I have an 88 Formula that had 46k on it. 5-Speed. Original eng. and trans. Bought new backup switch because light could be jumped at switch and work. New switch, they still don't work. Pull switch, press ball, switch works, lights come on. Anything I can do?
------------------ Away from his arms in the open field A man shall fare not a foot; For never he knows when the need for a spear Shall arise on the distant road Hovamol 38 "The Sayings of Odin"
You are in the right forum. Your timing is not so good because a lot of Fiero people were in Indianapolis having a car show.....so they missed your post.
Welcome to the Forum!... .... Take a good look at that connector to confirm something is not bent.
There is a little "tab" inside the tranny that moves into position, and pushes the ball in, activating the lights. I suspect that tab is not moving as far as it should. A dead giveaway would be if the tranny tries to jump out of reverse when you back up a hill. I had a "rebuilt" Getrag with similar issues.
Disconnect the shift cables and shift the tranny into reverse at the tranny. Does the light now come on? If so your shifter adjustment was out of wack.
Disconnect the shift cables and shift the tranny into reverse at the tranny. Does the light now come on? If so your shifter adjustment was out of wack.
Yeah. That's what the seller who sold me the POS "rebuilt" Getrag told me, too. I hope your luck is better than mine.
Edit - Great link on adjustment info.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-04-2013).]
I did my best to figure this out. As I said, with the switch plugged into the harness pressing the ball on the bottom of the switch turns the backup lights on. So it won't be a connector issue inside the plug og the switch. I has to be that the tab in the transmission is not pressing the ball from the inside of the transmission. I though we were onto something with the cable adjustment. But in re-reading this one of the signs is supposed to be not staying in reverse going uphill. My driveway goes a whole "story" nearly, downward. I back out and uphill every morning and it never has a problem. I tried to follow the instructions in the links. I am assuming the "5-Speed 282 Muncie" is the Getrag. Is that correct? Also I have trouble with #5 "Place the pin in the floor shift mechanism is third gear." That's a copy and past quote. I don't understand it. Anyone know what it means? IF that's the right instructions for the Getrag. I did try loosing the nut on the "shift cable" and moving it around to see if I could get the backup light to come on but had no luck. Thanks for the time people have spent trying to help, and thanks in advance for any help with my additional questions. Using the wealth of information in these forums I have fixed every single issue with my '88 Formula except this one.
Lastly, since you know the circuit works fine then you could get a machine shop to machine perhaps 0.010" off the shoulder of the switch so that it can thread in slightly deeper (or likewise remove any washers that might be under the switch). The only other alternative is to tear into the transmission.
[This message has been edited by Bloozberry (edited 11-09-2013).]
Well look at me! I'm special! I've got back up lights now!
Taking the advice to have the switch nut shoulder shaved off, I'm pretty handy with and file and a vice. It took a good 1/16 of an inch to get it to go into the housing enough to push the ball switch. I had to put in in and take it out three times to get it filed off enough. Good thing it's easy to get to.
In the course of this I kept knocking the transmission filler plug out. I examined it closely and came up with a fix. I took a stainless steel washer and put on the anvil part of the vise and chiseled a quick cut into it in one place with a hammer. Then I slid the washer onto the plug under the rocking lever. This made extra thickness for the lever to push down and out so the plug swelled more and hugs into the hole really tightly.
Every one may already know that or others may have made it known, I just wanted to give back for the help you have all given me.
In the course of this I kept knocking the transmission filler plug out. I examined it closely and came up with a fix. I took a stainless steel washer and put on the anvil part of the vise and chiseled a quick cut into it in one place with a hammer. Then I slid the washer onto the plug under the rocking lever. This made extra thickness for the lever to push down and out so the plug swelled more and hugs into the hole really tightly.