Neutral safety switch

[Red63440]

I have noticed that my back up light is always on and the PO owner stated that there was a low drain on the battery. Could the switch be connected to the harness backwards...is it even possible?

 

[shag766]

here's a guess. unplug the power to the gear selector and if they are on why? if they are not its probably the selector switch. ? start simple and go from there. the switch at the tranny should only work when power is applied in reverse. that is the simple way i would start. but keep in mind i am a simple person. if its not a switch then you have a bigger problem and more tracing to do. good luck

 

[Stumper]

Mine did that when I first got it. Found the switch to be bad. Try changing the switch, they're pretty cheap.

 

[Red63440]

Thanks guys, didn't want to drain the transmission but guess I will have to.

 

[Stumper]

you won't have to drain the pan to change the switch?

 

[Red63440]

When I changed the one on my 63 I had fluid everywhere.....I should also mention that the car has a factory console shifter in place.

 

[Red63440]

Is the back up light switch located in the console?

 

[Moparsmitty]

What year? Which transmission? Which shifter?

 

[Red63440]

68, 727, factory floor shifter and console

 

[Stumper]

You might get some fluid leaking out but the switch is not in the pan it's just above it.

 

[Red63440]

Ok, there is a switch in the console for the reverse light, pn.2631039...I will check that because I feel the problem is with the switch. Anyone have a working one if I need it, it was the same on A,B and C bodies for 66,67 and 68.

 

[Red63440]

Someone has to have a working extra laying around....

 

[Moparsmitty]

Hopefully someone has a source for this switch that I don't know about. I found a replacement reverse light switch in the Classic Industries catalog. The problem is that it's $140+ shipping. If it was in my car I would unplug the switch and forget about it. Anybody else have a better source?

 

[Red63440]

The problem is that some states require that ALL exterior factory lights work with the exception of interior lights. The second part is..where do you draw the line in disconnecting things that don't work. Pretty soon you have something that you can't even use.

 

[khryslerkid]

Hopefully someone has a source for this switch that I don't know about. I found a replacement reverse light switch in the Classic Industries catalog. The problem is that it's $140+ shipping. If it was in my car I would unplug the switch and forget about it. Anybody else have a better source?

Believe it or not your local parts stores can carry this kind of item. Especially the older stores like NAPA, Papa, Advance, Auto Zone. Dealerships are not out of the question either...

 

[Moparsmitty]

The problem is that some states require that ALL exterior factory lights work with the exception of interior lights. The second part is..where do you draw the line in disconnecting things that don't work. Pretty soon you have something that you can't even use.

If your car has to have all exterior lights working to pass a state inspection then you might have to bite the bullet and spend whatever you have to to replace the switch. I looked on the NAPA and Rockauto website and they don't list a replacement switch for this application. Its possible that the switch could be cleand up and repaired or maybe it was just out of adjustment.
As far as disconnecting things that don't work, that depends on the individual car and owner. If you are restoring your car to 100 point perfection, then of course you are going to spend whatever time and money is necessary to make everything operational. That's your decision. As an example, I gave up and removed the heater out of my Belvedere after figuring out how much it was going to cost me in time and money to replace something that I rarely used. I don't miss it and neither do the people that see my car. It's heater delete now and nobody seems to notice. It's not like the car is perfect to begin with. But that's just me, and like I said it's your car and your decision. Good luck.

 

[Red63440]

While heaters and radios are delete items operating lights aren't, thats like comparing apples and oranges.

 

[ply64post]

B u switch

Red

Don't know if you got a switch or not, I will look am sure I have a good used on one and might have an NOS switch.Will look today or tomorrow have work in my shop!

Jeff

 

[Red63440]

Jeff,
Thanks buddy but I have found a few, just waiting to see it they are ok....

 

[moparbud66]

I'm into kind of the same thing right now myself. No reverse lights when I bought the car but found a terminal snapped off of the console switch. A simple jumper will turn them on. I have since installed a new engine and transmission with a 3 prong switch (vs. 1 prong on the 66 trans.). I can get it to turn over in neutral but still need to figure out park and the reverse lights through the updated harness.