Automatic parking brake release

[jtheye]

$300+...... uh yea, that was installed right? Like I wrote earlier in this thread, 1964 T-Bird, same part, only $49 pre tax/shipping

[vashtsdaytona]

Did the $300 guy have an eye patch and a parrot? I just threw one in with some wiring someone bought recently at no extra cost.
Anyway, I expect one nipple has broken, they are 50 year old plastic. If the nipple is not centered in the hump, one is broken off. I have an extra saginaw one, with the terminals (some '66 had no electric switch, just the vacuum part) but I'm not sure if it's the same as yours. I could pull the one off my '68 for about $25 + shipping, I will test it first.DSCF7067 (2).JPGI had to reduce pixels, quality suffered, but this shows what was used in '66.

mine does not look like that. perhaps they have changed for 69 and or i do have tilt colum.

mine looks like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/373832128918

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185756369934

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165713367191

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304389841978


and i am only seeing one nipple

[TonyC]

Damm... I knew they were different but not that different! So, that's what you have for a NSS, Vash? I don't even see the one nipple you mentioned...but if I were to harbor a guess, it probably would not have anything to do with the parking brake or the car's vacuum system. It looks like that switch had the vacuum connections engineered out.

That means the engineers revamped the vacuum routing and controls, so everything we spoke of previously is moot. So-o-o...time to go back to basics: What does Part 2 of your shop manual show about the parking-brake setup?

(some '66 had no electric switch, just the vacuum part)

They didn't? I've never seen one; should be interesting to see... especially since I now suspect Vash's situation to be that very case.

---Tony

[vashtsdaytona]

Note the best diagram is of fixed column I have tilt


Here is what I found in my manuals, not much in there, aside from specific systems I don't have like a master vacuum diagram. Strange.

Anywho, we have the vacuum actuator on the parking assembly. With one hose that goes to nss. The nss should have 2 nipples. The other goes to some vacuum source. That feeds the nss which directs vacuum to the parking brake actuator depending on shifter position.

So for me the next test would be set parking brake, use hand vacuum pump to test release actuator. Probably will work.

Then next remove nss check the nipples and such. Look for the vacuum source that was either capped off or Td into something as I have no leaks inside. Honestly my nss should be replaced as it's still a little touchy about where in park it needs to be to allow crank. But the price always put me off.

Not sure how much further I will go with this, as it's not an important feature but I do like everything to work. I don't feel like don't the work twice so without a replacement correct nss I likely won't go further.

But it's cool to learn things

[TonyC]

Hopefully this will put your mind at ease, Vash. You don't need to shell out for a replacement if the only problem is a touchy issue with its operation in Park. That suggests a misalignment of the switch on the column, which can happen and can be remedied with a small drill bit and the shop manual's guidance on how to align the switch (that guidance, if the manuals remain consistent, will be in Part 7, the transmission chapter). Plus, as you are likely to remove the switch for your diagnosis anyway, that will give you the chance to spray out all the peanut butter inside the slider mechanism and apply new dielectric grease into the slider, to eliminate any sticking of the mechanism which can also cause NSS problems.

You're right; having looked at the drawing of the NSS your column ought to have, it has to have two vacuum ports built into it. Two. So, although the design (which likely also applies to '68 cars) is different from the older design (< '67) and likely not interchangeable, the functions remained exactly the same. That's good in a way, as I was starting to imagine that the engineers had made a separate valve for the parking brake; glad that isn't the case. If after pulling the switch out you see only one vacuum port, that can warrant outright replacement...though I think my mad-scientist brain could brainstorm a fix for the broken port, were I in your shoes. If the switch is otherwise intact, just clean and re-lube it, align it per manual instructions, attach a hose from the engine to the switch, test, and that should do it.

In the '90s just the slightest issue with a NSS would prompt me to toss money at a new one. Now, with beyond-ASE experience and imagination, I am pretty sure that switch can be fixed, if I can see what it looks like right now.

---Tony

[frasern]

The Evilbay parts all have C9 numbers, so my '68 may even be different. It is visible at the bottom, but I didn't remove it. I will be back out there on the weekend and have another look, but it seems the engineers changed them for '69.

[Dan Szwarc]

(some '66 had no electric switch, just the vacuum part)

They didn't? I've never seen one; should be interesting to see... especially since I now suspect Vash's situation to be that very case.

---Tony

66 NSS was mounted to the transmission lever. Mustang carry-over.

I guess this is something only 66 owners would know because it’s not been discussed much here, except my by me back in 2004 or something.

[frasern]

I will clarify, of the 2 saginaw columns I have, one had the switch previously pictured, the other had the same thing, but without the 4 brass terminals. The terminals were never utilized on the one pictured either, no plug marks on it.
The transmission mounted switch in Dans picture was also used on trucks, my '84 still has it.

[LithiumCobalt]

Based on the MPC, '68 and '69 have different part numbers, which are also different from T-Bird part numbers. When I searched for the '68 part number, the first result was a thread here on the forum where discussion about the differences occurred. Was not really detailed. https://www.thelincolnforum.net/phpbb3/ ... hp?t=29074

NSS.jpg (26.16 KiB) Viewed 307 times

I did a quick search and could not find either part number listed, although it appears the '68 version has several suffixes that apparently work.

