Reverse Switch Questions

[jhenard]

After removing the driveshaft, I saw this in the the spot for the reverse switch. Not what I was expecting. This looks like a plug to me. 72 tii 4 speed

1. Am I wrong? What gives?

2. I have 3 or 4 wires dangling in the tunnel (no jokes here please). What wires are in that area besides the two for the reverse switch?

Bill Williams - your post in Jan about dropping the driveshaft missed a few details. You left out all the swearing and pulling of muscles I didn't know I had to get the guibo bolts loose. Great write-up but you made it sound easy.

Thanks,

--John

[vintage_car]

What are the colors of the wires? I only have 2 that come through the tunnel for the reverse lights....maybe a PO added some? Mine is a 74 non-tii... so maybe it is different for ur roundie.

[jhenard]

Vintage,

Not sure of the colors yet. Still covered with schmutz. Hope you are dry after the 15 inches of rain.

--John

[vintage_car]

We got 18 at the house- thus far. I'm lucky to be on a hill... neighbor below me, not so much, he has a lake in the backyard which is creeping under my fence. Never seen so much rain in all my life!

Wipe off the crud and let us know on those wire colors.

[scoyote]

Neutral safety switch wires??--not really applicable with your 4 speed -a lot of things were changed on the fly with these cars!-all i can think of--scoyote

[john_a]

What wires are in that area besides the two for the reverse switch?

Could be the park brake switch wiring that fell down? Easy enough to check, pull up the boot around the base of the lever.

That "plug" in place of your backup switch is the ugliest repair I've seen in a long time. That's a wheel stud AND a lug nut AND gooped upon with a mess of RTV silicone. The lug nut had to be used there to allow the depth adjustment for the stud in the hole. If it goes in too far, it hits the gear that has to move back when you engage reverse. My guess is this experiment was required after the first try left the trans locked out of reverse! Just get a real switch & the correct crush washer and it should seal fine, and you'll have reverse lights.

[jgerock]

I'm betting the (2) extra wires are/were for the neutral safety switch that was mounted on the shift tower.

I removed my brittle harness when I upgraded to a 5 speed.

Neutral switch wires

Reverse light wires

[BillWilliams]

I use air to back things off, it cuts down on swearing

[jhenard]

Thanks all for the info. John - thanks I did not recognize the wheel stud and nut from that angle. Yes - a unique repair. I will clean up the wires/explore and report back.

Bill - I didn't have enough clearance to get the impact socket on the guibo/DS nuts hence the swearing.

--John

[BillWilliams]

It takes a swivel and extension

[Biemenstien]

I used a HILTI SIW 14.4v impact with lights and a swivel socket. worked great.