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1956 Under dash connections indentification

Started by gatech1956, September 27, 2019, 06:38:40 PM

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gatech1956

So I was perusing under the dash for a “hot” connection and I noticed that I had a group of 3 connections but 1 was disconnected. I’m not sure what is disconnected here because everything in my car to my knowledge works like it should.

In the picture I marked with red arrows the two connections that are connected, looks like a blue wire and a black wire connection. The disconnected wire is violent which I marked with a purple arrow I looked at the wiring diagram but I’m still not sure what this group is. Any ideas?

J. Gomez

Quote from: gatech1956 on September 27, 2019, 06:38:40 PM
So I was perusing under the dash for a “hot” connection and I noticed that I had a group of 3 connections but 1 was disconnected. I’m not sure what is disconnected here because everything in my car to my knowledge works like it should.

In the picture I marked with red arrows the two connections that are connected, looks like a blue wire and a black wire connection. The disconnected wire is violent which I marked with a purple arrow I looked at the wiring diagram but I’m still not sure what this group is. Any ideas?

Is that around the steering wheel area?  ??? Or around the radio left side?   ???

There is a pink wire going to the NSS switch at the steering column which is around the steering area.

If you have or had A/C there is also a pink wire for the temp control which is just below the radio area it is on separate wire hardness.

I think the dual black wire is from both door light switches going up to the map light, it has been a few eons since I did my hardness so going from memory.

HTH
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

gatech1956

Quote from: J. Gomez on September 27, 2019, 07:44:57 PM
Is that around the steering wheel area?  ??? Or around the radio left side?   ???

There is a pink wire going to the NSS switch at the steering column which is around the steering area.

If you have or had A/C there is also a pink wire for the temp control which is just below the radio area it is on separate wire hardness.

I think the dual black wire is from both door light switches going up to the map light, it has been a few eons since I did my hardness so going from memory.

HTH
Sort of in between...I had to be upside down to even get this angle. I found this completely on accident.
It’s around the steering wheel going into the gauge cluster.. Those connections were above the ignition but lower than where the connection to the gas gauge are.

J. Gomez

Quote from: gatech1956 on September 27, 2019, 08:02:50 PM
Sort of in between...I had to be upside down to even get this angle. I found this completely on accident.
It’s around the steering wheel going into the gauge cluster.. Those connections were above the ignition but lower than where the connection to the gas gauge are.

Sorry I misread the color on your post  :-[ the only violet wire around that area would be the one going to the heater switch (right side of the dash panel).  It has the blade type connector and it would be going to both fans inside the engine compartment.

There is also one on the left side defrost switch also going to both fans.

HTH
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

gatech1956

That’s interesting. When I turn on the heater lever I am able to get hot air in the cabin.

J. Gomez

Quote from: gatech1956 on September 27, 2019, 08:58:45 PM
That’s interesting. When I turn on the heater lever I am able to get hot air in the cabin.

Hmm well just from the wiring diagram those are the only ones with violet wire around that area, outside from the A/C if you have/had that option but it would be on a separate hardness below the glove compartment.   :o

You may need to hand trace it and see if it goes on the main hardness.
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

Lexi

#6
Jose a long time ago on the Mid-Century Forum I discussed my concern over a violet wire at my NSS, where if I recall correctly the manual said it should be yellow. Your research showed that the '56 wiring schematic had incorrectly retained the '55 wiring code. Can't remember what the wire was for but perhaps back up lights??? Hopefully your memory is better than mine. Anyhow, perhaps this may help gatech1956 in his quest to resolve what that disconnected purple wire is under his dash :-X  In conclusion, my recall is that there is a violet colored wire under your dash in a '56 Cadillac, that is NOT noted in the wiring diagram. The diagram identified it incorrectly as yellow. I think it was for one of the NSS connections. If I am correct and this is your wire, be extra careful when starting your car. Hopefully it will not start in drive. I can't remember what this wire was for now. Clay/Lexi

P.S. I think Lou posted a picture of his harness with that wire showing

gatech1956

Well, after doing my best impression of a contortionist I managed to connect the wire. I will say this and I’m not sure if I’m crazy or not but I remember when I put the heater on low I wouldn’t really get any airflow unless I just pushed it all the way to high. I turned the heater on just now  and I actually got decent airflow at the low setting. But I’m just going off of memory from the times I have used it which isn’t often.
However, it’s possible that the wire got disconnected when I had the steering wheel straightened during an alignment but I feel like someone purposely do that so idk.

J. Gomez

Quote from: gatech1956 on September 27, 2019, 10:02:43 PM
Well, after doing my best impression of a contortionist I managed to connect the wire.

