Driving down the highway with cruise control on and working fine. On the way back, selected "ON" and - Nothing. It's got a new bellows and speedo and trip computer work fine, so not the transducer. Any troubleshooting tips out there?

 

Series 3 ?

there are two ONs.

1) the on-off switch on the shifter quadrant tower,

2) the "engage" button in the turn signals column switch.

2a) the system only engages when car is going 45 mph and over. Take it to over 45 mph THEN press the button.

 

Thanks Jose, Its a 1985 S3 XJ-6. Have tried it many times - on the Highway at over 65MPH - nothing. There are two brake switches and a gear selector inhibit switch I'll need to examine. The stalk select "on" switch has always had a "delay" and sometimes needed pressing a second time to engage, so I'm leaning towards that. S57 should lead me to the wiring for that switch.

 

ok, I experience no delay in my '84. It actually engages inmediately when I press the stalk button.

The button has a black ground wire running through the stalk which exits behind the center of the upper nacelle (black plastic steering column cover), It is connected to a rubber junction where two other black ground wires are connected. That's it. Nothing else to it.

To verify this junction connection, you need to remove both the bottom and top nacelle covers and that is easiest when you lower the steering column by 1/2" inch by loosening the two bolts at the uppermost point of the column.

The roller switch at the front of the shifter is also responsible for cruise activation in the Drive (D) position of the shifter. I adjusted mine with someone else driving on the highway, activating the two cruise switches and then moving the roller switch lightly until the cruise engaged, then tightening the two tiny bolts which require a 4.5mm socket. This switch is a p.i.t.a. since in my car it also activates the reverse lights and is also the Neutral Safety Switch so one adjustment affects the other. But you can get it to its "sweet spot" after a few tries.

 

I'd begin with something extra simple: is the vacuum hose to the bellows connected and in good condition?

Eons ago I had cruise control problems on my first Series III and the only problem was that the vacuum hose had collapsed. It had gone all soft and squishy, from old age I reckon

Cheers
DD

 

Got it!.. When I changed the bellows, I must not have fully tightened the little screw that secures the cable to the actuator. The little cylinder that fits into the actuator arm with a screw that secures the cable. So I lost that little 1/4" threaded cylinder! On the hunt for a replacement now. Problem solved!
Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I should know - it's always the last thing that you mess with!

 

oh yeahh, the famous ferrule / cable holdown. If David doesn't have it, it's easy to fabricate one with an aluminium ferrule you can get at ACE hardware.

 

Got my ferrule. Will install today. Got them on Amazon for a few dollars. Link below.

 

that is a pretty expensive ferrule, you could have fabricated one for under $2.00 and a little labor.