Connected problems

[Spectatohead]

Ever since I got this car there have been two little problems that I just haven't gotten around to working out. One is that the reverse lights don't work. The other is that the fuel pump runs whenever the ignition is on and the inertia switch doesn't stop it either. Okay that problem might be a bad thing if I should get into a wreck and the pump doesn't stop. Anyway, today I thought I'd check the reverse switch. The switch shows shorted when in reverse and open when not in reverse. Okay, the switch is good. No voltage coming into the switch. I try hooking the incoming wires straight to a 12V supply. Imagine my surprise when the fuel pump starts running! What seems to have happened is that at some point the previous owner had fuel pump problems. There was an external pump mounted to the bulkhead in front of the tank when I got the car. When I cleaned and coated the tank I also replaced the fuel sender and in tank fuel pump. The wires at the tank all look normal. So, somewhere between the reverse switch and the fuse block someone has taken the power for the reverse switch and wired the fuel pump into it. Fun. I don't have the time or the energy right now to get the thing up in the air and crawl under it to find out where the wires are bodged up. For now the car runs and I get to enjoy it from time to time. Hopefully it won't be too hard to find where the two circuits cross and put them back right. Why can't people just fix things the right way to begin with?

Jim Clark
'80 TR8
'97 Maxima 5spd

[whitenviro]

Just be glad they took the power before the switch: otherwise, your fuel pump would only work when you were in reverse!


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1980 Pageant Blue DHC with removable hardtop.

[Hasbeen]

Jim an old mate of mine used to say it was no good getting old, if you didn't get lucky. [:D]

It looks like you are getting lucky, lets just hope you don't do the other thing too quickly. [xx(]

Hasbeen

[FI Spyder]

The reverse switch wires goes into a multi pin connector near the top right of the bell housing before it disappears into the main wiring loom bundle that is wrapped. The other pins in the connector block are used for auto trans. While he could have tapped it anywhere it might have been from there although I don't know how accessible on a V-8. Not that great for 4 unless transmission is removed (as in my recent clutch job).



- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT