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Reverse lights (67) please help

  • Thread starter Thread starter Edbert
  • Start date Start date Jan 26, 2008

Edbert

Founding Member
Jul 13, 2002
3,548
32
109
Austin TX
Jan 26, 2008
#1
  • Jan 26, 2008
  • #1
Last thing missing on my wiring is the backup lights, can't get them to come on for anything! Recognising the involvement of the neutral safety/reverse switch on the tranny I have bypassed everything except the backup light housing and the two wires coming off of it.

So I have the housing with a bulb and the two wires. Since these lights are simply on/off (no off/dim/bright like others) one wire has to be + and the other has to be - right? I've looked at the factory wiring diagram. Here's a copy just in case:


Only two wires right? So what could possibly cause both of my lights to not work, even if hooked directly to a 12V source and grounded? I held the leads to by battery and got a little spark but did not illuminate or pop the bulb. I figured it was possible to have one bad housing/assembly since they are so old, but two defective housings at once?

I plan on replacing the whole units when she goes in for paint so I am willing to chop these up in any way. What am I missing, what can I do to get the bulbs to illuminate?
 

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pabear89

Active Member
Apr 15, 2003
2,126
0
46
High in the Hills of So Ca with the Voices in My H
Jan 26, 2008
#2
  • Jan 26, 2008
  • #2
Poor connections inside the lamp sockets are most common problems,
the spring behind the button pad is worn/broken or pad swelling not allowing the buttons to make contact with the bulb base.

PB
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
3,749
37
109
LA, CA
Jan 26, 2008
#3
  • Jan 26, 2008
  • #3
Ok, this sounds all too obvious but did you verify that the bulbs are actually good ?
 

Edbert

Founding Member
Jul 13, 2002
3,548
32
109
Austin TX
Jan 26, 2008
#4
  • Jan 26, 2008
  • #4
I observed the filaments on both bulbs, they are solid visually. I was gonns try and swap a set from the front but they are different, of the off/dim/bright variety.

I gave up, the chrome is bad, the wiring is brittle, the lenses are milky. These are original parts, and full repro units with gaskets/lenses/wiring/etc are pretty darn cheap. We verified the + leads from the painless kit is sending signal, so I'll just swap them out.
 
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