71 Cuda Reverse lights not working

[STEVEN DEMASI]

Hello all, when i bought my 1971 Cuda Clone the reverse lights never worked. I originally diagnosed the problem as a missing back up light harness, so i bought a new harness and switch and installed them on the a833 tranny. I hooked them up and still nothing, i checked and i have power to the harness, i then checked and realized i have no power at the rear lights. I checked the fuse under the dash and the fuse is good. Now i am stuck as to where to look next. Need some help. As background my car was an original automatic which was converted to a 4 speed not sure if that means anything. i am fairly new to mopars and have no electrical experience. the internet is my teacher...

thanks

Steve

 

[704406]

The first step is to check and see if battery voltage is going to one side of the trans switch. If you have battery voltage at the switch plug, you can connect a jumper wire to the other side of the two prong harness and start tracing voltage from there back to the backup lights.
Have you checked the rear bulbs?
Do you have a wiring diagram or service manual?
Who ever converted the auto trans to manual may never have spliced into the harness to connect the backup lights.

 

[STEVEN DEMASI]

The first step is to check and see if battery voltage is going to one side of the trans switch. If you have battery voltage at the switch plug, you can connect a jumper wire to the other side of the two prong harness and start tracing voltage from there back to the backup lights.
Have you checked the rear bulbs?
Do you have a wiring diagram or service manual?
Who ever converted the auto trans to manual may never have spliced into the harness to connect the backup lights.

Do you know what i need to look for to see if they spliced into the harness?? my gut says that is it, based on other things i have found so far.

 

[704406]

The auto trans wiring for the backup lights is also the neutral safety start harness which is 3 wires and the manual trans harness is 2 wires. A service manual or wiring diagram is going to help you solve this.
I will try tomorrow to give you wire color codes to trace. Likely someone has not connected something that they should have.
Does it start with out having to depress the clutch pedal?
Do you have power at the trans switch?
It's really hard to know what someone else has done or not done but take your time and follow the wires from the rear forward along the drivers side sill as a starting point

 

[704406]

71 service manual, from the fuse box to the bulkhead disconnect at #8, white wire is power.
Engine side of bulkhead at #8, to trans switch, wire is black.
From switch to bulkhead disconnect #7, wire is black with a tracer color.
From #7 inside car to body connect wiring plug behind left kick panel wire is white with a tracer color.
From body wiring plug to rear lights along the left door sill and up into the trunk. 71 service manual doesn't give a color for backup light wire. 70 service manual says backup light wire is brown.
Check that you have power to the switch.
Check that the bulbs are good.
Check that the lights have a good ground.

 

[STEVEN DEMASI]

Thank you again so much for the help, little update. the car will start in neutral without the clutch being pressed. I followed the wires from the rear to the driverside kick panel and i believe they are wired correctly. i have attached a few pics as well. I hooked up the in cabin dash reverse light and it does not work either. it is also brand new. So now i am truly confused why its not getting any power. I thought i checked and had power at the switch. I also noticed a couple things that seemed out of place. at the top of the second pic below there are two green wires that connect to a female end and a black wire with a male end. tried connecting them, nothing. also the last pic below, above the break pedal is a "Switch" or something with a blue wire pigtail to nowhere. Any more guidance would be greatly appreciated, but i am afraid this might be past my skill set.