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Brake light help
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jijk View Drop Down
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Joined: 27 June 2014
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    Posted: 17 Dec. 2015 at 12:19am
I am hoping for some guidance as I do not have much electrical experience.  Just finished installing a wiring harness from walcks and going through to make sure everything works.  Please disregard any info in my description that is overkill.  Want to make sure I give an accurate picture.  Headlights low and high beam work as does the hight beam indicator light.  Although I don't think they would be part of my issue.  
I also have working parking lights, turn signals, and 4 ways,  I cannot get my brake lights to work.  My master cylinder is new.  Wiring looks correct.  What am I missing?

Thanks
Jeremy    
1946 CJ2A #55729
1948 CJ2A #172606
1952 Willys Truck
1945 Bantam #380
1946 Bantam #2629
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athawk11 View Drop Down
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Sounds like a bad brake switch to me.

Tim
1- 1946 CJ2A   
2- 1949 CJ3A
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  Make sure the brake light switch on the master cylinder is working.  Use a test wire and connect the 2 wires together that attach to the switch, if the brake lights come on and stay on the switch isn't working.

   Jim
47 CJ2A (Ranch Hand) 48 CJ2A, 48 Willys truck, T3C 3782, M274 (Military Mule)
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Bruce W View Drop Down
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Originally posted by athawk11 athawk11 wrote:

Sounds like a bad brake switch to me.

Tim
  That's what I'm thinkin'. Easy enough to check it out - all you need is a test light. Check to see if you have juice at one side (post) of the switch (it doesn't matter which one). If you do, press the pedal and see if you get juice at the other one. If there's no juice at all, the problem is before (above) the switch, if there's juice on one side but never the other, the switch is bad, if you have juice at both sides but not at the lights, the problem is after (behind) the switch.  BW
It is NOT a Jeep Willys! It is a Willys jeep.

Happy Trails! Good-bye, Good Luck, and May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to You!

We Have Miles to Jeep, Before We Sleep.
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athawk11 View Drop Down
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Points: 4151 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote athawk11 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec. 2015 at 2:46am
Excellent test ideas. Made me think of down stream issues. Dual filament bulbs in the tail lights?
1- 1946 CJ2A   
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SlowPocono View Drop Down
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The brake light switch is a pressure switch and won't work in a hydraulic system that won't build pressure.
If a brake system is new and has no brake fluid, the lights won't work.
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athawk11 View Drop Down
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Points: 4151 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote athawk11 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec. 2015 at 6:05pm
Originally posted by SlowPocono SlowPocono wrote:

The brake light switch is a pressure switch and won't work in a hydraulic system that won't build pressure.
If a brake system is new and has no brake fluid, the lights won't work.

Great point.  I assumed he had the brake system filled and bled.   Bad to assume anything these days.

Tim
1- 1946 CJ2A   
2- 1949 CJ3A
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jijk View Drop Down
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Points: 121 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jijk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec. 2015 at 6:23pm
Thanks for the direction.  I thought it might be the switch.  wasn't sure the best way to test the switch.  Guess I missed the obvious...  will test tonight.
1946 CJ2A #55729
1948 CJ2A #172606
1952 Willys Truck
1945 Bantam #380
1946 Bantam #2629
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John Dilsaver View Drop Down
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Points: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Dilsaver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar. 2017 at 12:29am
I'm about to tackle this same issue.  Thanks (I know it was three years ago) for the good ideas.
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TERRY View Drop Down
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Don't forget bad grounds. Paint is a good insulator.
BOULDER 48 2A
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John Dilsaver View Drop Down
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Points: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Dilsaver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar. 2017 at 12:23pm
I'm just getting acquainted with my '47.  This was easy to find, wire off the pressure switch on the master cylinder.  The connector needs a little attention, slips on and off way too easilyl
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