The problem with the AutoTemp I in my 1968 Imperial
turned out to be the replacement switch.
The replacement switch was from 1972, which was
indicated as interchangable with the 1968 switch.
Close examination of the two switches revealed that
this couldn't possibly be the case.
There are differences between the switches with
regards to the programming cards and electrical
connections.
Once you've seen these differences inside the
switches, it's no wonder that the '72 switch was
associating the wrong buttons with the wrong actions
in the '68 car.
I decided I needed to repair the '68 switch rather
than find another replacement.
Luckily, one '68 programming card, the one that
happened to be damaged in my switch, is shared with
the newer switches. I used one of these as a
replacement.
JB Weld did a good job of re-attatching a broken
vacuum fitting on the '68.
The rebuilt '68 switch seems to work as good as new.
Important lessons learned working on the '68 were:
1. Unlike AutoTemp II, AutoTemp I has no electric
motor in the servo.
2. Unlike AutoTemp II, AutoTemp I does not park when
powered down.
3. "Auto" on AutoTemp I is not the same as "Lo Auto"
on AutoTemp II. "Auto" can provide the highest fan
speed when needed.
4. AutoTemp I switches are not the same as AutoTemp II
switches despite their outward appearances!
5. Photograph and label the programming cards when
rebuilding a switch. Order and orientation matter, and
both can be easily confused.
One thing still puzzles me about AutoTemp I. Why does
it make a brief buzzing sound when "Off" is pressed?
Perhaps that is the sound the fan relay makes?
I hope this information helps someone avoid the
confusion I encountered.
Dave Duricy
1968 Imperial Crown convertible
1973 Imperial LeBaron
1950 DeSoto Custom (On the road again!)
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard.
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network