Steering column steering lock disc removal/ indicator mechanism wiring

Hi from Australia, I am rewiring my car but cannot get the indicators to work ( I do not have a wiring diagram ) to check the wiring in the column I need to remove the steel disc that engages the steering lock pin as the mechanism is hidden behind this. Does anyone know how to remove this and or can anyone tell me what colour wire is the power feed wire from the flasher to the steering column harness plug ...I thought it was the purple (its about a late 80's Buick...my 1950 has been put on its Chassis) thanks for any help

1) to remove the lock - push down on the steering lock plate and you will see a small, split, wire ring attached to the rod which actually does the turning. There are special tools for this, but you can either a) push it down, or if it's stuck b) hit it with a hammer to loosen it up (sometimes they get corrosion if they've ever been outside). To get the wire ring out, I use a 90* pick and pry it out. Caution - it is not easy.
This is an example of the tool http://www.tooltopia.com/lisle-57340...FeQCQAodJm3gRw note how it holds the ring down by pushing on around the parameter of the lock-ring?
Once you get the wire-ring out, the lock ring will slide up (there is a spring under it). Don't worry, I've yet to ever have one pop off - even when you get the wire bit off; it's a tight fit so you have to work it off.

Once you get that off, the signal switch is next bit that comes off (3 screws) - then you'll know what the wires are which control it.

I can say, with certainty, however that the purple wire is not a signal wire - on every GM car I've ever dealt with (50s-2010) the purple wire is the wire which energizes the starter solenoid.

Good luck

Gets you every time...I should have looked harder, my eyesite is starting to deteriorate now I am in my 50's. Thanks very much for that.
The wiring was a mess when I bought the car in from TX, it is a 305 injected (huge wiring harness ) and has been hacked up a bit...indicators not working etc etc I have 'fixed' it all up but I don't have the correct wiring diagram for guidance.
I still need a diagram though.

again thanks:laugh_4:

I need to know what the donor car was to point you in the right direction for a wiring harness.

If it is late 80s, RWD, there was only one - the Chevrolet Caprice, Buick Roadmaster type cars. If that's the case, buying a Chilton's or similar auto repair manual should have all the harness information you need. IIRC, the change points were 78, 88, then 97 they went to FWD and no one cares about those cars :)

Rear wheel drive Buicks did not have an EFI till 1991 and then it was on the Roadmaster. Lesabre went FWD in 85 and was an EFI V6. I believe by 87 it became the 3800.

The 5.0 305 was a Chevy motor. In the early 80's there was a 5.0 307 that was an Oldsmobile motor that was an option in the RWD Buicks. Except for a couple of years in the late 70's Buicks did not have a Chevy engine option till the 90's. It was most common for the Buicks to have the 3.8 231 V6's. The first and only RWD Buick to have EFI was the 91-96 Roadmasters. 91 they were 305's. 92-93 were 350's. 94-96 were the LT1 vette motors.

Sounds like you found the information you need. Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to anything Buick built after the GNX. :thumbsup: