JazzRox

I've got a '90 vert w/ no backup lights. I found a thread answered by IceMark, found some corresponding info in my Haynes; just need a little shove down the "..cut the wire...." path.

Here's the thread; hope it works.
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...=Backup+lights

Anyway, I found a "backup light & fifth gear switch" in the Haynes blow-up of the transmission. if the top of the tranny is 12 o'clock, its at around 1:30;....somewhat out of reach though I think I can see it. Where I'm confused is, in the thread Icemark says
>> "To wire a relay, locate the wire in the kick panel for the reverse lights, cut it. "<<

Isn't the kick panel under the dash by the pedals? I looked there...tons of stuff.

Icemark also says:
>>"Reverse is Blk/Yellow to igntion and Red/Grn to the back up lights.

That corresponds to my Haynes also(in the Tranny blow-up), but are those colors unique thru the entire car? So if I found them under the dash they're still the backup lights & not anything else?

And finally.....where is the actual switch. At the tranny? Under the dash?

Any suggestions you guys can derive out of the mish-mash of info I typed will be greatly appreciated.

Bob

Icemark

The switch wires join up with the other front harness wires and run into the drivers kick panel.

The kick panel is easily found by sitting in the driver seat, rest your foot on the pedals, then move your foot as far towards the outside of the car as you can. the panel that your foot would hit is the kick panel. Its also what the fuse box is in and the door harness comes in to.

The red/grn in the drivers kick panel harness runs to the rear down on the drivers side. So you can either find the red/green coming in from underhood on the drivers side or in that harness running towards the rear.

JazzRox

Thanks for the reply. I think I found the wire, and if I did, I found it *after* the problem because I have no reponse from the voltage meter. I put the ignition all the way forward witout actually starting the car;no current from the red wire w/ green stripe next to the voltage contact in the pic (i hope).


What I'm unclear on is (among numerous other things) why am I grabbing the R/G that goes to the lights...I already *know* the lights don't work....or am I supposed to ge grabbing it *before* the switch?

I did find it coming out of the tranny & headed up front. Might that be a place to connect?
Thanks for the patient response.

JazzRox

Rats....pic didn't work. While checking the wire I did have the car in reverse; forgot to mention that.

Samps

The red and green wire will only see juice when you put the car in reverse. The black and yellow wire should always have juice. I am not too familiar with this system but it seems easy enough. When you shift into reverse it conects the black and yellow wire to the green and red wire and your reverse lights come on. If I screwed that whole mess up, let me know and I'll delete it, so others won't be misled.

JazzRox

May be this will have the pic

Icemark

nah thats exactly right.

JazzRox

Under the car does the red/green get any voltage when you shift into reverse with the key in the on position?

If it does move a little, then adding the relay should work fine for you (and fix that design flaw that mazda had on these and the Miatas).

I am not sure about the one you found there in the kick panel. Is that plug part of the harness running towards the rear there? It looks right, but its hard to tell from the picture.

To double check, This wire should not be hot (show voltage) when you turn the headlights on as all the other red/greens will. This wire will only show voltage when the key is on and the car is in reverse.

If it is then try cutting it. There are no computer lines there that you should worry about. Again on wiring the relay, the relay goes between the wires.

Red/green side going towards front: 86
Ground on 85
Red/green cut wire side going towards rear: 30
12V+ ignition on 87

87a is not used.

This wire should not be hot when you turn the headlights on

JazzRox

OK, learned some more. TThe R/G coming out of the tranny is definetly the one I see under the kickpanel in the above pic. I did a little continuity check. And there is no juice while in reverse (car actually running...no small feat).

So....now what? I guess I still need to know where the switch is...is it possible that its what is screwed into the transmission?
I'm gonna tie into the B/Y wire & observe the voltage in & out of reverse.

Thanks for the responses

Icemark

Hey you don't need the car running while testing, just on

JazzRox

>>Hey you don't need the car running while testing, just on
>
Good, thanks. I now know that SAMPS is exactly right also. I tied into the B/Y...always hot in or out of Reverse.


>>Under the car does the red/green get any voltage when you shift into reverse with the key in the on position?

Not a flicker, cold as that snippy 4th grade english teacher.

So I guess that means I need to replace that hard-to-get-to screw-in switch on the tranny, eh? Yeesh.

Icemark

well you could always try the relay and see it that works... a relay is only $5 -$10 vs $? (its been so long since I priced one I am sure it is outlandish now) the switch.

The relay will never hurt the system even if you have to replace the switch

JazzRox

Alright then. Thanks for the effort. Whats funny is, I live in the mountains where its particualrly dark at night. I thought the backup lights were just dim, so I bought & installed some little halogen running lights under the back bumper & tied 'em into the existing lights. Hmmm...just as dim....no, they're NOT WORKING. Thats how this got started.

Maybe I'll just try the relay like you said.
Later

Icemark

Ahhh the switchs are weak to start with, but you may have overloaded it for sure adding in the extra lights (unless you used a relay for them).

If you are keeping the extra lights, then you will need the relay no matter what. The factory switch is only good for about 10 Amps and the factory lights draw half that, just themselves

Icemark

Hey if you are still stuck I will be online tonight sometime after 10PM (PST). I'll sign on to my AOL IM account if you need more help or have other questions.

You can see my AOL IM name by checking my profile.