Dash brake warning light issues
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
Dash brake warning light issues
My '72 has had extensive brake work prior to my buying it. They seem to work OK, but the brake warning dash light is on all the time--except when I have the parking brake engaged, then it's off! Could this just be something reversed and an easy fix, or is it like everything thing else (1 step forward and 6 back, taking 6 months of my free time)? Thanks.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,483
Likes: 459
From: Lititz PA
I'm interested to know about this too. I've never had this problem, but in the mean time, here's something to try. I suggest that you pull the wire off the brake line distribution block, on the driver's side, in the engine compartment. See if this makes the light go out. If it does, then I think it means that you need to reset the brake front/rear balance switch. I'm not sure how you go about doing this, but I'm sure someone more experienced than I will chime in.
John
John
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
Likes: 34
From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
The switch portion of the valve is centered by a spring on each side; if air or a leak occurs in one side, the switch moves off-center and grounds the circuit, lighting the light on the dash. When you take your foot off the pedal, the valve is supposed to return to center and the lamp will go out by itself, unless the inside of the switch is gummed-up or otherwise stuck.
Depress the brake pedal really hard after bleading the brakes. Do it several times and if everything has been rebuilt properly the light will go out when the valve moves back to the neutral position.
I took my '71 with similar warning light problem after brake work out to a street near bye with little traffic, and really Locked 'em Up from about 25mph. Not real fast. After the 3rd time, the light went out.
My .02
Depress the brake pedal really hard after bleading the brakes. Do it several times and if everything has been rebuilt properly the light will go out when the valve moves back to the neutral position.
I took my '71 with similar warning light problem after brake work out to a street near bye with little traffic, and really Locked 'em Up from about 25mph. Not real fast. After the 3rd time, the light went out.
My .02
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Try unplugging the distribution valve wire and see what happens. No need to drive the car.The light on the dash goes 'on' when it finds a ground either through the handbrake switch and/or the distribution block switch. Neither can turn the other 'off'.
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
Likes: 34
From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
This is bass ackwards. Try unplugging the distribution valve wire and see what happens. No need to drive the car.
The light on the dash goes 'on' when it finds a ground either through the handbrake switch and/or the distribution block switch. Neither can turn the other 'off'.
Try unplugging the distribution valve wire and see what happens. No need to drive the car.The light on the dash goes 'on' when it finds a ground either through the handbrake switch and/or the distribution block switch. Neither can turn the other 'off'.
Missed the part about the light OFF when PB engaged.
Was waiting for coffee.
