Hi guys, been a member for a while, but this is my first thread. I have a problem. I have an 83 Z28 that is my street/strip car. Recently I just finished the interior and made a grave mistake letting my intern cut and tuck wires for me. Somehow he managed to lose the brake light switch (how is that possible?). Ok so I have 2 switches. One for cars with cruise and one for without (pretty sure it use to have cruise).

My problem is, I have a plug in that I know for sure works, but I'm missing the second plug somewhere. The plug I can't find is the smaller one on the back of the switch. Would any of you gentlemen be willing to take a picture of your switch, so I can see what plug I'm missing and what color wires I need to be looking for? This is beyond frustrating!

 

There are three things that can be controlled by the brake switches . One is the brakelights , and the others are for the cruise control and the torque converter clutch . So If you have no cruise control and if your car is a 5 Speed , maybe that's why there is nothing connected to the small connector on the switch ?

 

Brake light sw wires are org & wht

 

Thanks for the replies!

Sorry guys, looks like I left out some details. The car originally was an automatic and I'm 95% positive it had cruise control.

Not sure if this helps, but when I connect the plug that does work, it controls the rear "running" lights that are outside of the brake lights. When I depress the BL switch they go off.

I do not have any plugs that have orange and white wires. The plug that does work is orange and blue

 

Hi Slayer ,

The thing is , as Sofa said , all the brake light switches for 82/92 had the white and orange colors with no mention of blue . Just for kicks I checked all the schematics at that "Austinthirdgen" site and every single one of 'em listed the orange and white wires for the lights only .

Did the person who did the wiring replace the plug for whatever reason ?

Is this person still around to ask exactly what he cut and where ?

Were this "factory" or "virgin" wiring , it would be easy . Where someone has been at the wires , any and all miswiring situations are possible

 

That's interesting. Nothing has been rewired. I will have to get under there and look again. Maybe he tucked the orange and white somewhere I can't find it. The weird part is the orange and blue wire plug I have definitely hooks into the switch and powers the outside lights. Maybe this one done before I owned the car.

 

This is the ride

 

Yes , the extra plug could be anything , and looking for the orange and orange/white being tucked up somewhere is a good plan . You say it powers the "running lights that are outside of the brake lights" , What do you mean by this , the ones in the actual tail light housing or the side markers on the fenders ? The reason I ask is that if this was an automatic and at one time in it's life had a remote start in it , those may have been connections for flashing certain running lights when it's about to remotely start , and the plug is coincedentally similar enough to plug into the brakelight switch ? I realize it's a stretch but both the off color wires and the fact that they are operating running lights rather than brakelights is what got me to thinking that way .



Now , as to your car , that looks GREAT !!!! Truly good job on fixing it up to be so nice . I will admit the hood ain't quite my particular taste but it too looks fine for the rest of the car's lines . I'll bet that thing draws crowds wherever ya park it , Yes ?

 

I just finished the car about 2 months ago, so it hasn't seen many places. It draws more attention from the sound, than the looks. I think I have a video of it running. I'll have to check.


Back on subject, when I get home I will take a picture of what I mean.

 

I think this might help put into perspective. This is all with the car OFF, no key in the ignition. With my new brake light switch plugged in, the tail lights come on. Should this happen with the car off? When I depress the plunger (similar to it hitting the striker) the lights go off.

Is my understanding of a brake light switch reversed?

I thought:

Plunger extended = brake lights on
Plunger retracted = brake lights off

 

Hi Slayer ,

When the switch is installed properly it works like this ;

The brake pedal at rest (not stepping on the brakes) the plunger should be pushed in to the switch and the lights should be off . When you step on the pedal , the the plunger is released to be sticking out of the switch and the lights will be on . This will happen regardless of ign. key position .

 

Ok so my mindset on it is right, I just can't figure out how it works. When I push the BLS all the way in, it's about a 1/16" short of the striker.

So, how does it work normally? Should it be pressed against the striker? How does it release when you press on the pedal?

Sorry, this is new to me and I didn't get to remove the original.