Ok guys. I need help! I've finally got the Camaro, home, running, tuned, and cleaned up. Now I am having an intermittent starting problem. On occasion, when trying to start the car, I get the "BRAKE" warning light on the dash and no power goes to the starter solenoid. I have the brake pedal pushed down firmly and the parking brake is engaged. Why is the light coming on? Is this an interlock and if so, where is it and how can it be replaced/bypassed.

Vehicle specs

1982 178ci V6
Auto Tranny
Engine runs fine
New starter Solenoid
Solid battery

Thanks in advance

 

The brake light comes on when there's a problem with the pressure in the brake lines.. you had probably check that out first before driving the car!

Anyway, I don't believe the two are interchangeable. When I swapped in a 3.73/posi/disc-brake axle into my car, I got the brake light constantly. I was able to start the car, though. In fact I was starting the car to check how badly the brakes weren't pressurized! (The pedal sunk right to the floor with the vacuum assist from the engine running.) Turned out I had a bad master cylinder.

Anyway I don't think that would interfere with starting the car, unless things were different in '82.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

I'm not sure what you mean about swapping something. I have no desire to swap anything. And I have driven the car for several days and the brakes are fine. There is a solid pedal both while parked and while driving. I'm thinking the problem might be electrical in some way.

Right now, I am thinking of bypassing the whole thing with a momentary.

-P

 

Sorry if you misinterpreted my message! (grins) I wasn't telling you to swap anything... I was telling you what caused my BRAKE light to come on (my swap). I mentioned this because I was able to start my car with the BRAKE light on. That was the point of my message- you had asked if there was a safety interlock between the ignition switch & brake light.

Ack- you have the parking brake engaged, as in, the handle's pulled up? That turns the BRAKE light on, independant of whether or not the brake pedal is pushed down or not.

------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

[This message has been edited by TomP (edited March 28, 2001).]

 

Oh ok,

Now I understand. I never said I was quick on these things! So how does juice get from the key to the starter solenoid? I assume this is a simple electrical path. Could my problem be the neutral lockout switch? If so, how do I get past it? Any danger in wiring in a "hot" button to provide juice to the starter solenoid?

Thanks for your help... I'll try to pay better attention this time!

-P

 

This old message might help you find an electrical problem: https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/001187.html However, the info's from my '86 GM Service Manual; it could be drastically different from your '82 f-body.

Like Karl said (in that old message), check that linkage, too...


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!