VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 brake light problem

My 36 FC brake light is always on dimly. It gets brighter when I hit the brakes. It goes out completely when I turn the lights on and then it won’t work at all. The wiring harness is new (well two years new). Is the brake light switch the place to start or is there a ground somewhere?

I would check out the switch first, but failure to work with the lights on is a puzzler indeed.

First thing I would check is grounds, they wil cause weird problems.

I agree. Check for good grounds on the lights.

Everywhere there is a wire that is supposed to act as a ground TO METAL, use a metal washer underneath that has teeth like a star ??? that will do it and also running sand paper over the metal to bare .

mike lynch

I suspect 2 problems, the continuously dim I suspect the switch not disconnecting properly (possibley leaking fluid into the contact area). The going out when the tail lights turned on sounds like a bad ground contact.
Tony

Dim lights indicate a high resistance somewhere in the circuit. Could be the switch or a ground. Much easier to be sure the grounds are good before switching out the switch.

Many times the tube to the fender needs re-grounding. The ground in the light works through the tube that the light assembly is connected on. Crud from the road gets the corrosion going and blocks the fender connection. Also fender to body could not be grounded. A clear path of ground needs to be there. Time to get out the old volt ohm meter and run a test to see if it makes from the light frame to the main body of the car.

Thanks Guys