i just got this 88 f150 4spd. the PO broke the ign rod in the column. so he screwed the ign switch to the bottom of the dash and you have to slide it to start it and turn it off. i want to put a push button to start it and a toggle switch to turn on the accessories and use it to turn the truck off. anyone got a diagram or info on how to do this? thanks!

 

im trying to bypass this switch and use toggle switch and push button to start and run truck.

 

I don't have a detailed diagram of a 88 switch, but I do for a 86, and it will take a double pole momentary pushbutton switch for the starting function, and one double pole single throw switch for the run, or two single pole single pole switches.

In 86 the power comes in on two large yellow wires.

The momentary start switch should have 4 terminals. Two will be shorted together and hooked to the yellow wires, and one of the other terminals will be hooked to a red/blue(start) and the other terminal will hook to a brown/pink(resistor bypass).

The toggle switch will have 4 terminals also. Two will be shorted together and hooked to the yellow wires. One of the other terminals will connect to the red/lightgreen(ignition and other stuff). The other terminal will hook to the black/lightgreen(accessories)

 

i came up with this. i think it might work.

im using a universal switch like this



and wiring it up like so

 

anyone think this would work

 

I doubt that will work. Usually you cannot tie all those wires together(for example the red ones in your diagram). That's the reason they have so many sections to the original switch. You are also tying the blue wires together in your diagram also.

I predict if you hook it up like your diagram, the starter may not stop and or the engine will not turn off when the key is in the off position.

 

i changed a few things. how about this way?

 

You are still tying wires together. You need to keep them separated like the factory had them. I recommend the easiest solution would be to repair the steering column and put the factory switch back on. If you insist on switches, you will need several to duplicate the factory switch and it's function.

 

well i gave it a shot and it worked flawlessly...the second picture i posted is how i wired it. everything works like it should. the only think i noticed is that the clutch does not have to be pressed down to start anymore. i was going to bypass that anyway. we learn something every day.

 

Problem: The actuator rod is old and gummed up, and when the weather gets cold it's almost impossible to turn the key all the way to START. Turning to RUN is sticky, but turning to START feels like i'm going to break something. Didn't really want to replace the ignition switch and or the actuator rod, or just clean the gunk out of the rod, seems like quite a task to get to it and then get everything put back in place. So I just added a simple push button. It still requires the key to be put in and turned to the RUN position for this to work. Once in RUN, hold down the momentary switch (push button) until the engine fires up, and then release. To figure this out I did some looking around the web and in the Haynes Manual for my truck + looked at the inside of the STARTER switch at autozone. Nice little labels like BATT and ST and A1 and A2 + I1 and I2. Battery, Accessory, Ignition, etc. There are also diagrams on the web and in Hanes manual that tell which color wires go to which "pin" on the switch.

I just bought a $10, 20amp momentary push button, some 14 gauge wire, and some wire splicers. On the 89 f150 there are two yellow wires coming from the ignition switch. Also, there are several other wires of different colors coming out of the switch as well.. You can see all these if you lay down on your back on the floor board and look under the steering column
you can see the switch on top of the column. You'll have to unwrap all the old plastic and tape to get at the wires.

Caution, on an 89, this stuff is old and nasty! If you are not careful this will all crumble into dust and fall in your face. Also, glue on the tape is like tar at this point in time. It should come off pretty easy.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR WIRING IN PUSH BUTTON TO STARTER SWITCH:

This is just what worked for me (so far), but if you want to try it, do so at your own risk!!! I made sure all my connections were tight and then went the extra mile using electrical tape to cover all exposed wire even on the back of the push button. If this connection fails, and the two wires we're working with short into each other it will activate the starter for as long as they are shorted together. Since there are 12 volts running through this circut if it shorts into anything else, the result could be very bad, and fry who knows what!

First, Disconnect your battery before starting any of this.

Second, locate one of the large yellow wires coming from the ignition switch. Either of these are hot all the time!

Then locate a smaller Red with a Lt Blue Stripe wire. This could be faded with time, and colors may not look exact.

