Backup lights issue with switch

[jeremy5780]

My 1985 CJ7 has no backup lights. So I read some previous threads and trouble shooted the issue . If I take the switch out of the tranny and push the ball in, the backup light come on. When I reinstall the switch and put it in reverse the lights won't come on. It's like whatever pushes in the ball inside the tranny is not hitting it. Any ideas? I would really like to fix it and not bypass it with a switch.

 

[gert]

uh oh, first of all is the switch in the correct hole? and is it the correct switch for your tranny? If not that then

 

[Hedgehog]

Good point on the switch being the correct one. Even my '75 has two switches, one being for a long gone emission control and the other is back up light switch. The switches aren't that expensive, yes I know it works if you push the ball in, I'd still get another one. You can either look in the switch hole or stick a screw driver in there and feel the notch bump up. At least that is how the transmissions I've worked on were. For all I know in your Transmission there might be a ball bearing in there to bump the switch ball though. The system seems simple enough.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

I would start with replacing the switch. Over time the switch may lose contact on the inside or where enough that the it wont make contact. You are probably pushing it in further then the hump that activates it does causing it to make good contact.

 

[jeremy5780]

Ok I will try a new switch first and go from there.

 

[jeremy5780]

Update! FIXED... Put in a new switch and it works. Thanks everyone for the help!

 

[Hedgehog]

I believe the old saying, "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck and smells like a duck don't look for a donkey it's probably a duck.", applies here.