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Brake light switch

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Brake light switch #1
CaptRandy Randy Alkins Randy Alkins Warrington, PA, USA Sign in to contact 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 BT7 "MoonLight" 1966 Austin-Healey Sprite	Topic Creator (OP) Oct 19, 2014 05:52 PM Joined 11 years ago 523 Posts

Is there any way to check brake light switch? Lights not working but turn signals do work. Can I jump the two wires on the switch together to see if the switch is defective?

I have looked at the wiring diagram and it appears that one side of the wires is hot with the ignition on as it goes to a fuse block. The other ges to the stop lamps. Am I reading it correctly?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-19 06:18 PM by CaptRandy.

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Re: Brake light switch #2
NYCCharlie Charles Linn Lawrence, KS, USA Sign in to contact 1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite	Oct 19, 2014 06:18 PM Joined 14 years ago 1,719 Posts

Do you have the switch that is screwed into the four-way brake line fitting? If so, yes you can jumper the terminals and your brake lights should illuminate.

The turn signals are separate circuits, so that doesn't have any bearing on whether the brake lights work, although that does indicate that the ground is good--al least I think the brakes and turn signals share common grounds.

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Re: Brake light switch #3
CaptRandy Randy Alkins Randy Alkins Warrington, PA, USA Sign in to contact 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 BT7 "MoonLight" 1966 Austin-Healey Sprite	Topic Creator (OP) Oct 19, 2014 06:23 PM Joined 11 years ago 523 Posts

Yes I do have the 4 way fitting. If I pull out the switch to replace is it a dry fitting or wet with brake fluid?

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Re: Brake light switch #4
NYCCharlie Charles Linn Lawrence, KS, USA Sign in to contact 1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite	Oct 19, 2014 06:34 PM Joined 14 years ago 1,719 Posts

It will be wet. Sorry! But you can lessen the amount of fluid you will lose by removing the master cylinder lid, putting some plastic wrap over it and putting the lid back.

Some people have complained that the new switches are not good, and that you should try and find new old-stock if possible. I replaced mine--so far so good. But I kept the old one just in case.

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Re: Brake light switch #5
CaptRandy Randy Alkins Randy Alkins Warrington, PA, USA Sign in to contact 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 BT7 "MoonLight" 1966 Austin-Healey Sprite	Topic Creator (OP) Oct 19, 2014 06:45 PM Joined 11 years ago 523 Posts

Thanks, will do as you suggest about wrap over MC cap. Will try a local old school British Car shop close by for switch.

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Re: Brake light switch #6
NYCCharlie Charles Linn Lawrence, KS, USA Sign in to contact 1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite	Oct 19, 2014 10:44 PM Joined 14 years ago 1,719 Posts

Capt, put the wrap UNDER the cap.

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Re: Brake light switch #7
CaptRandy Randy Alkins Randy Alkins Warrington, PA, USA Sign in to contact 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 BT7 "MoonLight" 1966 Austin-Healey Sprite	Topic Creator (OP) Oct 20, 2014 08:29 AM Joined 11 years ago 523 Posts

Charlie, will use saran wrap and screw cap back down. Will top off fluid first. Should I use teflon tape on new switch?

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Re: Brake light switch #8
NYCCharlie Charles Linn Lawrence, KS, USA Sign in to contact 1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite	Oct 20, 2014 07:39 PM Joined 14 years ago 1,719 Posts

I didn't put tape on it. I think it is a tapered thread, so it would hurt if you did; it will lubricate the threads a bit and you can get it a little tighter.

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