How to test a toggle switch?

There is meant to be a 3 position toggle switch on my old Scimitar gear box but it is missing. I found one on a spare gearbox but it is not the original and I need to test it.

The switch should toggle with OFF and one side, ON in the middle (Overdrive) and a different ON at the other side (Reverse light).

I have a battery, a multimeter and the switch shown below.
How do I check if the switch works and which side is OFF?

The middle pin will probably be the common, put one probe of your meter on that (redish brown wire). Put the other probe on the other wires (eg green). Put the meter onto resistance mode (or continuity if you have the option) then toggle the switch. You should see when the switch is on or off (0.00 for on, OL or 9999 for off). Then put the probe on the blue wire and repeat.

Damn, I tried that and there was not a beep from the multimeter regardless of which wire I connected to or where I set the switch.

I thought it might be broken as you can see the toggle has snapped and there is no feeling of position as you move the switch.

I will try to get a replacement but most seem to be ON/OFF/ON switches

This would seem to be the sort of thing you’re after.

Tony – Sort of but need to be a bit more rugged to cope with where it lives.

The toggle needs to fit into the slot in the piece of metal circled in red. I guess it gets some abuse when changing gear judging by the snapped toggle on my switch and the complete lack of a switch on the original ‘box.

I have found some on ebay. Thanks for your help.

Could use some of that sugru stuff[/url] to keep water out of the electrics. See what you mean about the location – I assume the toggle gets “flicked” by some other part of the gear linkage ? – might find that damping the contact between the linkage and the switch with a bit more sugru would help the switch to last a bit longer, or perhaps somehow mount the switch on a slightly compliant mount ?