Hello again. I posted previously about blowing fuse 12, and with Art's help, seemingly traced the problem to some bare/chafing wires for my backup-light switch.

Today I began an operation to repair all the areas of the wire I could find that were exposed. I did the best I could, but the wire shielding is just rotten. In my attempt to go deep and find some good wire, every inch of jacket removed showed me more and more crumbling shielding. Well, I thought, I'll just tape what I can, splice in some good wire, and call it good. Right. An hour or three and a couple of feet of electrical tape later, my reverse lights work fine. All the time. In any gear, heck, even in neutral. I knew why, and my laziness had nowhere to hide. The connectors at the transmission itself, as I was trying to pretend I didn't know, were also rotten, and in fact the wires were touching each other due to a complete lack of shielding. I'm amazed that they weren't touching before but in my (mis)handling of the wires, tugging them for slack, this time they had had enough.

Well in my exuberance prior to realizing my full lazy potential, I also gave the same treatment to my OD wiring. Only, my OD wiring was actually in much worse condition. It's a wonder it works[ed] at all.

As I'm prone to, I was pretty sick of the whole mess by the time I thought I was finished. Upon discovering the failure of my operation I childishly decided to remove the wires altogether. The thing is, the OD wiring is jacketed together with the backup-relay switch wiring as it is routed over the top of the transmission housing. No problem, it's just one plug going to the OD thingy, within easy reach under the car. Only there is another wire, going I have no idea where. I noticed this wire after I had already pulled the whole shebang up through the hole into the passenger seat. It has a round plug on it, similar to the wires that plug into the backup-light switch.

I can't find that in my haynes...I have no idea where it goes and I can't see anything under my car.

It must have somethng to with the overdrive right?

As usual I've rambled my way into a long story for a simple question. I guess sometimes I need to release a stream of conciousness.

Kevin