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1966 back-up light switch problem

10K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  The Greek 
#1 ·
Hey there,

I got a 1966 200 straight 6 Cyl Coupe Mustang for my 17th birthday and I'm restoring it. I've already replaced the master cylinder, the cylinder head, my brake pads, the carburator, the turn signal switch, purchased a new battery, new weather stripping, tire mount for my trunk, replaced all lights including brake and instrument cluster, replaced the gas tank and fuel sender, and replaced the brake lines in this car.

I'm trying to take good care of it and I've done what I can so far. My uncle lives in another part of town, and as a mechanic and a truck driver, he doesnt have much time to help with the car as much. So I've done most of these things to the mustang myself using manuals and trial and error.

with all that being said. research has led me around in circles once again, so please try be as descriptive as possible so I can figure this out once and for all.

when I shift in reverse, the back-up lights do not switch on. and Ive checked the lights themselfs, and they seem to be fine. I heard there is a back-up light switch located somewhere on the transmission. I dont know if I go through the inside and down the shifter of the car or from the bottom to get at this switch.

where is the switch? how do I get to it? what does it look like? [just to help me out]

any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks!
 
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#4 ·
Wow! you've been busy, done a lot
Definitely get under your car, sounds like it might be busted, but check your wiring before you replace it, you never know!
 
#6 ·
If you have automatic trans, the backup light switch and the neutral safety switch is one component bolted to dr side of tranny. The switch can be adjusted by loosening the bolts and using a drift pin or suitable tool put the pin into what looks like an unused hole and while turning the switch see if pin drops farther into the hole. When pin bottoms out in the hole, it is adjusted. Make sure your neutral safety switch is working by not allowing the car to start in anything but P and N.
 
#7 ·
If you have automatic trans, the backup light switch and the neutral safety switch is one component bolted to dr side of tranny. The switch can be adjusted by loosening the bolts and using a drift pin or suitable tool put the pin into what looks like an unused hole and while turning the switch see if pin drops farther into the hole. When pin bottoms out in the hole, it is adjusted. Make sure your neutral safety switch is working by not allowing the car to start in anything but P and N.
do you have a picture or something I can go by? its a cruise-o-matic trans by the way.
 
#8 ·
Did you check to make sure that the correct 1142 bulbs are installed? These bulbs are different from a regular single filament bulb in the fact that the base of the bulb has two contacts. Most single filament bulbs have one contact and the metal base is the ground.

The ground for the bulbs comes out of the harness to a terminal that's screwed to the body. The ground terminal should be in the vicinity of the trunk where the fuel fill neck is on the inside. The terminal will have two black wires, one for each B/U light.

If you have an auto trans the switch is incorporated into the neutral safety switch which is on the side of the trans where the gear selector lever is located. It needs to be positioned correctly for the switch to work, using a number 43 drill bit (.089" dia.) The procedure is on a recent thread that I have responded to. It's either here on tech or the classic talk section.

On a manual trans. the switch is located on the shifter itself and the wire color code for either trans is BLACK/RED STRIPE. The switch interupts the flow of electricity to the bulbs it has no effect on the ground path.
 
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