My cruise stopped working when I depress the button on the tilt lever. It was working if I depressed the button really easy 1/2 dozen times or more until this past week. Now nothing. There is only 2 wires coming up into the lever end to the momentary switch @ the end inside the lever. So I squirted a little contact cleaner around the end button, hoping the contacts were tarnished, thus making it engage all the time when I used it. Of course it STOPPED WORKING completely at that point on. I can not find a new lever with the switch complete with the wiring anywere so far. Can anyone give me a fix, or a place to get this part. If no part is available, I was thinking I could mount a momentary switch next to the headlight vacuum bypass switch under the column. Chime in on this you guys, if you can. I would like to keep it as ORIGINAL as I can if possible. Thanks so much.

You may wanna check the connector at the lower end of the column, and make sure it is good and clean/plugged in well. Also, from that connector, you can test it with an ohm meter to see if the button is/is not making contact. If it is, then you problem is somewhere else. If not, then it could be the switch itself, OR the tiny wiring running down the column. The way the switch stalk moves with the turn sigs, and the tilt/tele(if you have it), those teeny wires tend to break over time.
I haven't looked for the stalk switch, but there should be some out there somewhere....but it may be part of the turn sig switch....


|UPDATED|10/4/2012 10:15:52 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Joel, I made a new ground wire today & it grounds directly to the engine, from the transducer now. Took that out of the equation. Then I put a test light in the 2 wire connector @ the transducer. I stuck the ( hold spade ) & with the key on it was lit all the time. So I pushed in the cruise button & it interrupted the current & the light went out while the button was depressed. Then I changed  the tester to the ( engage spade ), depressed the button on the cruise lever & nothing changed. I was thinking that it should light when the button is pushed so it would energize the transducer to hold the speed @ that speed constant. I will take your advice 2moro & check the wires/connectors @ the base of the column. Any other theories on this is welcome

Joel, I got your 78 diagram. After checking it against my system I concluded it is different than what I have. The 77 has the three wire connector from the column button coming into a factory connector about 6 inches long that plugs into the back of the cruise/brake switch on the pedal. There is also the brake light connector that plugs into the top of the same switch. I do not see the vacuum release switch above this switch as pictured in the 78 diagram. I am going to check out the vacuum lines @ the transducer to see how they work to release the accuator (disengage). I checked the column wires with the fluke meter & they all had 8 ohms on the meter. Then unplugged & cleaned the connectors & spade ends. It still will not engage on the road. Got a 77 diagram I can look at ? Thanks for the help. Try again 2moro !

Ya...I dint have a Cruiz diagram for the '77 handy, but I assumed the '78 would be the same. There were 3 different types used, so I sent the one I thought it was. Lemmie look some more, and if I find the "correct" set-up, I'll send it right to ya. 

I am sending(email) you a PDF file that has 2 different systems, but I think one of these is the same as the one I already sended ya. The '78 had 3, but '77 only shows the 2. Hopefully one of them is what you have, and will help...

|UPDATED|10/5/2012 7:33:55 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|