Summershandy Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Hey gang. I suspect my new switch has already malfunctioned. Brake lights stay on and after adjustments then testing the switch with a multimeter it tells me it's stuck on. Before I decide to go mechanical (which I've read a ton on), where can I get a good quality switch? My new one came from CPR and I wish not to try their brand again. The switch didn't even make it to the road. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETEPONTIAC-1 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 hello do you have a NAPA store near you ? if so you can get one from them. Part # ECH SL 113 Echlin product Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summershandy Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 Thanks! I called them yesterday to see if they could get the ECH SL128 mechanical switch and they can. I'll try the 113 and have them bring in the mechanical one at the same time so when this happens again, I can convert to mechanical and never worry again about brake lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETEPONTIAC-1 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETEPONTIAC-1 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 thats the ECHSL 113 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summershandy Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 screw connections vs bullets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 (edited) I am guessing you have bullet connections on your switch. There was a thread about these damn things recently that I cant seem to find. Are you using silicone fluid? Some say there is a compatibility problem. Harley Davidson apparently uses silicone fluid and this type of switch. If you are using silicone fluid, maybe their switch is a possibility. For what it's worth, I have a Standard/Borg Warner/BWD switch in my 36 Pontiac (screw terminals, not bullets), and despite the fact that a lot of Borg Warner electrical parts seem to be rubbish these days (their completely unusable breaker points come to mind), the switch has held up for 2 years with no issues. The newer production switches come on at a lower pressure, too. Edited June 11, 2018 by Bloo (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summershandy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 I also read about HD switches being fairly reliable. I am not using silicone fluid. The original switch that was bad had those screw in terminals. The wiring in the car was atrocious. I heat shrinked new bullet connections for the new switch. Looks like I might have to redo them again. Thinking of just making extensions. Bullet one end rings on the other. That way I can go from screws to bullets and bullets to screws! haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 1 hour ago, Summershandy said: I also read about HD switches being fairly reliable. I am not using silicone fluid. The original switch that was bad had those screw in terminals. The wiring in the car was atrocious. I heat shrinked new bullet connections for the new switch. Looks like I might have to redo them again. Thinking of just making extensions. Bullet one end rings on the other. That way I can go from screws to bullets and bullets to screws! haha. Hydraulic brake switches with screw terminals are available new if that is what you need. FWIW, I reused the switch that was on my car in 1970 when I put it back together again and switched to silicone brake fluid. It worked okay for about 10 more years. When that went out, I got a replacement from my local (non-NAPA) auto supply which has been working fine for about 15 years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 I don't trust old ones at all. On the day I picked my Pontiac up after buying it, that original switch shorted to ground and started heating up the wiring. I had a friend standing on the brakes and I was looking to see if it had brake lights for the drive home. Letting off the brakes didn't stop the short. Good thing the battery terminal was loose and I could just pull it off. I hadn't walked around to the back of the car yet. A few more seconds and that would have been a fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summershandy Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 I hear ya! When I got mine, the brake lights stayed dimly lite. As I snooped around I not only found the connections loose on the switch but I burnt my hand from the heat! Never hooked that switch up again. My buds at NAPA are bringing in an Echlin pressure switch along with a the mechanical one for me. When I finally lose it I can easily switch over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summershandy Posted June 12, 2018 Author Share Posted June 12, 2018 Installed my new Echlin 113 switch and the brake lights are working again....for how long I don't know. I have the mechanical switch at the ready in case this happens again. I'm in the habit of checking rear light functions on a regular basis anyway. Just find a quiet storefront with big windows, back in and check for brake/turn and reverse operation. Something more people should do, at least in my city. I could also never understand why some drivers like to blacken out their tail lights. That's for another post.....thanks for the help gang! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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