T18 reverse lamp switch question

[norcalcrawler]

I have asked this question on another site and 24hrs later I got zip. Hopefully someone on here maybe able to help. This is the deal. And thank you very much in advance.

Vehicle: 1973 CJ5 304V8 4 speed T-18 . The issue is the reverse lamp switch located just behind the shifter on top, only gets triggered when I put it in 4th gear?

I put on a test light, run through the gears and as I say the lamp is off until I hit 4th??

The switch has a little ball bearing under it that hits a rod in the Transmission . Single wire switch, funny when I do the research they only show a 2 wire replacement switch.

My guess is that's not the problem tho. Any help please would be awesome so I can button up the floor on my jeep.

 

[BusaDave9]

Interesting problem.
Was this Transmission ever rebuilt? I am wondering if it was rebuilt with a shift rail that was not intended for this Transmission . Not all T-18 transmissions are built the same. Sometimes to get reverse you push up some T18s you push down.
Here's what Novak says:

There are two different versions of shift control housings. The 1966-1978 versions hung two cast iron shift forks into the case, with the reverse fork itself pivoting on the side of the case. These earlier T-18 ’s have reverse gear over to the right and up by third gear. In 1979, the reverse shifter fork was moved from the side of the case into the top cover instead and all three forks were changed and made with die-cast aluminum. This later T-18 has reverse gear shift pattern over to the right and down by fourth gear.

The Borg-Warner T18 & T19 Transmissions - Novak Conversions

When you shift into reverse the reverse switch is activated by detents in the shift rail. If you remove the reverse switch you might be able to notice the detents. I bet a detent is activating the switch when in 4th but not in reverse. Why? Because someone used a shift rail that was not intended for your T-18 .

 

[norcalcrawler]

AWESOME THANK YOU! The Scooby mystery may be solved. It had me scratching my head until now. Yes most likely it has been touched by many people over the years. Again I thank you for taking the time to report all this.

I guess the toggle switch on a coiled wire up the shift handle is what's going to happen next. Maybe someday if the tranny needs something I'll delve into the fix.

I feel comfortable bolting up the floor as Im not going to get into this now.

And yes when I pulled the switch the rod that moves with the shifter is closest to passenger side, my reverse is up to the right away from forth... makes sense.