Brakes: Brake Light Sticking

[Stude-Dude]

the brake lights on my '61 is "sticking"...
i turn the car off and it might be two/three minutes before the brake lights turn off...

i'm more accustomed to brake light "switches" that are either at the back of the master cylinder or "cheaper" variation 'lever switches' that simply monitor the brake pedal "position" - i'm seeing neither on the '61...

any hints or suggestions?

[41 Frank]

Your brake light switch is located against the inner part of the frame rail in the area of the steering box. You may have a delay in the brake pressure bleeding off due to a partially blocked port in the master cylinder or a lack of free play at the master cylinder push rod.

[Stude-Dude]

ah yes, i see it now...
thanks for the tip, much appreciated...

[warrlaw1]

I also had a brake light stick on from a faulty signal light switch.

[Stude-Dude]

"signal light switch" ?
not sure i follow...

[warrlaw1]

The switch also controls power to the brake lights. It interupts the power when a signal is turned on. If the switch is wonky it can keep a brake light on. I had to pull the bulb to keep from melting the lense. New switch is on it's way. 'til it gets here I'm using hand signals.

[Stude-Dude]

ah, right you are...
rattle the turn signal and my "stuck" brake lights turned off...

awesome, that sounds like a much easier fix


i just "re-built" my Hill-Holder, i was afraid that i might have "messed up" something much more serious...


edit: correction, seems to be that rattling the e-brake is what's turning them back off... guess i'm still debugging

[warrlaw1]

I let the garage next door have its way and they didn't come up with the switch idea until they replaced the brake light switch, M/C and all kinds of other possibilities. Then they adjusted the shoes up too close and my brakes dragged for a month! It feels so good when it works like the factory intended. Cheers!

[warrlaw1]

OK, back off the shoes a couple of turns and see if that works. Like 41Frank says, residual pressure. Shoes first, then adjust the rod at the M/C and see what happens. Keep us posted, please?

[warrlaw1]

Your eBrake adjustment can also bring the shoes too close. There has to be enough travel to let the wheel cylinders depressurize.

[Stude-Dude]

I let the garage next door have its way and they didn't come up with the switch idea until they replaced the brake light switch, M/C and all kinds of other possibilities.

isn't that how they stay in business? lol...
i once had a Chrysler dealer "insist" on replacing the ECM/PCM on a '99 Sebring that kept "choking" itself to a stall... and wanted to charge me $1200 !!!...

i "insisted" back that it is *NOT* the 'computer', grabbed my keys, and drove away...

went back about two weeks later and "spoke with" the manager, "you guys tried to charge me $1200 on a mis-diagnosed stall, i'm here to point out for your future reference that a $90 EGR Valve fixed my stalling issues and your technicians insisting i pay $1200 for a new onboard computer is the biggest crock of crap i've ever heard of!"...

[Stude-Dude]

definitely seems to be pressure related instead of electrical...
bummer, that's a little harder to fix

[41 Frank]

Make sure you have about 3/8th" free play at the master cylinder to pedal push rod,if you do then there may be a problem with the master cylinder itself not releasing pressure. No amount of shoe or hand brake adjusting will remedy a brake system's failure to release hydraulic pressure!

definitely seems to be pressure related instead of electrical...
bummer, that's a little harder to fix

[RadioRoy]

Is there any change that the brake light switch is bad? They've gotten a bad reputation in the last ten years. Seems as if the new reproductions ones don't like brake fluid.

[junior]

Is there any change that the brake light switch is bad? They've gotten a bad reputation in the last ten years. Seems as if the new reproductions ones don't like brake fluid.

If your car's brakes seem to be working well, with no pulling to one side or another, and do not seem to be dragging, one would natuarally look at the brakelight switch. With my brake system in good operating condition, by pressure switch failed. After reading that these switches could be troublesome, I decided to go with a mechanical switch, a simple solution that I'm very satisfied with. I got the idea from Bob Johnstone's website. I will not waste my time on another pressure switch on my car again. It seems you have eliminated the signal switch (never would of thought of that myself, good to know for future reference!) so perhaps trying this solution as it's cheap and effective. Lastly, once again this is based on the assumption the rest of the braking system is in a good state of repair...remember that rubber brake hoses can look great on the exterior when the interior is completly shot causing debris and restrictions throughout the system. All steel lines are new or not corroded on the inside?

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/manualblsw.html

Good luck, Junior