Cruise Control Q

[AndyIlles]

Hi again.

'76 Clip.  Sometimes, my cruise works... sometimes it doesn't... then it does... then it doesn't.

Any ideas?   Thanx
Andy

[handyman]

check for vacume leaks 90% of the time thats it or your control unit might be leaking the control unit is easy to check put o peace of tubing and pull on some vacume the unit should pull back hold when you block it off

[AndyIlles]

Thanks for the tip Jim.  My vacuum lines are ok, I replaced every single hose when I first got this thing.  I had to go down to Ft. Lauderdale last night (3-lobster special at the Old Florida Seafood House.. YUMMMM), and it worked ok on the turnpike.

I think the "cut in" speed (which is supposed to be 45 mph) is set too high, it only seems to work if I'm over about 60.  Any idea how to change that?

Andy

[AndyIlles]

Jim.

Well, I'm sure it's an electrical problem now, but I don't know how to get at it.  I noticed that the times the cruise won't engage, if (while I'm trying to engage it) I also wiggle the stalk, as if making a turn... it kicks in...  

Again... anybody have ideas on where to even begin troubleshooting?

Best regards,
Andy

[aliendude]

I was looking at my cruise control.    I ohmed out the two terminals on the rate generator motor thing.    It has a single terminal and a second double terminal on rate generator ( thing above speedometer cable ).
 
Mine had both terminals of the speed motor thing shorted to ground.
Since the tiny terminals are isolated from the unit - this can't be good.  

Maybe that is intermittently shorting out on yours.

[Andy Illes]

Alien,
Since how/whether mine works seems dependent on wiggling the control stalk, I'm guessing the problem is somewhere in the steering wheel hub gizzmo.  Most recently, if it engages at all, it just continues accellerating  :shock: .  I'm fixing to head back down home to Florida (from NY) so I'd really like to get it working.  Has anyone had their steering column apart... how and what's in there?

Thanx, Andy

[Plante]

It's no big deal  getting as far as the signal lever in the steering column , however, except fot the ignition switch the wiring just passes down through the column with no connections to become loose.  If your cruise is affected by wiggling your signal lever the problem more than likely is in the lever itself.

[Andy Illes]

Yup, it's either in the stalk-control itself, or there's a shorted or loose wire up there somewhere.  Is there a way to "open" the stalk?  And how can the stalk be removed?  If irreparable, is the control still available or is it a junkyard item now?

Thanx