Yeah I've tried multiple new switches... I even got a switch that is reverse polarity... meaning pushing in the button makes the light go off (letting go of the button makes the light go on), but I doubt that would make a difference.

Might be down to a switch with the “right” plunger length and the point at which switch turns “on” as you depress the switch.

Take one of your functioning switches and start filing off a bit of the tip so it’s shorter. Keep removing a bit at a time until it works?

That's a good suggestion... I'll try filing it and let you know.  Thank you! 

 

What's odd is that it did work for the first 5-6 times putting it in and out of reverse. 

2 hours ago, eastcoastz said:

... I even got a switch that is reverse polarity...

Switches don’t have polarity. They are either normally open or normally closed.

 

So I'm really confused here... this switch which I thought was the reverse switch seems, in fact to be the 5th gear (O.D.) switch.  When I remove this switch and put the tranny in 5th gear, I see the "ramp" show up in the hole.  When I put it in reverse, the rod moves just a little bit but the "ramp" is never visible.

 

 

... the only other switch that I see is this one (below - at the top of the picture) which I believe in the neutral switch. I didn't physically confirm this to be the neurtral... just assuming it's the neutral switch based on diagrams I've seen.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

So where the heck is the reverse light switch?  I don't see any other switches clearly evident or holes where a switch could go.

Edited September 30, 20222 yr by eastcoastz

Now it all comes clear. The reverse switch is just behind the clutch slave cylinder. Right side.

Various trannies have 5th gear and neutral switches as well. All reverse switches are in the same place

@zKars - your picture looks like my first picture... which appears to be my 5th gear switch, not reverse.  Unless the person who rebuilt the transmission put the rod in backwards... is that even possible?

Actually you might have a point. Let me find a better picture

If you two locations for switches on the right side, in front of the fill plug and behind the slave, then the front one is the reverse switch.

This picture shows the “usual” location” of reverse switch on a zx 5 speed. A Z 4 speed would be the same except further back in the space between the fill plug and the spot where the switch is in this picture.

The FSM picture shows where the rev and 5th gear (top gear) switches would be

Thank you.  Yeah, I'm not seeing another location for a switch in front of the 5th gear (O.D.) one.

Is it even possible that the rod was installed backwards to the point that it "turns into" a 5th gear switch instead of a reverse switch?

Looks like the correct hole.  The switch button would sit right next to the ramp edge.  Just a tiny movement moves the button.

Before you start filing away at the button you could just thread the switch in to the hole partially.  You could use a meter to see when the contacts close then back it off a thread.  Then put the transmission in reverse and see if it works correctly.  If it does then a washer or some filing should get you there.

This is what you should see in the hole when it's in reverse and not.

There are detent balls/plugs/springs in the adapter plate that hold the rod in the proper position.  Things would have to be way off to get the ramp in the wrong place.

Edited September 30, 20222 yr by Zed Head
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