Brake lights not coming on ?

[Wayne P.]

I converted my 64 to front wheel disk brakes. I also installed a duel master with a power booster.with a proportional valve.
Basically a 1967 set up.
The brakes work great. However The brake lights do not come on.
When I turn the lights on all four tail lights light up.
I tried to manually push in the brake switch but nothing happens.
I didn't think their should be a difference between the old and the new brakes as far as the pedal touching the switch. What am I missing. Any help would be appreciated.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

I converted my 64 to front wheel disk brakes. I also installed a duel master with a power booster.with a proportional valve.
Basically a 1967 set up.
The brakes work great. However The brake lights do not come on.
When I turn the lights on all four tail lights light up.
I tried to manually push in the brake switch but nothing happens.
I didn't think their should be a difference between the old and the new brakes as far as the pedal touching the switch. What am I missing. Any help would be appreciated.

The switch can be adjusted, but you push in on the switch to turn the lights off not on. Short across the switch to see if the brake lights work, If so you just need to adjust it.

[Wayne P.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

Thanks Wayne will try tonight.

[Jack H.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

Two maladies affect brake light operation on these classic cars:

(1) The switch plunger gets 'sticky' from age/oxidation and disuse causing it NOT to pop out when the pedal is actuated (lights constantly OFF.

(2) The metal bracket the switch installs through becomes bent causing the switch plunger not to align with the brake pedal and the plunger isn't returned to its OFF position (brake lights ON constantly).

[John H.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

I tried to manually push in the brake switch but nothing happens

Pushing IN on the brake light switch won't make the brake lights come on - the switch operates by the plunger moving OUT as the pedal is depressed, which closes the contacts and activates the brake lights. When you converted to the power booster, did you add the bolt-on striker bracket to the brake pedal to operate the switch?

[Wayne P.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

I checked the wire leading to the brake switch it is orange and black.
their is no power. All fuses are ok checked with a trouble light.
Should I take a live wire and attach it to the black and orange wire to see if the brake lights work ? Thanks in advance.

[Jack H.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

Per the wiring diagram, the black/orange wire SHOULD be hot and it shares a common junction with the interior courtesy lights and several other circuits. You should be able to troubleshot by:

(1) Disconnecting both wires to the brake light switch, lay an ohm meter across the switch and exercise it to see resistance toggles between short and open circuit states. That validates the switch itself.

(2) Jumper B+ onto the brake switch's B/W wire and your brake lights ought to fire up. That validates the wiring from the brake switch to the rear lamps.

(3) Now, go find why your B/OR wire lacks B+....

[Wayne P.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

John I didn't add on a striker bracket. The pedal still touches the switch.
I will look for this part.
Thanks

[Wayne P.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

Jack you are correct my interior courtesy lights don't work.
They became temperamental last year.I replaced the switch with a new one .Will look at it again tonight. Thanks for the advice I am learning slowly.

[Wayne P.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

Per the wiring diagram, the black/orange wire SHOULD be hot and it shares a common junction with the interior courtesy lights and several other circuits. You should be able to troubleshot by:

(1) Disconnecting both wires to the brake light switch, lay an ohm meter across the switch and exercise it to see resistance toggles between short and open circuit states. That validates the switch itself.

(2) Jumper B+ onto the brake switch's B/W wire and your brake lights ought to fire up. That validates the wiring from the brake switch to the rear lamps.

(3) Now, go find why your B/OR wire lacks B+....

Jack.
I put the jumper on brake lights did go on. Now the challenge begins.
If I can't locate the problem would a temp. fix be to jump b+ at brake pedal switch. Thanks

[Jack H.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

Most problems things are soluable. I don't like 'temporary' fixes because they tend to make folks lazy and not go track down the real problem....

If your power lead wire to the brake switch doesn't have B+ on it AND your courtesy lights aren't working, what does that tell you? Yep, the power line in the wiring harness is open circuited somewhere....

If it's open circuited that means there's some point where there's a raw B+ powered wire 'hanging' loose. Do you really want to effect a 'temporary' fix and drive the car this way?

Reminds me of a fella who came to our shop for misc repairs on his car. While it was on the rack, we saw the fuel line from the tank to the engine compartment was in BAD condition and weeping slightly.

We informed him of the problem and he asked for a repair quote. When given the cost estimate to replace the car's fuel lines, he 'freaked' out. We did the rest of the work and wrote up the problem we diagnosed on the work order, annotated it with 'Customer Declined To Repair At This Time', had him initial the line item and he drove merrily on his way.

ONE YEAR later the car caught fire on the freeway in Denver. By the time the fire department arrived, it was a puddle of smoking fiberglass covering misc engine/chassis components.

The fire marshall(s) and his insurance company came to our shop looking for a 'fall guy'. We produced the work order showing his sign off and they turned tail heading back to the owner...

In the end, his insurance refused to pay as the casualty was caused by the owner's own negligence. BUT, in the midst of various Q&A sessions, his wife read the police & fire reports to discover there was a PASSENGER in the car at the time.

She'd been out of town and the passenger turned out to be the guy's secretary. You guessed it, after swallowing the loss on his classic Corvette, he was sued for divorce!!!

Bottom line, I don't like temporary fixes...go do what you will!

[Wayne P.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

I took the fuse box out. The connectors had a lot of corrosion.
Cleaned them put new fuses in and all is in good working order. Thanks for all the help.

[Joe P.]

Re: Brake lights not coming on ?

Wayne,, good to see you solved it..

Did you get the car on the road today.. beautiful day for it..

I am going to try to open the garage tomorrow for an oil change and drive.

Did you pick up the part this week.. I just go back in early this morning.. I made a quick stop at the NCRS CHO CHO Regional .. beautful cars there.. Good representation from the Ontario Chapter.. Wish i could have spent some more time..

See you soon
Regards

Joe