Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 21:41:56 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: Back-up lights
In-Reply-To: <CAHTkEuJ4hAG2aD=a1mcoNHtK3puY7BGEohCxezCP6io+2wTScQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
perhaps your switch is adjusted, depth wise, in the trans, right on the
edge of condutivity.
How deep the switch is, is determined by the washers under it.
if the sealing washer is not thick enough ....you'll have BU lights that
never turn off.
If it's too thick..they'll never come on. ( or vise versa )
perhaps you are right on the cusp there.
I'd try a.............. let's see.....try a thinner one .
I just save sealing rings , like extras from gasket sets or whatever,
decades worth even.
I have a whole quart jar of them ....there's usually the right one there.
Scott
On 10/30/2013 9:33 PM, Don Hanson wrote:
> I have a spotlight mounted on my roof with the handle inside within
> driver's reach, just by the inside mirror. I use that as my back up
> light as well as my campsight-finding light, my around the camp work light,
> and various other things...One of my better improvements on my van, an idea
> carried over from an old splt-window 36 hp cargo panel van I once had...
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 30, 2013 at 5:53 PM, Gene P <olgreywoof@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Ben. Note to myself: THINK! I know that stuff.
>>
>> OK, overs. 87 Wolfsburg, manual, the backup switch with the separate spade
>> connectors. Also, I've added a relay so the wire from the switch is only
>> triggering the relay, power for the lights picked up in the wiring box.
>> New tests with a jumper wire:
>> 1. Power directly to the feed to the lights, bypassing everything except
>> wiring from the wiring box to the lights - lights stay on! (Eliminating
>> bulbs and wiring at the taillights.)
>> 2. Pull wires from relay and jump feed from switch to feed to lights
>> (bypassing relay) - lights go out. (Eliminating relay as cause.)
>> 3. Jump from switch to relay, bypassing harness wiring - lights go out.
>> 4. Jump from power source to supply side of switch, eliminating wiring from
>> dash to switch - lights go out.
>>
>> I'm just learning electrical, but seems I've eliminated everything except
>> the switch. And you say a bad switch can cause these symptoms. In each
>> test, I can keep the lights on by backing very smoothly, riding the clutch
>> -- either backing abruptly or stopping causes the lights to go out. If a
>> bad switch can do that, I need a switch.
>>
>> Thanks much,
>> gp
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Oct 29, 2013 at 11:48 PM, Ben <syncro@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Gene,
>>>
>>> It's important to specify which transmission you have. The automatics
>> have
>>> their back-up light switches at the shifter console. Whereas, the manual
>>> trans have their switches at the nose come area. Jostling a loose wire
>> can
>>> cause such a problem. A defective switch or bulb can similarly give those
>>> symptoms.
>>>
>>>
>>> BenT
>>> sent from my electronic leash
>>>
>>>> On Oct 29, 2013, at 11:26 PM, Gene P <olgreywoof@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Question: how can motion extinguish the back-up lights?
>>>> Symptom:
>>>> 1. engine off (ignition on), gear in reverse - lights work
>>>> 2. engine on, gear in reverse - lights work
>>>> 3. begin to back up, within 10 feet (2 or 3 seconds) lights go out
>>>>
>>>> I've gone through these variations many times and it does this every
>>>> time. Since everything works while my head is in the engine bay, what
>>>> can I check?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> GeneP
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