87 D150. Steering column swap and fried wires.
 

Vehicle is a 1987 Dodge D150. Two wheel drive with power steering. Vehicle is an automatic with column shift.

The stock column was tilt, with cruise control. I purchased a used non tilt column on ebay. The column I purchased did not have cruise control. The cruise control never worked so I figured it wouldnt be a problem.

Here is where I am stumped. The new column i purchased has a different "ignition" type system. The stock column used the bar pulling on the switch system, whereas the new column has a system that appears to be internal in the column. As seen in the pictures. The new column appeared to have a different wiring harness, and was not "plug and play". A buddy and myself cut the wiring on the new harness, switched wires, and made it work. The truck would turn on, and start.

Fast forward to a day later. I get the new column completely bolted in. Plug in the harness, and truck will not start. All accessories turned on, but it "clicked" when trying to start it. I plugged the old column harness in to attempt to start the vehicle. When i turned the ignition to "start", the harness immediately fried a wire. It completely fried off the insulation. This was confusing as nothing was touched on the vehicle itself. We did not cut into the vehicle wiring harness. Heres some pictures. The truck is actually my moms, and I would like to get it going asap for her. Thanks everyone.

Here is the stock tilt column.
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/1313/1010339k.jpg

Here is the non tilt column installed.
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5163/1010340.jpg

Here is the stock fried column connector.
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2003/1010338x.jpg

New column plug vs old.
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/4714/1010341.jpg

Truck harness with fried wire.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/307/1010342l.jpg

The fried wire is grey with black stripe.

Do I understand that the reason you replaced the old column is because the old one fried some wiring?

IF so, you probably had already damaged some wiring hidden (taped up) in the underdash, and / or underhood harness.

Do you have a wiring diagram?

I found this, for a 79:

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=24

Download, extract this file:

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/79_...ng_Diagram.zip

Negative. The old column was loose and the bearings wouldnt stay in the column. Worked fine when pulled out. Ill check out the diagram

My 85-88 has it as a GROUND in the ignition switch when turned to START, comes out Black to the 7 pin curved plug then is P5 gy/bk to "SPLICE". Cannot find any wire that is P5 or gy/bk on the drawing. after 88 it went electronic so looking at my 92 won't help. I'll keep looking.

The after 88 shows the same, switch grounded gy/bk wire, going to the:
Brake Warning Lamp Switch
R.W.A.L. Rear Wheel Anti Lock.
Can't find any other gy/bk wire in the 85-88 diagram I have.

I fixed the burnt wire. The burnt wire, gry/blk, appeared to be a ground. Plugged in the stock connector, and nothing. I ran a wire directly from the battery, to the 12v red wire on the connector. Truck started and ran fine with the stock connector. Not sure what i burnt out, but I may just run a new red power wire to the connector if I can figure out the new harness. Any ideas?

Red and Pink wire come direct from Alt. through fusible links to ignition switch. In RUN, Red wire comes out DB to Ballast Resistor and Fuses 11,12+13.
Red wire comes out BK to Fuses 4,5+6 also.

Pink wire comes out BK/RD to fuse 1, A/C Heater Wiring.

START, Red wire comes out to Yellow.

The only other wire connected at START is the GY/BK to ground.

The DB wire is powered both in start and run.
The BK/RD wire is not powered at start.

Replaced the fusible links. Works 100% again with the stock connector plugged in.

Now to just figure out the new column...

Here is a link to the column I purchased. Ad says its from an 85, but who knows.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190619965734...84.m1497.l2649

Truck is an 87 with tilt. Ebay column is non tilt, and is actually longer. I am going to have to buy a telescopic steering shaft, or shorten the stock shaft. Only if I can figure out the wiring issue.

I've looked at my diagrams closer than I have ever looked and found regardless of year the wires from the switch to the curved 7 pin connector go to the same circuits. That start only ground wire can go to the dash through the Brake Warning Lamp circuit.
My best guess is that your "new" column has the Pink or Red 12V wires pinched or touching the Grey and in start you created a dead short damaging the grey then the next day you finished off the heavier Red fusible link. I would check continuity of all 7 wires of the column connector to the column, then see if there is any continuity between Grey and the Pink or Grey and the Red. Try the same Grey, Red, Pink with the key in all positions. There should be no continuity to the Grey wire.

There is no continuity between the Red power wire, and any other column wires. I am definitely starting to think it is an issue with the column... I definitely appreciate your help