Dodge RamCharger Central banner

Ignition switch nightmare— HELP

12K views 122 replies 13 participants last post by  SuperBurban  
#1 ·
I allways try to stay away from wiring or put a issue on a toggle switch. If possible on my other vehicles..
I won’t even change a wall socket in the house !!
When I first got this truck my ol-literate cousin who can’t read or write “ who knows fords well” was messing with the dodge while I was at work .. trying to help. And ended up melting all the plastic off one of my wires coming out of the ignition switch pigtail. The wire that goes to the ballast resistor. It melted all the way up into the dash bundle ( I assume that goes to the fuse box ??). I don’t do wires.. but now I’m forced to face my nemesis’s.
THIS WILL BE A 1977w200/m880 ( has the plate on the dash ) power wagon

First thing I did was order a HAYNES manual for that truck. Replaced everything electrical under the hood .. coil. Ballast. Ecm’. Voltage regulator. Alternator. distributor cap and button.
I have 2 wires coming out of the pigtail spliced toghter … why I don’t know.
I’ve been up all night searching this website.. watching you tube videos on it and looking at the wiring diagram in my manual . And I can honestly say I’ve learned nothing !!!! Wires ain’t my cup of tea at all.. and this diagram may as well be written in Chinese… I understand absolutely nothing I’m looking at !!!

so how can I ask for help ? When I myself have no clue what I’ve got to do. My pigtail going into the firewall is broke in half and one wire is bare copper. ( now that I can fix which I’m headed out to do at 7am.) I have a new ignition lock. And a new ignitionswitch both from rock auto. Com

I did retain the knowledge that the red and black wire on the new unit needs to be reversed ??? It’s going to take a army to coach me thru this.. and if you feel up to it. P.M. me your phone number.. and be ready for calls and questions.
I’m totally lost here
Image
 
#2 ·
the first thing you gotta do if find/figure out what he did to burn it down [ exact wire colors and where they go ]


First thing I did was order a HAYNES manual for that truck.
well thats the FIRST mistake you have made so far in fixing your truck , the Haynes and Chilton manuals aint worth the paper their printed on , at least for a dodge truck they aint
 
#3 ·
Oh great !!! And I’m not very good at the internet either.. I tried to look at a link you posted in another thread and went to a tapatlk site tried to continue with Facebook and got nowhere ???

I’m screwed

soon as I get my shoes on we will begin this task.. if it takes all day. My baby will hum again.. I love this truck and am willing to walk them glass to learn how to work on it.. I know mechanicing very well but don’t know squat about wiring !!!!
 
#6 ·
I’m 53 and have made some bad life decisions. Mainly dealing with women . Buying this truck although it wasn’t running at the time was a good decision.

this red wire coming out of the switch is spliced into whatever wire went where that plastic is melted. I don’t even know what color it was. It goes to the ballast resistor. Melted all the way to it . Thanks to my cousin!!
.
Image

Image

Image
 
#8 ·
The guy I got this truck from is a dodge guru.. he literally has acres filled with old dodges. And twice yearly travels the country to sell stuff. He at one time used this as his daily driver. That’s why I got faith in it.
His name is. SCOTTY DICKS. Maybe you know or heard of him ?
 
#9 ·
read post below

 
#21 ·
I’m having issues getting the steering wheel off.. it ain’t been 5 months since we had it off. I got the puller as tight as I can get it .. and been hitting it.. and it’s moved a lot . But not letting go. I’ve wasted a damn day
We’ll not wasted . In between the steering wheel. I’ve focused on the Polaris 4- wheeler. And got it humming again.. been sitting a while . I been too focused on the truck for the past 4 months
 
#22 ·
Damn I finally got that thing off .. I got to get a different puller. I got one of them universal pullers and it was kinda pulling at a angle.. I need one that pulls straight up ! Now to go on to the intricate stuff inside the steering column. And then the wires.. I got to remove it later to put the blinker assembly in it. But I wouldn’t mind putting it on a toggle switch…
 
#23 ·
Damn I finally got that thing off .. I got to get a different puller. I got one of them universal pullers and it was kinda pulling at a angle.. I need one that pulls straight up ! Now to go on to the intricate stuff inside the steering column. And then the wires.. I got to remove it later to put the blinker assembly in it. But I wouldn’t mind putting it on a toggle switch…
 
#24 ·
We’ll today has definitely been a interesting day . What I set out to do starting at 6am. 1/4 is done.. friends knew my truck was down so 2 come to visit and talk more than help.( but they did get my Polaris 4- wheeler started ( it’s been 3 months since I glanced at it ) I been focused on the power wagon daily and steady. I’m gonna paint that Polaris to match the pork ******..

Ok . Back to my switches.installing in the column . Then on to burnt wires
 
#27 ·
I thought I had a bad wiring issue as far as trying to make it neat goes . But yours looks pretty bad.

I did get to the point that I see my parts . Tomorrow I’ll tear into that column.. on a side note though ^^^^^. I’m gearing up to remove all my dash.. from the heater vent all the way down . I got a bare wire running thru the nest and I’m sure there’s some burnt wires beside it.