Thanks to the forum I am tackling a project that I lived with since 1980....MY reverse lights are out. No juice is going to the lights. I checked all the fuses. I was going to take out the switch near the trans (under the car) and take apart. Any secrets/ hints.

Regards, :smash:

 

I had the same thing in my car although the switch was completely gone. I think a lot of people left them off when fixing/replacing the transmission. If your switch is still there, check to make sure it is plugged into the wire harness. The wire for the B/U lights runs down the firewall on the driver's side and then down next to the transmission. If it is plugged in, make sure it has current. If it has current, make sure the linkage is working properly to activate the switch. There is a small, metal rod that comes off of reverse that works the switch. You want to make sure the rod is there. If it is, make sure it is adjusted properly to work the switch. If all that checks out, then your switch is probably bad. I would just replace it. Its a little tight putting the switch in and out as its on the transmission next to the exhaust and there is also a heat shield that partially covers it to keep it from melting from the exhaust heat. There is not a lot of room to work on it and I would not want to take it in and out trying to get it to work. I think you can get a new reproduction switch from LICC for around $60. They also have new repro parts for the rod, attachment hardware and heat shield. You may want to replace those parts while you are in there as well as I think they are only about $10 or so.

I found after I installed everything that I could not get the activiation rod to work quite right all the time, even with the standard adjustments. The B/U lights would sometimes come on when I shifted into second gear. I finally had to bend the activation rod slightly to get the B/U lights to work properly all the time.

If you have never done this before, you are probably looking at a 2 to 3 hour job to put the new switch and related parts in and get everyting working right.

 

thanks for the help

DO you recommend a lift for the job (I can rent a buddys shop) or can I do it laying on my back (I did rear suspension on my back 2 yrs ago)....MY back still hurts. :cheers:

 

Darren, this is a job you can do with the car on jack stands and you on your back. If you can find the drawing of this setup in your Assembly Instruction Manual, yo will see how easy it is to work on. You have the switch itself, the wiring harness for the switch, and then the various pieces for the switch. As the other poster mentioned, there is a rod that is replaceable that does the actual work of turning the backup lights on. When you shift to revers, the rod, which is clipped to the shift lever, pushes the switch on. If you have the switch and everything looks good, rig up a temporary ground wire from the bulb housing to a place on the frame where you have cleaned the rust up.

Gary

 

A Red64 outlines it pretty well..

It is likely the switch that has failed..

Don't know if you have ever done any electrical trouble shooting, but this one is easy to test. without even getting under the car..

If you follow the wiring from the switch, you will see where it plugs into the harness at the top of the firewall..

Remove the plug and check for voltage (12 V) from one pin to ground on the "Harness Side" with the key "ON"

If there is no voltage, check fuses, wiring.

If voltage is there, Carefully, jumper between the two terminals of the "Harness Side". This takes the place of the now removed switch for testing.. The B/U lights should go on with this jumper in place.
Note:Again, The key must be in the "ON" position

If the lights work, it's the switch or it's adjustment that are bad..

If the lights still don't work, check the bulbs to be sure they are OK.

If you still have a problem, it's got to be bad grounds at the B/U lights or sockets..

If it's the switch it's easy to replace...
If you have old eyes, the small rod clips are a PITA. Don't lose them.

Good luck

Tony