(At age 16 and on) Cristian’s 1962 Mercury comet s-22 build thread

[Cris4942]

Also, is the nylon sleeve supposed to become conductive once the point is met with current?

[Joe Travers]

I'm not quite sure. I've dealt with this for manual shifters but not automatics. The manual switch is different, plunger-type.
I'm looking at an exploded view of the parts from the catalog and it's not very clear. I haven't been able to find it in the shop manual as well. Don't know why it isn't covered. Did you jump the switch with a wire to see if it worked?

JT

[Cris4942]

I'm not quite sure. I've dealt with this for manual shifters but not automatics. The manual switch is different, plunger-type.
I'm looking at an exploded view of the parts from the catalog and it's not very clear. I haven't been able to find it in the shop manual as well. Don't know why it isn't covered. Did you jump the switch with a wire to see if it worked?

JT

Yeah I did, works wonderfully. I had also looked through the manual extensively and found nothing but a few mentions and nothing else (it’s actually why I had dropped finishing it until now) . I think maybe I could drop some soldered metal droplets in it, see if maybe that does it. I’m not sure how the catalog portrays it to play together but really that’s my best guess.
I’ve been wanting to get one so It doesn’t seem like a bad way to go.
Also, did you buy the catalog? Is there any way to find it online?

Im assuming this might be what you are looking at?

[Cris4942]

Really, if I could take a look at how the copper contact look- I’m sure there’d be some direction as to what to do.

Nylon isn’t really conductive- and well I just realized that the groove found in the nylon sleeve and metal is probably a creation from passing current while testing the switch out.

[Jims65cyclone]

Christen...I did some searching and found the Ford Forum thread linked below. It's for a 62 Falcon wagon with Fordomatic, but I would think that it should be like yours. The switch he shows looks identical to yours, but the nylon sleeve is completely different. It appears to completely encompass the shifter tube and has two copper bars that are supposed to make contact with the switch. This guy's problem was that the nylon sleeve had slid on the shift tube so that the copper bars weren't making contact with the switch. I don't see any bars on your sleeve. Maybe your nylon sleeve has broken and the part with the copper bars has fallen off and slid down the steering column.
https://www.fordforumsonline.com/thread ... ing.24257/

Jim

[Cris4942]

Hey Jim- I think you may be spot on. I saw the thread earlier kinda overlooked it since the nylon sleeve is different but I think you and Joe are right. Im going to try and see if I can somehow stick a magnet and pull them up if they still exist. If not, I may consider setting up a toggle switch or perhaps make some myself.

Thank y’all

[lavron]

Schristian this is an opportunity for you to become the resident expert on this.
SeeYa,
Mike

[Jims65cyclone]

Not sure a magnet is going to help you. The sleeve is nylon and the bars on it are copper, so there is nothing magnetic for a magnet to grab on to. To "repair" correctly, I think you'll have to pull the column. Even so, I'd be surprised if the sleeve is a part you could find short of a miracle find at a junk yard. I'd try to find a source for that part before tearing anything apart. The easiest "fix", like you say, would be to install a toggle switch for your back up lights.

Jim

[Cris4942]

Not sure a magnet is going to help you. The sleeve is nylon and the bars on it are copper, so there is nothing magnetic for a magnet to grab on to. To "repair" correctly, I think you'll have to pull the column. Even so, I'd be surprised if the sleeve is a part you could find short of a miracle find at a junk yard. I'd try to find a source for that part before tearing anything apart. The easiest "fix", like you say, would be to install a toggle switch for your back up lights.

Jim

You know Jim, I realized that a bit too late. On the good side of things I tested out the magnet on my car and there is only one area which may have bondo- so it was not all that of a bad buy. I think I’m definitely going with the toggle switch- I’ll simply remove the kill switch I had previously installed and use it. Now, I am pretty much going to wire my cigarette lighter as my kill switch at least until I can buy some horns to which I’ll install a three post switch to serve as a mini alarm.