91 auto comanche with new ax15 installed but no reverse lights

[Roverguy93]

Hey all ive got a 91 comanche that used to be automatic but now its got an ax15 from a 98 xj. i need to hook up the reverse lights to the transmission. However before i do that i have to find the 2 reverse light wires in the engine bay and connect them to the reverse light switch on the side of the tranny. ive found the 2 large plugs (1 gray 1 black) in the pass side of the motor near the firewall and i need to know which wires are the reverse lights. any assistance would greatly be appreciated.

[HOrnbrod]

The backup light hot wire comes from the AW4 auto transmission neutral safety switch (NSS). But since you don't have the AW4 anymore, the harness and connector for the NSS is probably hanging somewhere near your new manual transmission or up on the firewall as in the pic below. The NSS connector pinouts look like the below. The wire going to the backup lights is the brown/light green one on pin E. The lights are grounded behind the left tail lamp, which still should be intact.

 

 

[Roverguy93]

Just to clarify the harness in the Comanche now is from a 98 xj which is where the motor and transmission came from

[shelbyluvv]

You did a OBD-II swap or just swapped in the AX15 with the pig tail for the transmission?

[HOrnbrod]

Just to clarify the harness in the Comanche now is from a 98 xj which is where the motor and transmission came from

 

Would have been nice if you should had stated that in your first post. Is your rear body harness still intact? If so, you can pick up the backup lamp circuit in the connector behind the left kick panel.

[Roverguy93]

I didnt do the swap the guy i bought it from did. He said the only thing left from the comanche is the body. Everything else is xj

[shelbyluvv]

Does it have the 97+ dash in it?

[Roverguy93]

Yes everything inside is 97+ fuses electric seats and windows. Only thing left is the body. Which is why i need the reverse light wire on that plug except for a 98 xj

[HOrnbrod]

You have eight wires on that plug. Pull the backup light socket out of the tail light housing, remove the bulb, ground the center hot wire, then go to the plug and test each pin to ground with an ohmmeter to ID the reverse light hot wire. Remove your temporary ground wire at the socket to verify continuity goes away when remove it.  Would take ten minutes tops.

[Roverguy93]

[64 Cheyenne]

Ya need one of these http://www.powerprobe.com/

I bought a first gen tool, no multimeter, but powers up circuits, identifies "ground" one of the best tools I ever had for working on electrical. Paid $30 bucks for it on fleabay.

[dkmcgowan]

The backup light hot wire comes from the AW4 auto transmission neutral safety switch (NSS). But since you don't have the AW4 anymore, the harness and connector for the NSS is probably hanging somewhere near your new manual transmission or up on the firewall as in the pic below. The NSS connector pinouts look like the below. The wire going to the backup lights is the brown/light green one on pin E. The lights are grounded behind the left tail lamp, which still should be intact.

 

 

I'm swapping an aw4 with an ax15.

 

Is this diagram showing the black or grey connector under the hood?

 

If I read this correct should I tie the wires B and C together to simulate always in nuetral to bypass the NSS?

 

Also, does it mean I hook up A and E to the reverse switch on the ax15?

[HOrnbrod]

The gray connector. Pin E goes to your backup lights, + side. But verify it with your ohmmeter to be sure it's continuity. The backup lamp ground is behind the left tail lamp. So take the 12V output from your new backup switch on the AX-15  and connect it to pin E and it should work fine.

 

You can also test the circuit by applying 12V to gray connector pin E and your backup lamps should illuminate.