70 TCS temp switch wiring

[Dennis D.]

was there a change in 70 to the 71 style pigtail wire connection for the TCS temp switch ? Or was a solid wire from the engine harness to temp switch through the 70 model year?

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 TCS temp switch wiring

Some 1970s have a continuous wire and some have the separate pigtail harness. Back in the early 1990's I tried to determine what drove this difference and failed to reach a conclusion. My suggestion is if anything remains of the original wiring, follow that indication.

[Mike F.]

Re: 70 TCS temp switch wiring

My 70 (VIN 9516) has the pigtail harness, L-46, 4 spd, no A/C.

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 TCS temp switch wiring

And my #2161 has the pigtail harness -- small block, no AC FWIW

[Dennis D.]

Re: 70 TCS temp switch wiring

Thanks all . My L-46 (2981) has the pigtail as well. Fried the temp connector, so figured while in Carlisle I'd get a new pigtail from lectric limited. Had a rather lengthy discussion on the subject, and LL insists that 70 was a solid wire and 71 started the pigtail. I suggested a possible mid year change, but fell on deaf ears. Any 70 engine harness they sell has the one wire to the temp switch. The explanation as the why made sense that the plastic connector often melts, (duh) ,and the pigtail is a much easier fix. Bought a pigtail and was on my way.

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 TCS temp switch wiring

Thanks all . My L-46 (2981) has the pigtail as well. Fried the temp connector, so figured while in Carlisle I'd get a new pigtail from lectric limited. Had a rather lengthy discussion on the subject, and LL insists that 70 was a solid wire and 71 started the pigtail. I suggested a possible mid year change, but fell on deaf ears. Any 70 engine harness they sell has the one wire to the temp switch. The explanation as the why made sense that the plastic connector often melts, (duh) ,and the pigtail is a much easier fix. Bought a pigtail and was on my way.

Your L46 and my LT1 are hardly mid-year 1970 production. In the defense of LL, I tried for a number of years to survey 1970s for this, and I gave up. And I wasn't handicapped by having the prints for the harness. I thought looking at cars was the answer. Not so much. For the longest time I thought small blocks with the chrome ignition shields on the back made the most sense for the pigtail, but I did find some continuous wire 1970 small blocks.

If your connector (the plastic part) melted at the temperature sender any turn signal flasher connector from the 1960s to the 1980s from any GM car will replace it. The turn signal flasher connector is usually in good shape given its interior location.

[Dennis D.]

[Mike F.]

Re: 70 TCS temp switch wiring

As far as I can tell, my electrical harness is original to the car (#9516, May 18). I know the body has never been off of the frame. The previous owner bought the car in 83/84 and he didn't replace it.

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 TCS temp switch wiring

good one never thought of the flasher connector Here's the email from Greg. May shed some light on it..... " I checked the blueprint for the short pigtail and the blueprint was not even drawn until March 6, 1970: it was approved March 10 and appears to have gone into production (this specific part) at the end of March. Based on these dates which appear on the print, the finished parts would not have been delivered for use on the assembly line for 1970 model usage. By the time they reached the line the last of the 70’s would have been rolling out and they would be running 1971 pilot cars in the mix. The drawing date also coincides with the approximate drawing dates that the other harnesses for the 1971 model year were also drawn (including the engine harnesses). I am not saying that it would be impossible for a late 70 to use it, but that if used on a 70 it would also have to have a corresponding 70 engine harness that would accept it’s use, which we have found no evidence of. I can say with certainty that based on the drawing date it is probable that all or 99% of the 70 models could not have used it based on the drawing date, production & delivery time lag. My guess is that many of the 1970 cars you see have one of our older reproduction harnesses (we have been making 1970 engine harnesses since the early 80’s) in them which are representative of the way we used to make them, they exhibited the post production blueprint revision like the 1971 style. I am very confident that the way we are now making them is the way they originally were, especially having had a customer’s original harness in my hands for review. Thanks, Greg"

The only thing wrong with his interperation of the print is that my 1970 has the absolute original harness and it has a body assembly date of January 29, 1970. So I have a pigtail that didn't exist at the time my car was built. Oh well. It all makes an interesting story.