My car had no brake lights - diagnosing today, oddly enough - no brake light switch installed! (but he gave me what appears to be a used one).
I jumped the pigtail and had brake lights… GOOD !
I plugged in the switch and had no brake lights… GOOD !
I compressed the brake light switch and had brake lights… GOOD !
I released the compression on the brake light switch and they go off…GOOD!
I install and plug in the brake light switch and they are on without pressing the pedal…NOT GOOD!
So - what’s up? Everything seems to independently test well. The switch must be compressed even when the pedal is not on.
It’s a manual brake car. Could the switch be for a power brake car?
Thanks, Dave - that’s the only thing I can think of.
I wonder if there is a way to tell visually if it’s for PB or MB
Based on the one I have compared to the pictures online, this one is different, and since it’s on there so snugly, I suspect it may be the wrong one.
I ordered a new one. Fingers crossed.
I installed another brake switch tonight. This one was a little taller, and the hole was even a little farther from the bottom (like a mm or two), so I had high hopes, but as soon as I mounted it on the post, brake lights on.
This is frustrating, but it’s gotta be switch related, since the connector and switch both test fine until it’s mounted.
One of my fellow club members has a manual brake car. Maybe I need to try his switch in my car and see if that works.
This is very frustrating.
thanks 70XR7Tom. I went through that, and don’t see much that helps except from Engine207 where he mentions having to kick the pedal to get his brake lights to go off.
The one thing I see from Yorgie is this, that I can try:
Stick the pushrod on the pin (temporarily without the switch and verify that you can move the pedal a bit before the pushrod moves. The way this works is that as the pedal moves toward the firewall, the pushrod stays put for a bit and presses against the plunger part of the switch.
I’ve had many issues w/ switches thru the years. In trying to solve issues I’ve come across a few things to look at.
Make sure the brake pedal is free to move the total swing. Remove switch from post & rotate booster rod 90 degrees. Then push pedal in & pull back out. Check for bind. (I’ve fixed a 1/2 dozen this way.)
The bushings & washers can be of issue too. The white washer on the post of the pedal is good to stay. The bushing is sometimes the problem. I have deleted the bushing & or the outer white washer. This allows the post to move a bit before it activates the switch.
Yep, I know this is not how the book shows, but it works, continues to work for years, and is a easy solution.
Hope this helps, and please let us know how you make out!
Dave, I had planned on taking it to Carlisle anyway - I would have just had to drive in the middle of the pack, or something if I didn’t have working brake lights. i even thought of hooking up a remote thumb switch if I had to - just to have something out back.
The switch that’s in the car now is the new one I just got from the auto parts store. I’ll put the other one back in the glove box.
Getting tires put on this weekend. Probably doing shifter bushings tonight. Did valve seals last weekend.
Hey Bill - I’ll keep that in mind! I was there in March - flew into Denver and was in Sidney, NE for a week for on-boarding with Cabela’s.
I’m a remote employee, but I may go there a couple times a year.
I was on a call with a colleague this morning who lives in Colorado. He went out his front door and there was a rattlesnake on his porch.
Hmmm …
Snakes are bad this year here. I chased a bullsnake the other day… He was pissed at me and wanted more… until I hosed him down the street! Glad the water was really cold… he was about 3 ft + .
Another snake (green slider) was hunting out back, and also had a water “ride” out of the area.
Thankfully NO rattlers… they tend to stay where it is dry & sunny.
Thanks for this advice Bill. I had to replace my switch and it didn’t have the bushing. Now I know why. When it is in there it takes up the slack in the eye of the push rod and is just enough to engage the switch. Without it, it works fine.
