Shifter Illumination?

B

bruss01

Member
1978 Scout II automatic

I had the plastic cover over the transmission shift lever removed because I was taking a look at the boot, which needs to be replaced. While I was in there, I had the prndl bar off... Underneath, there is a circular hole that looks like it is in just the perfect place to house a socket for a light bulb to illuminate the shift lever markings (the prndl21 letters). However, there is no socket, no light bulb, just empty space.

Is there a socket that will fit this hole that I can wire up? And if so, where can I get one? It looks like it was tailor made for that.
 
You might look down by the tranny. They can fall down if you or po have had the boot off, if nothing else the wire should be down there. It is a stock light that fits in the hole.
I am sure ihon can fix you up with one if you can't find the one on your Scout.
Ron
 
ronmc1954 said:
you might look down by the tranny. They can fall down if you or po have had the boot off, if nothing else the wire should be down there. It is a stock light that fits in the hole.
I am sure ihon can fix you up with one if you can't find the one on your Scout.
Ron
Click to expand...

I removed the plastic housing around the shift lever, and looked down with my flashlight - nothing. Got underneath and spent probably 20 minutes looking and feeling around for a wire, socket, anything... I could find nothing that wasn't securely fastened already, nothing dangling or "spare" at all.

It would be nice to have the shift letters backlit. Is there a socket available that will fit the hole? I'm hoping to improvise one since there doesn't seem to be an original on this vehicle. The hole appears to be intended for that purpose and I would love to see it live up to that.
 
Michael mayben posted this in another electrical thread:

"the correct instrument illumination bulb holder for all Scout II/pickalls with the printed circuit instrument pods is a pico 5458c made for a 5/8" mounting hole. I have a package on my desk right now!"

maybe this also fits the shifter housing...
 
robertc said:
michael mayben posted this in another electrical thread:

"the correct instrument illumination bulb holder for all Scout II/pickalls with the printed circuit instrument pods is a pico 5458c made for a 5/8" mounting hole. I have a package on my desk right now!"

maybe this also fits the shifter housing...
Click to expand...

Robert...

I just finished rebuilding my instrument clusters. The bulbs for that are very small and the sockets that twist into the circuit boards are very small. Also the holes have wings for the tab to go through... Hard to explain if you haven't seen it. That's very unlike the hole I am describing. I will have to take a picture I suppose, worth a thousand words they say.
 
It should be the same bulb and socket as the floor curtisy lights over by each door also the dash lights that light the labels below the guage packs, such as lights, wipers,lighter ect.
Ron
 
17735_235917.jpg


You mean like this? Wow, that's steep, $30 for a dinky little socket. I'd hate to take a chance on one of those and then find out it didn't fit after all. Suggestions anyone?
 
Price it through ihon, Scout parts is always high with their prices. Jeff might even have a used one, just give him a call. And yes that does look like the one you need.
Ron
 
Replacement light sockets/pigtails are available at any full service auto parts for under $4. Those sockets are universal in nature and are not vehicle-specific whatsoever!

Not only for this particular application but nearly any light system ever used on a domestic motor vehicle.
 
I will take a look and see what my local kragen has. May have to take the shift console down there to be sure of a fit.

Thanks Mike.

Eta: I went to two separate kragen auto stores. They both had a socket that fits the hole - however - it is a single-wire socket that is intended to ground against the bracket it mounts in... Which doesn't work when that bracket is a plastic housing. Which in function is unlike the two-wire socket pictured above, that has it's own separate ground. Maybe I can drill it out, run a second wire inside it, then seal it with epoxy. Wish I didn't have to kluge something together like this.
 
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2wiresocket.jpg


Huh, that looks Like it would work... Found it on a corvette site.

Eta: ok, been surfing all evening looking for one similar. Went ahead and bought the corvette part above for $4.50... Not too bad except when they gouged me for $7+ for shipping!! Ow! But if it fits like the others in my truck, it will have been worth it. The sockets I found at kragen are absolutely junk.
 
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I have the same problem with mine, I dont think it ever had one originaly, where did you end up hooking this up for power?
 
Ornelles, since it is for the shifter you could run the wire through the tranny tunnel up to the bulkhead connector by the master cylinder. That is where the clearance and park lights come out of the dash. You what the shifter light to come on when you turn on the lights.

Ron
 
That's kind of what I did... Tapped into a wire that had power with the parking lights only. It was up on the firewall (I believe) in the master cylinder area. I did get the light socket from the corvette site, it fits perfectly, and lights up the shift console perfectly.
 
I'm surprised you didn't find the wiring harness that contains the auto shifter backlight lamp. The same harness contains the connector for the transfer case 4h/4l indicator switch. That harness might just be lying on top of the transmission and transfer case. You will probably need to remove the entire trans tunnel cover to access it. Does your *front axle engaged* lamp in the instrument cluster illuminate when the t-case is placed in 4wd?
 
Imo, splicing into the wire for the dash lights would be "better" (what I did when I put a tach in my t/a) -- light would be "dimmable" via the headlight switch.

Actually, if you "follow" the dash light wire under the dash, I would think you would find a connector for a/t console light.
 
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