Where is the backup switch?

cykaaro said:

sorry, 1990 pioneer, auto.

There was a start problem with the NSS and we bypassed it, but it never effected the backup lights at all. Now it seems to be doing it.

I've heard there's a problem with removing it becuse of the transmission fluid will leak when it's removed. is this true? I'm new to working on cars, and have limited resources and don't want to fooker it up, but don't want to pay $$$$ to get it done as well. How hard is it to find and remove. Looking under the vehicle I've not easily found it at all, and I worry about rust as a problem, being that it has been rebuilding this puppy due to it originating in Northern Ontario.

thx for the help. Appreciate it.

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Matthew Currie said:

Fluid will not leak when it's removed. It is bolted to the outside of the transmission, and engages with a shaft that comes out the side. You'll find it on the passenger side of the transmission. Just look for the thingamabob with the wiring harness going to it. The body of the switch is held to the transmission by a single bolt, and the moving part of it is clamped to the shaft that comes out of the transmission. The problem you are likely to have is with the way the switch attaches to that shaft. Bear with me as I try to describe this, but you'll understand when you look at it directly. The aluminum shaft of the switch itself is hollow, and the steel shaft from the transmission passes through it. The switch shaft is split longitudinally, and a nut goes over it to clamp it tight over the steel shaft. It's like a collet or a chuck. The problem is that the aluminum corrodes to the steel, and it's very brittle, so that you cannot spread the aluminum outer shaft without breaking it. So you'll have to soak it liberally with some kind of penetrant, and work very slowly and patiently to break it loose. If there's clearance, one way to do this is to loosen but not remove the nut, then clamp a vise-grips over the nut, and try tapping on the vise-grips. You can also try to tap it inward a tiny bit before trying to tap it outward, just to break the bond. Of course you could be lucky and it might just slide right off. I had to use a slide-hammer with a hook into a pair of vise-grips to get the switch off my parts 89, but the one on my horribly rusted, basket-case 87 popped off without protest. You can at least give it a try and hope it's your lucky day.

Just be really patient. Let it soak, and think creatively. Remember that the switch costs over 200 US dollars new, and budget your time accordingly. If you can get the thing off in one piece, cleaning and lubing it is quick and easy and very rewarding, and you'll feel like a hero for saving all that money.

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