72 door key buzzer

[Denny J.]

1972 tilt&tel The door buzzer stays on with out the key.where do I start to fix.

[Jack H.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

The key minder circuit is this: B+ voltage from the hot buss of the horn relay, into the cockpit, up the steering column, to the key minder alarm switch and then to ground. The fact that the alarm (buzzer) is active despite the presense/absense of the ignition key in the in the steering column says one of two things:

(1) Your ignition switch is defective (maybe just 'sticky') and the plastic tab that projects out of the lock cylinder and presses against the key minder switch in the column isn't releasing and retracting into the lock cylinder to cut the alarm path to ground. Probability: unlikely, maybe a 10% shot.

(2) Your key minder switch in the T/T column has 'bitten the dust' as most do over time. The factory original switch was encased in a clear lucite housing. Over the years with sun BEATING on the steering column, the lucite has a tendency to dry out, turn yellow and start to crack/flake. Once the body of the switch looses its structural integrity, it's BYE BYE switch and the contacts simply rattle around touching each other all the time or never. Probability: pretty darn good, I'd guess it's a +80% shot.

Instructions for how to R&R the switch are in your copy of the 1972 Chassis Service Manual. You need to pull the steering wheel and disassemble the column about 25% of the way down to get to it.

There were three forms of the switch (standard column, tilt column, and T/T column). The T/T version of the switch has been GM discontinued for at least 15 years! I think ONE of the Corvette catalog houses still has a stock balance of the service replacement T/T switch (packaged in more durable white plastic vs. clear lucite).

[Jim T.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

Jack told you how to fix it, but to continue enjoying your car just remove the connector from the horn relay to drive the car until you fix it. I left the key buzzer disconnected on my 70 for about 15 years just because I did not like hearing it.

[Jack H.]

Plus...

with Jim's suggestion, you increase the useful life of the buzzer section of your horn relay. Pink/black wire connected for 'judging mode' and disconnected for 'driving mode'. But, I have a fuzzy recollection the buzzer function moved from the horn relay in the engine compartment into the cockpit and it just may be this was done in '72...

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

Denny, You should tell the people here the whole story. You intend to have your Corvette judged in June. The deductions for a Operations (or Tech) malfunction are not minor. I suggest you remove your Corvette from storage ASAP and either fix the buzzer or make arrangements to get the car to a trusted Corvette mechanic to get it fixed.
Good Corvette repair shops are booked up months in advance. You are already bordering on being too late if you need their services.

[Denny J.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

My list is small and almost non stop getting info from any and all books.I hope I have not made anyone mad at me,With all my ??You all at NCRS are the best info getters.AAA++ You can also tell the real pros by what they say.Not bad for 6 months work.This car is so close to Original its a shame to drive it again.My big hits are going to be exhaust/Water pump.Let me tell whats up on the water pump.Bill Mock nice guy,Said he has only seen "2" super rare.How long has he been rebuilding pumps,years.Do I want this out of my sight No.So as a NCRS judge would I like to see a rare pump, Could be the only one I will ever see.Should I get a heavy hit for this? If I do I do.I like Bill Mock but this is my pump.Original car not to much wrenching.Man I cant beleve I cut the original exahust off it.Lots of scrubbing simple green.In June I need a base line of what the car is.I need the who's who judging it.It does not matter what I say it is.Right now I'm way ahead of the game, It's all fun with no expectations. The car is what it is Original.My wife is a 3 time cancer surivior.So my only goal is Survivor any thing over and above is great.I would also like it to be knowen Terry helped saved my car from being a driver.

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

Denny not everyone here will think saving your car from being a driver is a good thing. You can find several threads here in the last couple of days to that effect.

I posted about your desire to have your Corvette judged because some of the respondents were pointing out how to avoid the annoyance of the buzzer during normal operation of the car. I knew from our discussions off this board that normal driving was not on your near term list of things to do with your Corvette.

I sure wish there was a way to get that water pump rebuilt and on your car. It is nice to see as part of your parts collection, as I told you, but it would look a lot better, and count toward your points score, if it were on the engine.

I hope you can get the key buzzer and water pump fixed before Father's Day. The more points you can get the better for your car.

[Denny J.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

Terry not everone is in that "weird 5%" Who love to see Original
The key fix Back to listen to what the pros say.
Done to both, Bill was so happy to hear it was comming.I'll send pizza money for when his friends stop by to see this pump.

[Denny J.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

I have to tell you this,I was putting the simple green to the tires.and there was a pink/purple paint spot on the inside of all 4 tires,Also removed the weights and put on Micro weights on Speedway nylon tires.Original no still have a lot of nubs but very nice shape but OLD.The same tires I drove to chevy vette fest 80 miles round trip.I took them off but wiil put on for Bloomington.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

Denny,

I've got aluminized exhaust as well as a replacement water pump on my 72.

It's still Top Flighted 3 times and received its Bowtie.

It takes a lot more than that not to get the awards.

Patrick

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

He is after some other awards Patrick.

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

The wax (it is wax, not paint) spot on the tires is likely the marker for where the wheel weights were supposed to go. The color denotes the size of the weight, but I don't think anyone has yet done a survey to figure out which colors equal which weights -- We should be careful. the more we talk about these kinds of things the more likely some owner is to want to duplicate these details.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 72 door key buzzer

I figured that based on his Bloomington comment, but I don't think there's any award (shy just a few points of a Duntov) I couldn't get or that the exhaust and/or water pump would disqualify me from getting. That was my point.

Patrick