Ok, when I turn the key to the on position the brake light is off then when I start the car the brake light comes on but as soon as the engine starts it goes off. What part of the braking system could it be in others words does anyone know what part of the brake system is checked while the car is being started. I also noticed my pedal goes down about 2 inches before it fully grabs. Is this normal or should it be grabbing sooner? The car is a 1987 Camaro with automatic and a 2.8l v6.

 

Brake light can come on when a disproportionate amount of fluid runs to the front vs the rear, or visa versa. Can also come on if brake fluid is low. So the system is checking these two possibilities.

If your brakes feel soft, and there's no leaks, they probably just need bleeding. If bleeding doesn't resolve it, probably due for new rubber lines at the wheels - they get old, and stretch, and balloon with the fluid pressure, meaning less fluid to the piston, and less brake.

One more little hint - never ever under any circumstances ever put brake fluid in your system UNLESS you are refilling after a known leak. So many people make the mistake of "topping off" brake fluid. What happens is that as the pads wear down, the fluid level lowers. When you replace the pads, the thicker pad forces the fluid back to the resevoir. If you "top off" the fluid in the meantime, then when you change pads next time there will be too much fluid in the system, and when the thicker pad is installed the excess fluid will spill out of the resevoir all over - yuck! If you push the pistons back in too quickly, it will spurt out of the resevoir all over the paint, and ruin the paint. Never "top off" brake fluid, and never let anyone at a shop do it either. If you ever get a leak, fix the leak, and install new pads at the same time, then fill and bleed the system, so that you'll be at the correct level again, and won't make a big mess.