EDIT: Here is one listed in the UK for a '69. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271644435868

[LithiumCobalt]

Another for a '69 in the U.S. Reasonably priced too. https://www.ebay.com/itm/225331776210?h ... BMpOvt7oVi

[vashtsdaytona]

Thanks Nick! I bought the USA one. That was a price I was happy to see. But I don't want to get my hopes too high just yet, but maybe this will solve both problems.

Compared to the ones I linked to this one has the 2 nipples at the top like the picture. I wonder what the nub by the wires it's for. It seems all of them have that. Perhaps just a vent then. And I was confusing that for a vacuum nipple.

Tony, I have previously took apart by nss replaced the rusty ball bearings that act as contacters and detente, clean other rust and new light lube. Adjusted what I could and got it to work as good as I think it can. Still requires a little bump up in park on the shifter to crank. But cranks in neutral fine and won't in gears. At the time I wasn't aware of the vacuum part of it and did nothing with it and don't even remember if it has the nipples,I don't think it did? But I'll find out when i pull out for the swap to this new one

[TonyC]

Unless one port has broken off, it ought to have two. But it should be academic since you got lucky with a NOS one. I still suspect you may not have needed to get it, but it is always good to have spare parts on hand just in case you will need them in the future, especially where these cars are concerned.

The extra nub, if my guess is right, is likely a calibration hole to adjust it for exact operation. On the older version, you stick a drill bit into the hole and fiddle the switch lever until the bit fully bottoms out, then shift the switch on the column until it lines up right on the actuating lever on the column. Tighten down the mounting screws at that point, remove the bit, done. I'm pretty sure yours has similar adjustment needs, which would likely explain why it seems off in operating, even after the surgery you performed. It still has to be shifted on the column to fine-tune its operation in conjunction with the shifter.

Chapter 7 in your shop manual should give the guidance on how to properly adjust the switch.

66 NSS was mounted to the transmission lever. Mustang carry-over.

I guess this is something only 66 owners would know because it’s not been discussed much here, except my by me back in 2004 or something

Oh, yes, I learned about that the hard way about 2 years or so before it came up on the Forum. The vacuum regulator on my OE column had the brass tabs, which led me to guess that it also had the electrical attributes to operate the NS and the reverse lights. My guess was right, which is why I shared that discovery earlier, for others to take part in as necessary. It was a relief to see that could serve the extra jobs when Frankenstein's OE switch packed it up; I just snipped the wires, routed them through the firewall, and attached them to the column switch with female spade connectors, guessing which wire went where at the time.

I realize it doesn't help if I don't point out which tab goes to which circuit, so here you all go. Using the picture Fraser posted, I made notes on what is what on this type of switch, based on my own. First, quick reference on the wires: There are two red wires with blue stripes, which are the neutral-safety circuit. There are also two black wires with red stripes that are the reverse-light circuit. You know that, the picture will make perfect sense. With regards to my post about the calibration hole, the picture does not show that, so I couldn't point that out. But that's academic, because the '67 shop manual clearly shows that hole; so just follow the manual where that is concerned (if you need that guidance due to not having that year of shop manual, I'm sure something can be arranged). This applies only to those components that have the four brass tabs built into them, but I think that means it applies to most examples. For those who would rather not have to go through adjustments or replacements under the car, this is the alternate means to revive your neutral-safety and reverse-light circuits when the OE transmission-mounted unit (if you have one on your car) packs it up, as it's very likely to, considering road debris and/or fluid leaks assaulting the thing...which could explain why it was a one-year-only design.

---Tony

[vashtsdaytona]

I got my part today. I dont live where the car lives so itll be a weekend thing to try. But on the bench electrically seems to work. continuity in park what i guess would be neutral and no where else on one set of pins. continuity on the other set of pins in reverse for back up lights. vacuum wise i think working too. the source seems to be the smaller nipple which is blocked off in park. move to any other position it links over to the larger nipple. which would actuate parking release. the big nipple in park appears to vent which would make sense as to allow the parking brake to be reset if needed. which also to me means that is the brake side not supply or the supply would always leak.


question though. it has this red plastic pin in it. perhaps a transport pin or used for setup? it limits the motion of the slide mechanism. I dont see how it could live in there permanently and everything would work. it pulls right out and goes back in if you want to. anybody have an experience with a new NSS that had a pin like this? I dont think I have a choice in removing it? otherwise i think it would break off the first time you shifted. and it came with the slider all the way to the right trapped far right, which would be gears 1 and 2. but it must have a point to its existence.



click for big

[Dan Szwarc]

The pin is for locating some default installation position to make adjustment/installation easier.

I don’t know what gear the pin represents, but I would guess neutral.

Put the pin back in the new part, remove the old switch, put the new one on, put the PRNDL in whatever gear the pin is supposed to be, adjust the switch up against the selector tab, then pull the pin and it should be good.

This is all a guess.

Any instructions come with it? If not, look elsewhere online.

Look closely at the switch. What’s under the wires?

[vashtsdaytona]

I believe you to be correct. I pulled pin and found neutral with continuity. And the pin inserted fine and holds the N position. I imagine people, like me, have played with it over the years, as this wasn't the position it came to me in. But cool might simplify things. Last unknown is finding the source vacuum. I assume it's blocked off and tucked away somewhere.