Brake light help!

[duckdawg1]

I have some brake light issues I need help with. I have a '73 eb and the brake/stop lights stopped working. Worked fine before, but quit all of a sudden. I have power at the fuse box (stock), power at the switch (new). I test the plug under the hood and nothing. I test the lights in the rear and nothing. Everything else works. A while ago, I cut all the turn signal light out due to my shifter breaking then relocated, but they worked after that. Does anyone have an idea? Its killing me.

[Daddy4zack]

Re: Brake light help!

sensor/actuator on the brake petal linkage???

[duckdawg1]

Re: Brake light help!

sensor/actuator on the brake petal linkage???

Its new.

[DirtDonk]

Re: Brake light help!

I have power at the fuse box (stock), power at the switch (new). I test the plug under the hood and nothing. I test the lights in the rear and nothing. Everything else works.

The brake switch (usually) gets it's power directly from the headlight switch. From the pedal it goes to the turn signal switch (via the hazard switch in some cases) and from the turn signal switch out to the back lights.
Since you don't have power to the plug under the hood, you're not going to have any back at the lights. The fault is somewhere between the plug and the brake pedal switch.

A while ago, I cut all the turn signal light out due to my shifter breaking then relocated, but they worked after that.

Well there's a red flag if I ever saw one! What did you do to the turn signal switch? And where did you do it? And are there any splices that you made in all that?
If there are any splices, I would inspect them all. Trace your power from the brake switch to the steering column connector to see if it makes it there. If it's at that connector, chances are the fault is either in your modifications, or the turn signal switch itself.
Very common problem to begin with. Unfortunately you have some modifications that add some possibilities.

Do your turn signals work at this point? Hazard flashers? Have you tested the brake lights with the turn switch turned in both directions?
Just a couple more things to check.

Good luck.

Paul

[Spaceburger]

Re: Brake light help!

100% sure the turn signal area is where your problem is. Two filaments at each rear light:
1) for illumination (low current and is powered directly from the light switch)
2) brake light / turn signal (high current and all is routed through the turn signal switch on your steering column).

[duckdawg1]

Re: Brake light help!

Thanks for all of the help! I hooked the signals back up and the brake lights work.