This wire is smaller than the others. It goes to the "START" on the ignition switch. Not to be confused with the actual lock switch with the key. All this is in the dash on top of the column.

Using the splicers, and the push button + two lengths of aprox 14-16 guage wire, make a circut between the yellow wire and the red with blue stripe wire with the push button switch in between.

So, splice from yellow wire to one post on the push button, then splice from the red with light blue stripe wire to the other end of the switch. Basicly this will be the same as connecting the yellow and red with blue stripe wire together, except the switch will allow a "momentary" connection of these two wires, closing the circut and running the starter relay for as long as the button is held down.

This is pretty much what the IGNITION Switch does when you crank the key lock all the way to the START position.

I'm no pro. I just like to tinker with things and fix my truck. Still trying to get the acceleration a little smoother. Seems like it hesitates during acceleration sometimes. Already replaced, spark plugs, wires, dist cap, rotor, coil that the dist cap plugs into, fuel pump, fuel filter, air filter and other things not necessarily related. Need to clean all the throttle parts and sensors. Let me know if the "push button" start sounds ok, and if you all have any ideas about the acceleration. What really erks me about this truck is the fuel gauge does not work. So, I guess I'll need to drop the tank and either clean or replace the in-tank pump and level sensor gizmo. I didn't see a blown fuse for the dual tank switch, which by the way stays on the front selection, as when I bought the truck the rear tank was not even hooked up. Until I figure out why the gauge does not work, that's the way the rear tank will stay. :-) Thanks All!! :-) Any feedback or comments are welcome! :-)

 

Old thread, I know. Been having troubles here! Hope somebody can help.

My key will turn to the RUN position, the lights come on, radio, fuel pump, etc. etc. So I installed a push button start by tapping into the red/lt. blue wire going into the harness on top of the steering column, and taking the 12V power required from the fuse block under the dash with one of those nifty "add a circuit" things. So this all works great, the truck starts right up, OKAY.

BUT - now the shift lever is locked....!!?? Is this a related problem? Does the ignition actuator and rod also lock and unlock the gear selector lever?

I guess the broader question is - is the gear selector locked and unlocked by depressing the brakes, or by turning the key? What's going on here?

 

Yes the problem is related. Your problem is most likely piece #14 in the picture above. It breaks. You then do not get full travel in the column ignition switch linkage. That's why it would not start. Also on the piece that breaks is a notch that will not let the steering wheel unlock unless it lines up properly. You can take the cover off that is nearest to the cluster, and then take a screwdriver and fiddle with that piece to unlock the column. The problem piece that is locking the column is right above that area.

 

Brother has a 87 F150 (the year they switched), and we got the new ignition lock cylinder in and the key tuns and everything is wired up right, we have checked and redid it about 10,000 times but it wont turn on or start. (but we can turn the truck over with the Solenoid, so battery is good)

A lot of videos show u can start the truck by pushing on the rod that follows the top of the steering column, and it doesn't work for us. We bought the infamous part #14 in the diagram above and it slides like it is supposed to, so i don't know what else to try? Could the ignition module on column have gone bad? Any way to test?

Any and all help would be great guys, thanx.

 

You can drop the column down from the dash by loosening the u-clamp, and then do some tests at the switch. The actual ignition switch is mounted under the dash on the column. Get a testlight with a sharp point that you can poke the wires with. If you have a automatic, make sure yo disconnect the little plastic pipe with the string in it before you drop the column or you could break it. It makes the PRND21 indicator work in the dash.

Poke the yellow wire (s) they should have power all the time. Poke the red-blue striped wire and then spring the keyswitch all the way over to start. It should have voltage when you do this. If it does and it still won't start, then check your neutral safety switch or clutch switch, depending on what trans you have.

 

Thanks Franklin2!, we went to check it and it was obvious... The plastic half of the ignition switch separated from the Metal half.

I put them back together and folded the tabs down tighter, hooked up that rod and re-tightened the Ignition Switch down and wouldn't you know, it started right up...

Again thanks for the help!