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Brake Light - Getting them working

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Jim_Gruber

Jim_Gruber

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So not getting brake lamps working. If I jump across the brake light switch should I not see lights come on. Are lights switched or not switched? Not seeing voltage on either side of the switch. Set up as positive ground presently. Thoughts on troubleshooting? Looks like it goes to post # 4 on the fuse box.
 
One side should be "hot"... at least when the ignition is on. As you said, bridging the switch contacts should turn the brake lights on.
 
found a whole bunch of crud that I cleaned out. About to go try it. Update soon.
 
Voltage there now but still no joy if I short across the terminals. I think I need t oget a new brake light switch and then run a jumper direct to the rear lights after I check and clean the two unions they lie between there and the tail lamps. Might be time to put the rear wheels back on before I crawl into the boot with the car on jack stands. But on a positive note I pulled the choke on a little turned on the ignition. pulled the starter and beautiful Vroom, Vroom noises, I got to annoy my neighbors tonight, revving Bugsy in the garage. Nice sounds with headers and the muffler on it. And Rut I will take a video of starting up Bugsy for you. I know you are in Bugeye withdrawal right now until you get your engine back.
 
How is it wired up? On the brake light switch the connection closet to radiator should be green, other should be green w/purple. Green goes to the fuse block green and purple to the brake lights.
 
Desert Rat said:
How is it wired up? On the brake light switch the connection closet to radiator should be green, other should be green w/purple. Green goes to the fuse block green and purple to the brake lights.
Click to expand...

Not remeb
mbering the colours but, the switch is just a switch - there is no polarity.
 
If you jump across the switch terminals and still gt no lights, that tells you nothing about the switch, specifically it is not an indication of a bad switch.
 
You assume that a 56 y.o. Fabric Covered Wiring still has Fabric on it. Have voltage on one side of switch. Jumping across switch = still no brake lights. There are two connections in the boot I need to take apart and clean.
 
You know you voltage voltage at one side of the switch. Jumping across the switch does make make good so there is something further downstream that is the problem. Possibly the connections in the boot or maybe more likely a bad ground.
 
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