Thread: Brake light staying on--

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I'm just about finished rebuilding a 49 Plymouth but tonight I saw the brake light staying on, I thought the switch might be stuck and this is a 6 month old brake light switch so I took a broom handle and started pushing the pedal so I could see the tail light. I noticed when the pedal was just about back up the light would go out but then in just a few seconds it would come back on. I did this about 20 times and the same thing again, anyone have a idea what this might be causing this--------Richie

Try unplugging the switch and see what happens. Probably a bad switch, or the pedal is somehow still putting pressure on it.


Don

Yes, a fluid switch. guess I will go buy another one in the morning.

I'll try the unhook thing also-------Richie

Or for some reason line pressure is high.

Don

Line pressure crossed my mind, all wheel cylinders are new and I rebuilt the master. I tried adjusting the linkage on the master and same thing

A couple of things are happening, One when you apply the brake the lights will come on, when you let off the brakes go out, until the rear shoes get pulled back in by the springs, and the brakeline gets pressured up enough to set off the brake switch again. If you have a inline residual valve, and the brake switch is in the line between it and the rear brakes, that will do it. If so, move the brake switch to the masterbrake side of the residual valve and you should be ok. Key word "Should". "Chrystal ball is a little foggy at this kind of a distance." Rob

Two very good ideas, the switch is located where the factory put it back in 49 and it is between the master and rear brakes. I'm going to try the bleed vlave on the rear in the morning, it is acting like it has pressure on it----

Originally Posted by DennyW

Don't forget to make sure the shoes are adjusted correctly.

Good point, to much clearence on the shoes/drums could account for the same kind of symptoms.

These shoes don't adjust like most cars do, it has in-out and up and down adjustments. what I did was make a template out of stiff cardboard and center the hole to go on the axle shaft. I then made the adjustments to that and slipped the drums on, reason for the template was so I could see where the shore would be when the drums are on. that seemed to work ok, I have a little freeplay in the pedal. I'm going with the ideas you guys gave me tomorrow, thanks a bunch for you input. I think at times I still have a 30 year old body except my age is soon to be 66 and the mass between my ears sometimes just will not function like it did. if only I hade the 30 year old ----well, better not go there--:~). thanks boys, Richie

I opened the bleed valve just a tad and fluid spit out, now its working like its suppose to. I like this list, thanks boys--------------Richie