Reverse lights - shifter.

[K5_Fla]

84 K5-

I recently got the trans rebuilt. Noticed that my reverse lights only come on for a second between P and R. I have to hold the shifter in a “sweet spot” to get the reverse lights to stay on. Is there some adjustment? If so where?

 

[cwn anwyn]

Its some slop in your linkage. The back up lights and neutral safety switch is on your column, right near the firewall, under the dash. Its white and curved, with two plugs going into it. (Atleast thats what mine looked like on my 84)

Z

 

[K5_Fla]

how do you fix the slop in linkage?

 

[cwn anwyn]

Not sure exactly. Mine was doing the same thing and I planned on tightening all the joints up and checking the brackets along the engine bay/firewall side to the trans. But my tilt mechanism exploded one day while driving and I trashed my column pretty bad trying to get it out of the road. It was pretty sloppy and it probably wasnt a good idea to let it flop around that long.

I ended up swapping in a manual column that I had and going with a cable shifter that was sitting in my garage. I didnt bother with the reverse light/neutral safety switch when I swapped things over. But thats how I knew where switch was.

Z

 

[dremu]

If the shop R&R'd the tranny, they didn't complete the job. (If you brought them the bare tranny then it's not their fault )

Anyway, yep, it's the switch along the steering column, loosen the two screws (1/4" or 5/16" head, IIRC) and slide the switch up or down to adjust. I'd pop the thing into reverse with the engine off, then adjust the switch until the lights pop on.

It's the little that rotates around the column, I do believe, not the long skinny one that slides along the length of the column -- that's the ignition switch.

-- A

 

[K5_Fla]

dremu -

Are you talking about this white thing at the firewall - end of the colume?

 

[dremu]

(runs outside to look at his truck)

Yep, I fink that's it. Mine has screws on the ears; the visible one is circled.

Donno if yours is different 'cuz it's newer or if the plastic is broken on that side or what.

You may find it easier getting around up there if you *partially* drop the column; remove the sheet metal plate and trim, and somewhere up there are two 3/8" nuts (i.e. 9/16" deep well socket.) Support the column and loosen them -- don't take them all the way off or the column will drop, and it's heavy and a PITA to put back.

Anyway, mine has one screw, circled, then another one on the other side going around the column.

That switch is both the backup light and the neutral lockout, the one that doesn't let you crank the starter when it's in gear.

-- A

 

[cwn anwyn]

Yep thats the switch I was talking about. I dont remember those screws on mine (84 also) but I will check when I get back to the house. I do remember having to loosen the sheet metal/firewall bolts and loosening the 2 bolts under the brake booster along with the 2 dash bolts to get my column to drop any. I tried to move it without messing with the brake booster bolts and it wouldnt budge!

Z

 

[K5_Fla]

All fixed now... here is the fix. No screws...just about 5 clicks to the right and she is all good!

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255525&page=3

 

[dremu]

Aha, GM actually *improved* something then! It *is* fricken difficult to get a nutdriver or even a 1/4" drive ratchet in there on mine... I'm jealous

-- A