more specific answers to a couple of yoru questions. But here is what I have garnered up to this point:

A tech at Rostra tells me, like you said, that the newer ones will work, but they don't screw in. When I asked him about using a relay, he wasn't sure how to wire it up, but he said that the only wire that woudl require a relay would be the green wire. He said that when the switch is turned on, that the green wire gets voltage, and that when you push SET, it loses power. He said normally open does just the reverse.

They have a lever that screws in that is stated on some sites as for Ford, and on other sites as for Ford and GM. I have checked, and it has the right threads. I am considering ordering that, and trying to figure out then how to use a relay. At this point I'm just not sure what relay, or how to wire.

I'll get the labels off the wires from the harness, and post back.

I can tell you that the PCM is a 12200411 , like out of a 01-03 Corvette or Camaro. John at Speartech told me to get that PCM, and that is what he wired for.