question on brake light/switch, reverse light/switch

rnln · 01-11-2006, 05:18 PM

Let me start with brake light. My brake light works but doesn't work correctly. To be correctly, when you start steping on the brake pedal, brake light should come on right away. On my car, the lights don't come on until the brake pedal hit all the way to the dead end. Which means, 80%-90% of the time I am driving (normal), brake light won't come on.
Anyone know where the brake switch located? I think it must has something to do with the brake switch.

Now, reverse light. My car has no reverse light at all, since the day I bought it. That's why I can't reverse the car in front of the cop

.
I took the lenses off, wires are still there and look like in good shape. It must be, again, a switch or any device which suppose to kick the light on. Anyone know where I should look for it?
Thanks.

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

This must be one of the most often asked questions here.

Search is a truely useful tool.

But once more, the 2 stop light swiches on the side of the m/c degrade and need replacement. Your car is showing tyhe classic symptoms

The reverse light is triggered by a pin at the forward end off the tranmisssion, when reverse is selected it drives the pin into a switch on the trans nose.

check the wires and manually push the switch,
it's either loose wire, malfuctioning switch or the pin isn't moving far enough(this can occur if the internal shift forks aren't aligned properly.

rnln · 01-11-2006, 11:26 PM

Billl,
Are the switch and the pin outside the tranny of inside the case? Can I get to it by simply getting under the car.
Thanks

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

If the car is on a lift , yes. The reverse light switch is externally accessible.

rnln · 01-13-2006, 02:20 AM

Thanks Bill

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

The reverse switch can be seen to the left of the shift rod

rnln · 01-15-2006, 01:28 PM

Thanks very much for responding me with so much info. I found the switches.
Another question I have right now, not related, that is anyone know a good shop in OC (CA) to do this job? I mean good as ok and reasonable, not good and super good and charge super high. I am not rich.
The reason why is because I think I need 2 people to do this job, as bleeding the brake fluid. I affraid if I take the switch off without anyone pushing on the pedal, air will go into the system and instead of repairing the problem, I am actually making it worse. I bleed brakes many times in my life but with this car, my wife can not handle the brake pedal. It's too heavy for her.
Thanks.
PS: how much, proximately, they will charge for this job? Thanks.

Jim Sims · 01-15-2006, 02:22 PM

It would be far cheaper to order the below power bleeder from Pelican (which turns 911 brake bleeding into a one person job and protects the master cylinder from damage) than to go to any shop.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/images/drivewerks/PowerBleeder/European.jpg

Also, the far more common reason for the loss of reverse lights is not the switch or anything internal to the transmission but rather the wires from the switch. The connecting plugs which insert into the switch body can pull loose. Check these - look up and forward of the forward transmission support cross-member. The reverse light wiring runs from the front nose of the transmission back through the engine wiring harness and through the 14-pin connector found on the driver's side of the engine compartment. If the engine has been dropped while leaving the transmission in the car there is a good chance the wires to the reverse light switch were cut or pulled apart unknowingly by the "mechanic."

Jim Sims · 01-15-2006, 02:26 PM

General instructions for bleeding 911 brakes with power bleeder:

Bleeding Brakes - A Beginners Question

rnln · 01-21-2006, 04:26 PM

Don't have the switch onhand yet, but I have an hour or two free today, so decided to do something with my baby. The brake light switch first. After ripping everything in the hood out, include the heater hose, I try the switch. Ahh, all my sockets don't fit the switch. It need to be long too. Another trip to Autozone tonight to get a socket but I don't want to buy the whole set since I have so many partial set at home already. Does anyone know what size of socket for this brake light switch?
Thanks.