• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Hydraulic brake switch problem?

  • Thread starter Thread starter demark
  • Start date Start date
D

demark

Guest
After four months of downtime, and with the help of this board, I finally got my '80 1100 back up and running.

In that time I replace the headlight bucket and gauge cluster with a chrome 7" round light and Acewell / Electrosport ACE-2853 digital gauge, added a Stebel Nautilus Compact Air Horn, and put an auxiilary junction box on the front of the frame (since the new headlight had a lot less space and I needed to add three relays).

She wasn't running very well, but I think I fixed that by replacing the needle seat o-rings and setting the correct float heights. I need to put another 100 or so miles to see if the mileage is back to where it should be (50+ MPG, instead of 35). There is still a lingering "popcorning" issue under load ... but that will probably have to wait until winter.

Anyway, after getting her running all nice, she fails inspection.

The issue is that engaging the front brake does not reliably light the brake light. Most of the time, it works fine ... you pull back on the the handle and the light comes on just as the brakes start to engage. Every once in a while (once in 9 or 10 tries), the light does not come on, although the brakes do engage. You have to either pull back really hard or release and pull again to get the rear light to illuminate.

About 2 and a half years ago, I replaced the contact in the brake handle with a hydraulic pressure switch. Is it possible that these switches can fail in this manner? Is it the likely thing to replace first?

Note that I will be replacing my brake lines in the next few months, but I figure that can't be the problem because if the line has enough pressure to push the caliper, it should also be enough to activate the switch.

Thanks,
- Tony
 
demark said:
About 2 and a half years ago, I replaced the contact in the brake handle with a hydraulic pressure switch. Is it possible that these switches can fail in this manner? Is it the likely thing to replace first?
- Tony
Click to expand...

Yes, a switch can fail in this manner. It can also have a little air trapped in it. The having to pull it hard or repeatedly would indicate to me that there's air in it, but I wouldn't completely write-off the bad switch possibility.

Bleed them first and then replace the switch.
 
I thought about air in the line... I had bled the lines (and the bolt). No change.

I even moved the switch from the fitting on the front fork to the feed off the master cylinder. Same issue.

I am wondering if I should go back to the original mechanical switch configuration - that lasted 22k miles. The hydraulic switch made it a little over 3k. Both options are about $20.

Thanks,
- Tony
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top