So I just discovered that the previous owner deactivated my tilt-away black switch by pulling the green wire off the switch and taping it to the yellow. I decided to re-attach it to see if it would even work. When I did the wheel worked perfectly and moved like it should…HOWEVER, the steering wheel will not click back into place and the car will not turn over (Obviously)!
Clearly, the previous owner deactivated this for a reason and I am stuck with trying to solve this one.Any suggestions on how to click my wheel back into place? Can I access this behind the steering wheel or do I have to pull the dash to access the vacuum motor and reach the lock down safety switch. I am not hoping for the latter!
You have to have power going through the switch in order for the wheel to lock in place. I would check to see if yo u have power through the switch. Could order a new switch.
I have heard that some folks found the function annoying.
I also remember a story told me by Vic Yarnberry (I thought it was Yarberry) He told me of racing, a 68, I believe, with the poptilt option and the wheel would pop while racing! (I can’t remember why…but he stated this was happening) SO, he disconnected it when racing.
The vacuum motor pulls the locking pin out so the column will tilt away. Without vacuum the spring in the cable for the locking pawl pushes the pin back in the drive position, this is a safety feature.
68 and a 69 the cable would pull the shaft on the vacuum motor and making contact with the switch inside the motor to permit the car to start.
Remove the vacuum hose from the canister and plug it. The column should lock to the drive position. This would indicate a vacuum release valve problem.
The vacuum motor, relay, and vacuum release valve is located on the right hand side of the dash with one bolt holding it in place.
OK, so I removed the vacuum hose from the canister under the battery tray and I was now able to lock the wheel back into drive position. So a bad vacuum release valve…correct?
I would like to deactivate the tilt-away feature and postpone repairing this release valve. I disabled the door jamb switch and removed the vacuum hose from the canister but when I attempted to cap the check valve, the wheel would swing again upon engine start up suddenly! However, when I leave the check valve open (see pic below), I can lock the wheel into drive just fine.
So here is my next question… If uncapping this check valve stops the wheel from swinging away upon ignition, how can I now keep the wheel in that position, re-attach the vacuum hose and DEACTIVATE the entire tilt-away system/mechanism? The one way valve is working fine and there are no leaks.
What if I reach under the dash below the steering to access the vacuum tube from the vacuum solenoid and pull it off? (Pic 2) If I take away vacuum from the vacuum solenoid, shouldn’t this prevent the vacuum motor piston from pulling to the rear, thus, not being able to compress the internal spring to release the steering wheel? Or is the solenoid energized and do I need to remove wires from the starter solenoid instead? I see it, but it is not within easy reach.
Again, up until yesterday, the steering wheel was staying locked with the door jamb switch disabled (Yellow/Black connected and Green disconnected) and all other hoses/wires connected previously. It was not until I decided to reconnect the door jamb switch that everything went haywire and is now backwards!
Sorry for all the questions, this is my first (and hopefully my last) tilt-away issue…
Please understand the column can only move to the tilt-away position with vacuum. No vacuum the column will not go to the tilt-away from the drive position. .I do not understand the two leads taped together that would have put the column in the tilt-away position. Easiest way to disable is to disconnect the vacuum from the engine and cap on the engine. Put column in drive position and it will stay there.
Haven’t figure out how to post pictures yet.
give me your email and I will send you a vacuum drawing and a electrical drawing.
Thanks Don. It was my misunderstanding, when you mentioned above to “Remove the vacuum hose from the canister and plug it”, I did this from the canister under the battery, not from the vacuum solenoid. I capped the correct one today and it has deactivated the tilt-away. My only remaining concern is this: with removing this vacuum, I am now suddenly idling higher at 11 RPM (vs. my original 550) and 8 when parked in Drive.
Do you think this added RPM will be a problem or should I get the carb/car recalibrated & tuned now that my vacuum has changed?
I removed the vacuum hose from the vacuum release valve solenoid and capped it. I also plugged the green/white vacuum hose that was running to the solenoid. Do you think I should leave the vacuum hose unplugged instead?
Scott there is a single wire attached to the vacuum switch located at the steering column. When energized this wire triggers the vacuum motor to retract the cable, pulling the pawl out of the lock position, allowing the steering wheel to pop up. Disconnect this wire and it can’t pop up on you. The cable on many '68s and some '69’s is not well routed from the top of the column to the vacuum motor. It gets crimped by the steering column clamp. This keeps the cable from returning to the rest position, which means the wheel won’t return to the locked position and the vacuum motor can’t reset itself. Check the cable to be sure it operates freely.
Scott said the column went back to the drive position - hence cable not pinched.
The single wire on a 68 and 69 that attaches to the vacuum motor is red with blue strip and it is two wires and it is for the neutral safety switch.
The Electrical goes to the vacuum release valve. Energized it opens the solenoid valve permitting vacuum to the motor, the motor then pulls the cable, pulling the lock pawl out of the drive position
Leave the cable alone. The adjustments are a pain to get right and with what Scott described the adjustment is spot on.
Look at the diagrams I posted let us not confuse Scott more than necessary.
Thanks guys…right now with the green/white vacuum hose removed from the vacuum release valve & solenoid mechanism, the wheel is back in drive and I can use my car again. I am satisfied with this set up, as I am not looking to try to repair the tilt-away or get this back to original working order.
However, I am still wondering about the new rise in RPMs at idle and parked in drive, since I plugged the green/white vacuum hose from the solenoid.
Should I have not plugged the hose? If I leave it, does this mean I need to look now at timing? As I understand it, manifold vacuum will give you a ton of advance at idle, but as load increases, vacuum drops and timing is reduced.
Now that you can drive the car. Lets trouble shoot the electrical system.
check the acc 20A fuse in the center of the fuse block. this sends power to the relay near the release valve. If that fuse is blown the tilt-away thinks the ignition is off. Permitting the current to flow from the door switch thru the relay and activating the release valve, activating the vacuum motor.
if the fuse is ok then the relay is bad because the current will not pull down the contact in the relay.
Now the system may work if you hook up the vacuum system
yeah, the relay is bad. My fuse is working - I am getting the ‘door ajar’ that lights up just fine. Time for a new relay - glad to see that WCCC has a reproduction unit!
Higher idle speed means you have a vacuum leak. You need to disconnect the vacuum hose (before the check valve) for the tilt at the engine port and put a cap on the engine port.
I had to move my tilt away vacuum motor out of the way to get under the dash and when I did so the larger hose off the top fell off. I see where it attaches to the motor (on top), but where does the other end attach? I can’t find it and I didn’t see it before it fell off.
Anyone tell me what I’m looking for?
This is an AC car if that matters. '68 Standard. I think the hose goes to the reservoir but I can’t figure out where it attaches.
