5 wires near ignition switch location

4 wires coming from tube fuse box

more photos of 5 wires near ignition switch location

 

Hello Ford Truck Wizards,
I inherited a 73' F250 Campers Special that needs a little bit of work. My Grandpa gave me the truck and but before he did he got frustrated with losing the key and drilled out the ignition switch and cut all the wires to the ignition switch. I have a new ignition switch and a new ignition switch connector. My issue is I don't know which wires go to what. I have tried looking at diagrams but not well versed in automotive wiring diagrams.

I have 2 sets of wires, one set containing 5 wires; large gauge (10-12) yellow wire I have confirmed is to the battery, 1 red and blue, 1 red and yellow, 1 black and green I am assuming is the ground, and 1 purple (all 14 gauge). The other set of 4 wires have 2 red and blue and 2 black and red (14 gauge). I know which terminal is supposed to go to which component but I don't know which wire represents which component. I am really hoping I don't have to chase down each wire and was hoping you all with your infinite wisdom might be able to tell me which color wire goes to which terminal. Any help and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

1st set of wires;

-Yellow is the battery as you said.

-red/blue is the crank signal from the switch

-red/yellow may be really red/orange. Colors fade over time. This is a ignition hot that goes out to various solenoids and things on top of the engine including the ignition coil via the resistance wire.

-black/green is the power to all the accessories like the gauges and underdash things. This wire will be powered in the ACC position.

-Purple is the warning light test wire. You have a brake warning lamp that is fed power in run, and when the brake fail switch closes, it grounds the warning lamp and makes it come on. This purple wire is hooked to a contact in the ignition switch that closes during cranking. The other side of this contact is grounded through the mounting of the switch in the dash. So when you are cranking, the purple wire becomes ground and turns the warning light on. This is to test the lamp and make sure it's good each time you start the truck. There is no ground wire to the ignition switch.

2nd set of wires;

The two red/blue are your start wires and go to your neutral safety possibly a clutch switch. One of these wires is the same wire coming from the 1st set of wires. When you spring the ignition switch to start, the red/blue in the 1st set of wires gets power, and runs over to this 2nd set of wires red/blue. The two red/blue in this 2nd set go through a neutral safety of some kind, and then it continues out of the cab to the start solenoid, where you will find the end of the line, another red/blue out there. If you do not twist these two wires together or put a switch in there, it will never crank the engine.

The two black/red, I think one of them may be just red, are your brake light switch wires. If you twist these two together, your brake lights should come on.

 

Hello Franklin2,
Thank you so much! This will definitely save me a lot of time chasing wire and help me get this truck turning over from the ignition switch! I have currently been bypassing it at the starter relay to get it to turn over, still not starting due to no fuel to the carb but that is a different problem for a different day. The only question I have is the about 2 proof terminals at the ignition switch and which wire feeds that, am I assuming correctly that that is the purple wire that is the warning light test wire that goes to those terminals

?

 

Yes, the purple wire is the test wire for the warning lights. That terminal is grounded when the switch is turned to start. You will find that terminal is shorted to the body of the switch when the switch is sprung over into the crank position.

 

You have been a lifesaver! Thank you so much! I got it turning over at the ignition switch now, lights, windshield washer, etc all working. Very much appreciate your time and knowledge!