Was doing white gauges the other day, and noticed the shift light on the cluster. How does iy work/what does it use for a signal...the tach?

Frank

 

Are these aftermarket? IF it is stock than the shift light like some ford models had were mainly for telling you what is the economical time to shift..not much for paying attention to those than feeling the vehicles engine as it pulls as for how i shift, it works off a signal from the coil

 

i have one of these shift lights too. but mine isnt hooked up, what color wire do i need to find to hook this it up, and where is it located? i think its kinda cool to have a "SHIFT" light.

 

I thought thse were hooked to a vacuum switch. My dad's 76 F350 had a "low fuel economy" light that was on a vaccum switch... It shouldve been on whenever the engine was running!

 

Mine wasn't hooked up either, that's why I was kind of wondering. I don't recall ever seeing one work...must of been optional or something?

Frank

 

idk but it would be kinda cool to have it work i think

 

"Shift" light? Where is it on the cluster? Mine doesn't have one, nor a space for one. Are you in the right forum?

Across the top, from left to right, my lights are:

"EMISSIONS"
Left turn signal arrow
"FASTEN BELTS"
"HI BEAMS"
"BRAKE"
Right turn signal arrow
"4x4"

 

my "shift" light would be where your "emmissios" would be i guess, i dont have a emmissions light but my shift light is all the way to the left

 

Hmm, I've never seen anything like this either. My aftermarket tach has a programmable shift light, but that is a different story.

 

If I remember right, there is indeed an "Upshift" indicator on some of these trucks. As others have said it's to help get the best fuel economy by suggesting that you upshift when it lights.

It might be cool to try and wire up a factory Upshift indicator to come on with a programmable shift light-equipped tach or a standalone unit.

 

IIRC, that light was only used for the 300 4 speed OD combo, and was set to come on at a rather low RPM. It didn't indicate the engine was reaching too high RPM, but when the best time to shift to a higher gear for max MPG. Under light throttle, it would come on at about 1500 RPM, where the engine was just starting to make it's best torque.
I also believe it only lasted 1 or 2 years before it got dropped. It was really unpopular. Most of them were unhooked during the truck's first couple months with the new owner. They were that annoying.....

 

Just as a reference, my son's 1984 has it in the far left position. My 1986 has the emissions light there. Both originally were with the "much loved and sought after" feedback carburetor system [hah!!] and were 4.9L with 4 speed OD.

 

Sounds about right. I think the light was added about the same time as the feedback system.
Like I said, it didn't survive very long....

 

is there any way i can hook mine up to my 460?

 

Why bother? With the fuel ecomony the big blocks get, it would be on all the time