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77 F250 Custom. 4 speed manual. I have done a bunch of research and gone through my manuals and I cannot find where this switch is. I am not pretty sure there isn't one.
Anyway, can someone confirm? Is there another switch somewhere on a 4 speed that handles the back up lights? The truck will absolutely roll and the starter will turn over with the truck in gear. My back up lights have no power when the transmission is in reverse and the key is on.
This is probably an easy fix, but I'm not sure where to start.
That was fast! Glad you got it figured out.
Regarding the starting in gear though, presumably you also found out that that’s normal for a manual transmission of this vintage?
There was no safety interlock switch for manual transmissions. At least not on most of our trucks.
And x2 there is NO "safety" switch on the manual trans. So YES it will turn over/start in gear. Or even in neutral WITHOUT the clutch pushed in. It is a 40+ year old truck. They did not have a (clutch must be pushed in to start) safety switch back then.
Yes, and it says that in the manual in starting procedures. I already knew it but also found out when cranking it. Either way, it’s absolutely glorious to have something with less junk on it. I’m dead serious. The simplicity of the truck makes me happy.
Well just wanted to reiterate that for safety sake. You know how to turn on your dome light with the doors closer right? Same **** rotation to brighten and dim the dash lights.
Dome light doesn’t work. Lol. Not sure why. Just one thing on the list to fix. I was going to check the bulb but the lens didn’t come off easy and I don’t want to break it.
My first truck was a 1985 F150. The functions aren’t much different. Lol.
Yes those lens can be bulb heated brittle and break easy being 40+ years old. If it breaks, just get a new one, repops are cheap enough. And if you get a repop lens cover get a LED bulb to not cook the new one.
2 bits of dome light advice. For the dome light wire, hot-at-all-times power comes goes to the headlight switch as a GREEN with YELLOW stripe wire. Dome light power comes back out as a BLACK with BLUE stripe wire. The same color scheme is used at the door jamb switches. BLACK with BLUE stripe runs out to the actual dome light. BLUE with a RED stripe is instrument panel illumination. It comes out of the headlight switch to the fuse box, leaves the fuse box again as the same color and is distributed throughout the dash. There is no ground connection to the dome light switches or the headlight switches. These switches switch power, not ground.
And:
1) Make sure you have 12 volts on both sides of the courtesy lamp fuse. This circuit is hot at all times, so it doesn't make a difference what position the key is in. If you have power on only one side, replace the fuse. If you don't have power on either side, then there is other work to do first.
2) Pull the dome light switches out and remove them. Make sure the terminal for the GREEN with YELLOW stripe wire in the connector has power.
3) Check the dome light switches for continuity. With the plunger all the way out (switch CLOSED), the switch should be shorted. With the plunger pushed all the way in (switch OPEN), the switch should be open. If not, replace the switch.
4) With power to the switch proven to be good, and the switches proven to be good, the dome light should light up. If the dome light does not light up, remove the cover and check for power at the dome light (not the side that's permanently grounded to sheetmetal) with the door OPEN. If you have power here, yet the bulb does not light up, replace the bulb.
This will prove out the door-side; if you get to the point that the doors opening turn the light on, but the headlight switch does not work. Might be time for a new head light switch or clean the contacts. Yellow button push and help down is how you release the shaft AND ****.
Black arrows point to the dash light rheostat to brighten and dim them. That also might need some cleaning.
Sorry I can't help you.
This was the day I bought my truck and I was surprise that at least one backup light worked.
I replaced both tail light assemblies and now they both work,
I know a lot of older vehicle have backup light issues.
Well, I got a new backup switch and I went ahead and tested by plugging it in 'off the transmission'. The switch and lights work. Hopefully that's all it is. I'll put it in the trans next. My old tail lights were cracked inside, and also, someone replaced the sockets with something aftermarket, so they got hung up in the lights. Both lights shattered upon removal. Kinda sucks, but they were in rough shape. I got some 'aftermarket' ones that look identical, minus the Ford logo. Plenty of time to go OEM later. I went ahead and cut all connectors off the tail lights and soldered in brand new 'wedge' type bulbs like on my 2002 F150. The two element on top and single on the bottom, same socket. I just used two wires instead of three on the reverse light. That all works really great now, and since the connections are soldered and waterproof heat shrinked, I get full voltage back there now.
My current problem is no dash lights aside from one turn signal and a seatbelt light/buzzer. The 3A fuse for the dash is 'white'...so it's blown. However, finding that AGA3 fuse has been difficult. I have ONE in an assortment but that's a waste of money. I'd like a 10 pack of them just in case. So, I need that fuse, and also, I need new door dome plunger switches. Both are rusted and hung up and don't work.
So, 3A dash fuse, door dome light switches, and I need a new **** for the headlight switch, the old **** fell off and seems damaged inside. It won't stay on, perhaps I can epoxy it back to the shaft instead since it all comes out with the button???.
Well you are getting there. Have you tried turning/adjusting the head light switch shaft? With the headlights shaft out in pos 1 (park lights on) or pos 2 park and headlights on. Then turn the shaft back and forth. Also have you took out and cleaned the headlight switch dash light rheostat? See the black arrows, that is the dash light contact points.
That is what the little button on the switch is for (push down and hold to release the shaft/**** to come out as one). PM me, I have a box of headlight switch stuff/spare parts. Cover shipping and you can have a headlight switch shaft w/****.