LOL well there is a fine note on the Service Manual stating you need to be one, although you may need a telescope to read it.  ;D

@Clay,

You are 110% correct the ’56 wiring diagram has the wire from the ignition switch over to the NSS label as “yellow” in error which it was change to “Violet”, so someone forgot to change it when they migrated from the ’55.   :o

I took the original diagram and pain staking color coded all lines to make it easier on my side and made the correction, yes I’m getting lazy with age.  :D
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

fishnjim

I've called for a place on this site to store such info by year.   I even sent a note recently to one of the directors.   Lots of info is being lost every day when documents and people in the know disappear over time.
Another site i use has that and you can look up by year, info, documents, etc. that people posted, such as current replacement parts, availability, documentation errors, manuals and part lists.   (But that manufacturer is defunct so more critical for restoration.)
I think CLC would benefit from such a move.
I know I can't remember details what I did a few years ago exactly, like a wire color, if I did it just once.   And it's almost impossible time wise to search all the posts etc and find that needle in the hay stack. 

Lexi

That is an excellent idea. It is near impossible to look for that needle in a haystack when back searching posts. Sometimes I just give up. Clay

35-709

Agreed --- and I have said this same thing here before.  Guess they're waiting for someone to step up and do it!   ;D
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

J. Gomez

As Jim, Clay and Geoff stated above I had also made the same suggestion recommendation to the club to have a database repository for such technical docs/tips.

The issue is a handful besides having a volunteer to manage and add such docs it requires a section that allows large files to be store on the local server.

Also such location would require some type of security since members or non-members sharing such information have gone to their expenses to procure such documents to be openly share and copy by someone that could profit from them. Adding a legal watermark to them is one way as long as the quality does not affect the overall doc.

I’m a guilty one as my scan copies are very very large each page range between 3Meg to 5Meg depending on the context but are not searchable since adding OCR option the quality degrades drastically.   :(

I know this is not the right place for this topic maybe adding a new one topic under “Forum Support and Suggest box” would be appropriate.  ;)
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

gatech1956

Another quick question, would I have to become a contortionist again to replace the bulb which illuminate the transmission selection?

J. Gomez

Quote from: gatech1956 on September 29, 2019, 01:03:00 PM
Another quick question, would I have to become a contortionist again to replace the bulb which illuminate the transmission selection?

Unfortunately you need to be  :( any of the bulbs replacement on the instrument cluster is best to removed it to change them. There are just a few that can be access without removing the cluster the difficult part is twisting the new one in place.  :( 
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

cadman56

Having completely removed a wiring harness from a 56 convertible I found the harness to exactly match the wiring diagram in my Service Manual.  I constructed a complete new harness from the harness and per the Service Manual.  Now, maybe I had a later print of the manual, who knows?
From my experience, you need to tell us what size qire you are referring to.  I heavy Violet wire goe to the NSS and starter solenoid.  A small yellow wire, I thnkg, goes to the ballast resistor and starter solenoid.  Stay away from the black wires, they  generally work the heater controls and AC controls.
If you are looking for a HOT wire and if you have power seats or windows, there will be a heavy RED wire  going from the IGN switch under the steering column and terminating  at one or two power relays inside the LEFT kick panel.  They should be hot all the time unless they have been changed by someone to work only when the IGN switch is turned on.  Get your ACC power from there.
Good luck.
1956 Cadillac Coupe deVille (sold)
1956 Cadillac Convertible (sold)
1956 Cadillac Eldorado Seville (sold)
1967 Cadillac Eldorado (sold)
1968 Cadillac Convertible (Sold)
1991 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham dElegance
Larry Blanchard CLC #5820

Roger Zimmermann

Quote from: cadman56 on September 30, 2019, 05:24:23 PM
If you are looking for a HOT wire and if you have power seats or windows, there will be a heavy RED wire  going from the IGN switch under the steering column and terminating  at one or two power relays inside the LEFT kick panel.  They should be hot all the time unless they have been changed by someone to work only when the IGN switch is turned on.  Get your ACC power from there.

They are not power relays but circuit breakers.
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

cadman56

You are correct.  Goodness, I was remembering the  ignition relay used on the 67 Eldorado.
Apologize for using the incorrect terminology. 
1956 Cadillac Coupe deVille (sold)
1956 Cadillac Convertible (sold)
1956 Cadillac Eldorado Seville (sold)
1967 Cadillac Eldorado (sold)
1968 Cadillac Convertible (Sold)
1991 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham dElegance
Larry Blanchard CLC #5820