RE: IML: Brake Light Switch on '56

[Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>]

Probably nothing to do with anything that you're
experiencing, but the mental midget that did the
damage to my 1955 was tasked with a complete brake job
as part of his duties.

Supposedly everything was redone on the system,
including the switch and MC.  When I got the car, the
switch wasn't working properly.  

I replaced the nice shiny one with another nice shiny
one, and they worked fine.  Seems like throwing new
parts at problems eventually makes the problem
disappear, at least on my end.  

Could be that there was a bad batch of switches and we
both got the brunt of it?  Maybe source a new, "older"
switch from an alternate source, like Frank M.?

-K

--- Jeff Cantor <jcantor791@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Paul,
> 
> Both the fluid incompatibility and the dirt issue
> make at least some  
> sense to me however, there are two important points
> that I probably  
> should have mentioned in my original post.  First,
> the entire  
> hydraulic side of the brake system was replaced with
> new components  
> two years ago with the exception of the two brass
> junction blocks  
> which I cleaned very thoroughly with alcohol and
> compressed air.  I  
> think this makes the dirt scenario rather unlikely. 
> Second, while I  
> did upgrade from the "original" spec DOT 3 fluid, I
> did not go with  
> the silicone DOT5.  Instead I used ATE's DOT4 fluid
> which seemed to  
> me to be a nice compromise (it also has the
> advantage of being  
> available in different colors to make flushing the
> system very easy).
> 
> Therefore the jury is still out as to exactly what
> might be causing  
> the problem.  However, in the interest of protecting
> the car's very  
> nice tail end while also avoiding the potential for
> whiplash, I'm  
> going to install the "modern" pushbotton brake light
> switch that I've  
> purchase at least as a temporary solution.  This
> will allow me to  
> safely drive the car this season while still
> puzzling over what else  
> might be going on.  In the fall when I'm planning to
> flush the brake  
> fluid anyway, I'll probably take the switch off and
> see if I can  
> determine what the issue is/was.
> 
> Thanks,
> Jeff
> '56 Sedan
> Trenton, NJ
> 
> Subject: Re: IML: Brake Light Switch on '56
> Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 23:41:57 -0400
> From: randalpark@xxxxxxx
> Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> It sounds to me like the switch is clogged with
> foreign material. I
> would suggest replacing it again.
> 
> I saw the post about the hydraulic switches possibly
> not being
> compatible with DOT 5. I haven't found that to be
> the case either. That
> type of switch was used through 1961. I have that
> type of switch in my
> 1948 L.C., as well as my '55, '56, and both '60
> Imperials. The switches
> do go bad, and they don't always leak. I had the
> most trouble with the
> one in my 1960 LeBaron, and that was before I
> changed everything over
> to Dot 5. Apparently, there was some crude in the
> lines on that car.
> Eventually, it worked its way into the switch. I was
> lucky that I
> didn't lose my brakes. I didn't know then that a
> switch problem like
> that could be a warning sign of a more serious
> problem.
> 
> Knowing what I do now about brakes, rotten Dot 3
> fluid in old cars, and
> changing to Dot 5, I would consider a light switch
> problem like you
> describe, especially if it should continue after
> replacing the switch
> the second time, to be a possible indication of dirt
> in the system. On
> your car, it would likely be from it entering the
> reservoir during
> removal of the lid to check the level. It would be
> very easy for that
> to happen, and then work its way into the switch. If
> there is enough
> dirt in the system, it will also eventually cause
> the brakes themselves
> to not work either. A sign of this would be good
> brakes when the pedal
> is depressed gradually, with a super hard and
> non-responsive pedal when
> pushed suddenly for a panic type stop. It doesn't
> take very much dirt
> or very big clog to effect brake action seriously.
> 
> I apologize for saying that I thought you should
> look elsewhere, and
> then not suggesting what else to check. It has been
> that sort of a day.
> I would replace the switch, and see if that fixed
> the problem. If it
> happens again with the new switch, I would suspect
> foreign matter in
> the lines. That would indicate the need for a
> complete flush, or
> possibly replacement of all the lines, including the
> metal ones. The
> junctions should all be cleaned and inspected as
> well.
> 
> If a car sits long enough, and heaven forbid that
> the brake system was
> some how left open, such as if the master cylinder
> had been off for a
> few years, the fluid will turn gloppy and finally
> solid in the lines.
> Flushing them doesn't always get it all out.
> 
> I hope this helps.
> 
> Paul W.
> 
> 
> 
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