no back up lights

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1970PAValiant

1970PAValiant

master of the break down
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well I have no back up lights, and I just changed my Neutral safty switch, got a 2nd one, and neither of them restore the lights. so this weekend I am going to start tracing the wires to find the problem. I don't have a good wiring diagram for this so I don't know when power is applied to it. is it when the key is in the start position, or is there always power, and putting it in reverse is what completes the circut? I am going to clean all the grounds also to see if that is it. any other ideas would be great
 
Key must be in run and transmission in reverse. The two outside terminals on the switch. Should be easy to troubleshoot Your's is a '70?

Here are "alternative" wiring diagrams:

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1970/70ValiantDusterA.JPG

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1970/70ValiantDusterB.JPG

Look at diagram A at top right of page and find your neutral safety swtich

On this diagram, they show the wires are black and black with tr, they physically come up over the top of the transmission, there may be a second connector somewhere, and go into the bulkhead connector. On this diagram they are calling them "C" and "D" of the connector. From there they go into the interior, where one wire runs back with the tail /turn harness to the lamps, the other goes to the fuse box, I believe the radio fuse

Also, you can download various factory service manuals from here:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=132309&highlight=manual,+download

If you go down the page there's one for a 70 Dart/ Challenger

http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc. car info/70 Dart Challenger Serv Man1.pdf
 
Pull the connector off of the neutral safety switch and check the two outside terminals with a test light or volt meter. You should have voltage to both terminals with the key in the run position and the shifter in reverse. If everything checks out ok use a jumper wire to connect the two outside termials together if the lights still don't come on either both lights are burnt or you have wiring problems. I recently had the same problems with mine. Here are a few things that I had to fix. The bulb sockets had rust in both of them so I unplugged them and used a 12 gauge shotgun barrel wire brush on the end of a drill to clean out the sockets. I removed all of the wires from the plugs in the trunk and cleaned each one of those. I removed the ground wires and cleaned the terminals and sanded the spot where they mount to the trunk. I also had to end up changing my neutral safety switch.
 
Easiest way I've found is pull the harness connector off the switch and poke the legs of a cotter pin in the 2 holes. If a test light shows the cotter pin is hot there should be lights on at the rear too. If the lights are in fact on, One of 2 problems exist, bad switch or wrong rooster comb inside the trans.
If the lights aren't on the problem is between the cotter pin and the bulbs.
If the cotter pin isn't hot the problem is between the cotter pin and the fuse box.
 
kjunhemi said:
Pull the connector off of the neutral safety switch and check the two outside terminals with a test light or volt meter. You should have voltage to both terminals with the key in the run position and the shifter in reverse. .
Click to expand...

You didn't state this very well. You cannot have voltage at the two outside terminals with the connector off, and there wont' be anything at the transmission (in reverse) except CONTINUITY between the two outside terminals OF THE SWITCH.

As Red said, you can pull off the connector, there will be power WITH THE KEY ON at ONE outside terminal. You should be able to jumper the two outside pins of the connector together and get the lights to work.

If they do, it's a transmission/ switch problem

If they don't it's in the wiring somewhere, a bulbs problem, or a socket(s) ground problem.
 
alright thanks for the diagrams and everything else guys. cross my fingers it's only a dirty connection
 
67Dart273 said:
You didn't state this very well. You cannot have voltage at the two outside terminals with the connector off, and there wont' be anything at the transmission (in reverse) except CONTINUITY between the two outside terminals OF THE SWITCH.

As Red said, you can pull off the connector, there will be power WITH THE KEY ON at ONE outside terminal. You should be able to jumper the two outside pins of the connector together and get the lights to work.

If they do, it's a transmission/ switch problem

If they don't it's in the wiring somewhere, a bulbs problem, or a socket(s) ground problem.
Click to expand...

Yep you are correct only one side will have voltage.
 
Well I did alot of searching and come across it has to be somewhere in the area of the Fuse block. The fuse is getting 11.68v and when I probe the connector that is there that runs all the back lights it's .9v So there's something going on. for some odd reason it connects from a white/black wire to a Violet going back. Also I found 2 lime green wires that goto a terminal that goes nowhere. any ideas?
 
Light green is often left front turn circuit

Also shows up in the accessory headlight delay relay wiring

Where is this connector located?
 
it looks like a female round plug, kinda like the one for the licence plate light. I did check the bulbs one was blown out so I bought a new pair, cleaned up the terminals and connections and put dielectric grease in them
 
1970PAValiant said:
it looks like a female round plug, kinda like the one for the licence plate light. I did check the bulbs one was blown out so I bought a new pair, cleaned up the terminals and connections and put dielectric grease in them
Click to expand...

OK, but WHERE IS IT, engine room, under dash, trunk, etc?

If it's up front it could be the left fender mount indicator

Did it have the optional "road lamps?"
 
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