weird wiring issue, reverse lights.

[jonathan yee]

my reverse lights aren't working. here's what i've chaecked/tried so far. (st185 gt4)

bulbs: fine not blown etc

switch: when in neutral/ign on receives 12v sends nothing. when in reverse ign on/eng off opens and sends 12v, (checked with mutliM)

hooked up a little circuit test light (the pen type with a fuse and aligator clip for earth)and it light's up when i put it in reverse.

but an actual bulb that i have in a tail light bulb holder with wires coming out doesn't light up? yet it will if i have the two wire from the bulb holder goin straight from the battery positive/neg????

WTF? tail/reverse lights just need 12v and ground don't they?

[Radar]

its not a twin filament globe in a single filament slot is it?...

[jonathan yee]

nah, single.

[blakeg]

they are negatively switched. try disconnecting the switch on the box and bridging it out with some wire and see if they come on with the ign on. .
the switch on my box failed and gave the same symptoms .

[TRD-12A]

Check for power and earth at the socket that way you can see whats happening if it is the box like blakeg said you should be getting 2 power signals one with ignition on and then one when in reverse

[jonathan yee]

ok so i disconnected the plug and bridged the wires and the rev lights came on with car ign on and in rev, but won't if i plug it back into the gearbox switch.

so does that mean both switches i have are faulty? i think i have another switch i can try, could it be the internal mechanism that is supposed to engage the switch? that'd be a nightmare.........

[jonathan yee]

never mind. got it sorted. it was actually the plug being rooted, wasn't holding the pins tight so when you push the plug on it was only ever so slightly pushing the wires out and not connecting properly.

yay, only the engine and gearbox to clean of oil and grease then back to the DPI for registering........

thanks guys