Club 80-90 Forums

After what feels like hours of searching for this flippin' thing (namely: the Reverse Lights Switch - mine's nearer the top of the gearbox than at the bottom where most people seem to find it!) and ... I can't budge the thing! It doesn't even look rusty - I just can't move it ('lefty loosey', right?) not a fraction! Here's the thing, according to my co-driver (looking from behind), when I go to take the stick out of reverse gear the off-side reverse light illuminates briefly which suggests that power is getting through to that light at least (albeit just for a nano-second coming out of gear not going in). I'm thinking I need to replace the existing switch but, not wanting to run before I can walk here, in order to do so I must first get this problematic one out ... it just won't budge though - "AARRGGHH!" Any ideas here Folks???    

They are never near the bottom , poor info there !
Put a bit more effort in on the spanner , it’ll come undone . It’s a standard thread not left hand thread , so lefty loosey as you put it . Maybe a squirt of penetrating oil (Plusgas not WD40)
You may find all you need to so is clean it , and add a washer under it to adjust the depth of the plunger .

Mocki wrote: ↑24 Apr 2022, 12:22 They are never near the bottom , poor info there !
Put a bit more effort in on the spanner , it’ll come undone . It’s a standard thread not left hand thread , so lefty loosey as you put it . Maybe a squirt of penetrating oil (Plusgas not WD40)
You may find all you need to so is clean it , and add a washer under it to adjust the depth of the plunger .

Thanks SO much for your quick response here Mocki. OK, off to source some Plusgas ... I'll report back and let you know how I go on - CHEERS!

The early 091 gearbox has the reverse switch low down front left, as fitted to Aircooled t25.

My reverse light wasn't functioning alsi
I just did as mocki mentioned (add washer)
now works fine.

UPDATE: 
Thanks for all the advice Folks! OK, quick update ... I'm not out of the woods yet. I managed to source an aerosal of No-Nonsense Penetrating Oil. Left it on over lunch and "Hey Presto!" A bit of torque on the spanner and the switch came free (thanks Mocki - TOP TIP!) I cleaned up the switch and connecting leads and reassembled - no joy sadly! Took it off again (much easier this time!) and tried re-fitting with a washer in place. Again, no joy. To cut  a LONG story short here I tried about four or five different washers (adding & subtracting as I went - I must have had the switch on and off this afternoon about 10 times!) Bottom line? Even though this original switch cleaned up fine and the spring-loaded ball end seems to be working fine too I'm guessing this switch must be damged inside so ... I've just been onto the Brickwerks site and ordered a new switch. Fingers crossed that'll do the trick and I'll have some joy- here's hopin'!    

Just be aware that there are two different connectors fort the reverse light switch , try and get the one that matches your loom, or you simply need to change the connection on the loom to match the switch . The switches are non polarised so it matter not which is pos and neg ( like a filament bulb )

Mocki wrote: ↑24 Apr 2022, 18:42 Just be aware that there are two different connectors fort the reverse light switch , try and get the one that matches your loom, or you simply need to change the connection on the loom to match the switch . The switches are non polarised so it matter not which is pos and neg ( like a filament bulb )

The replacement I've ordered from Brickwerks has the same part no. 020 941 521A so, like-for-like, it'll hopefully do the trick

 

you should need the fat aluminium washer with the new switch, be aware the new ones are pants quality compared to the original VDO ones so check the switch works well before fitting it, you should get continuity with about 1mm of movement of the tip
be also aware that if the tip of the selector shaft in the box is heavily worn that you may not get sufficient movement of the switch tip for it to work properly and if the pivot cup of the selector shaft is broken then it may also not work, and set up of the cup and ball side of the selector shaft can also have a bearing on the operation so partial engagement/flickering etc... is not uncommon

So my replacement new switch has just arrived this morning (great service there Brickwerks!) OK, wish me luck then, I'm going (back) in ... 

I do not like those JPGroup (topran, Calosrtat, FAE, etc.) style switches. They are made for a different connector used in golf/polo so they are missing an important part of the weather pack over the connector.

However they work just fine.

FACET 7.6009 is the OE style switch:

"AARRGGH!" Hasn't worked. Spent the last couple of hours with washers on and off. The best I can get is a flash of the offside reverse light coming out of reverse gear.

hook up the switch to the wiring but not installed in the gearbox. then operate the plunger by hand and see if the lights come on.. If you haven't got a helper you can always set your mobile phone recording a video of the back of the bus whilst you operate the switch

Aidan wrote: ↑25 Apr 2022, 06:58
be also aware that if the tip of the selector shaft in the box is heavily worn that you may not get sufficient movement of the switch tip for it to work properly and if the pivot cup of the selector shaft is broken then it may also not work, and set up of the cup and ball side of the selector shaft can also have a bearing on the operation so partial engagement/flickering etc... is not uncommon

Oops - sound like this may be your issue then

If the problem lays within the gearbox, is there any mileage in connecting an illuminated toggle switch on the dash to the lights.