BlueRoadster

Passenger door on my 65 doesn't fully depress the switch to turn off the interior light. I just had the car restored and doors were off and realigned during the process. Everything fits nice and tight. The contact is very close since the lights will jiggle on and off while running down the road. Wondering if the problem is wear on the head of the switch. Is there any way to adjust it out more? Any help appreciated!

Pilot Dan

Nope, no adjustments in the switch. Make sure the retaining nut is tight. When open it simply completes the ground circuit to operate the interior lights. The switch may be worn or dirty. Try cleaning it, if that fails, just buy a replacement they are readily available and not too expensive. Pilot Dan

62Jeff

Those switches self-adjust the first time the door is closed on a new switch. I suppose it's possible the new switch was installed (is it new?) and then an adjustment was made to the fore/aft door alignment. Or if the switch is not new, then the fore/aft alignment of the door isn't exactly what it was before the car was restored.

I'm unsure how to "unset" the automatic adjustment. One thing you may try to prove the switch is OK but out of adjustment, is to simply unscrew it 1 turn in the door jamb. This would have the effect of extending the pin a little bit.

Ron Miller

Yep, you can adjust it out, believe it or not!! Just unscrew it out of the hole, unplug the wire connected to it. (Keep the wire in the hole so you can easily reinstall the switch in a couple of minutes. Don't worry about shorting out the switch or the wire, all you can do is possibly ground the wire which will make the interior light come on. That's how it works.)

Now, take the threaded end of the switch and find yourself a washer with the correctly sized hole to go on the threaded portion. Install the washer, reconnect the wire, and screw the switch back into the threaded hole. The washer will have the effect of shimming the switch out the thickness of the washer.

Problem solved.

PS: I don't believe a new switch will solve your problem if it's the same as the old one. It'll be too short as well. Also, don't believe the switches in the mid-years were the self adjusting type mentioned above. At least mine aren't in my two cars.

stingrayl76

JohnZ elaborated on the subject recently. Here is his post:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1571126414-post5.html

BlueRoadster

The switch locking nut is is tight. If I push it in with my thumb it works great. So all I need to do is pull it out and readjust. Thanks to all including John Z for the link to the pictures.

Pilot Dan

Interesting, did not realize the tubes could be moved. Good to know.

62Jeff

DZVette always creates the best annotated photos.

stingrayl76

I never realized it either until I read John's post. I always made the adjustments by slightly backing the switch out of the door jamb.

Ron Miller

. . . . . to me as well, I'll have to recheck mine & see if they're self adjusting. I know at least one has been changed out and I'm thinking it's not of the self adjusting type. Then again, maybe they all are self adjusting . . . Hmmm . . .

Never too old to learn . . .

62Jeff

Just know that self adjusting doesn't mean self-correcting. As far as I know the tube collapses the first time the door is shut to create a baseline, but they don't automatically regulate themselves as the environment (door gap) changes.

Ron Miller

Not self correcting, but the self adjusting switches are the next best thing to self correcting. The tube doesn't collapse, the tube is a friction fit in the nut that screws into the jamb. Just remove the switch from the jamb, slide the tube back out and reinstall. The first time the door is shut the plunger will bottom out in the tube and slide the tube back into the nut the correct amount. I think the brake light switch is "self adjusting" as well, works in a similar manner when first installed.