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| Joined: | 03-12-2005 |
| Location: | Kingman, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 532 |
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Start by disconnecting a battery cable. Then, if you still have the original style switch, cut off the factory pin-connector socket and install the female blade connectors provided by Delta. Be sure to strip the wires correctly and install the connectors properly or you will soon have electrical problems.
Do not install the new Delta switch just yet. Looking at its rear, you should see three blades near one end of the switch in a staggered arrangement as follows:
* The BLUE wire goes to the blade nearest the end. This is the headlights power line that goes to the steering column high beam / low beam switch.
* The two RED wires go the next blade, which should be offset from the others. This is the dash lights and parking lights power line.
* The BROWN wire goes to the remaining blade, which should be more or less centered on one side of the switch. This is the UNFUSED HOT line from the battery. Be particularly careful here.
Turn off everything in the car except the clock. Next, cautiously reconnect the battery. You may see a tiny spark at the instant the battery cable connector makes contact with the battery post. However, if there is a BIG spark, IMMEDIATELY disconnect the cable as you probably have an unexpected short circuit to chassis that will melt your wiring or even set the car on fire. Find the short and eliminate it before proceeding.
Once the battery is reconnected, test the Lights switch. With the writing on the switch in the normal reading position, press in at the top and all lights should be off. Press halfway in at the bottom, and the dash and parking lights should come on. Press in all the way at the bottom, and the headlights should come on -- high or low beam will depend on the position of the stalk on the steering column. If by chance I'm wrong about the wiring hookup, you'll need to experiment with wire positions to get the correct results.
Once satisfied, disconnect the battery, install the switch in the dash, connect the wires as appropriate, then repeat the battery hookup and switch tests as described above.
A NOTE ON CONNECTION METHODS.
According to NASA, a good crimped connection is more reliable than a good soldered one. However, in both cases 'good' requires correct use of the proper tools, and a $3.99 crimping tool from the discount table at the local auto parts store isn't likely to be the sort of tool that NASA had in mind. I suppose a bad crimped joint is slightly better than a bad soldered one, but one should expect problems either way.