Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2010 21:37:10 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: master brake light misbehaving - fixed
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you know the old tech/repair saying ........"Always go for the simple causes
first."
----- Original Message -----
From: "brett rueff" <rueffy@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2010 9:13 PM
Subject: master brake light misbehaving - fixed
Well it was a bit of a runaround and very simple free fix in the end.
Thanks to all those that contributed. Since the light was only coming on at
higher RPM I thought I might have a brake booster vacuum leak. Tee'd into
the vacuum line and ran a vacuum gauge to the dash area. Watched it for a
few days and readings are perfect.Then did what I should have done first -
pulled out the wiring diagram. I found that the brake light only connects
to two things - the resivour level sensor and the park brake. immediately
elimated the resivour through testing. Moved onto the park brake - the
squat switch had slipped down and worked its way just free enough that at
higher RPMS the vibration would cause it to ever so slightly rub the metal
floor under the carpet where it was wedged causing grounding and flickering
light. Electrical was never my strong point, but live and
learn.Brett-----Original Message-----From: Vanagon Mailing List
[mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Ofbrett rueffSent: Sunday, July
18, 2010 7:48 PMTo: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COMSubject: master brake light
misbehavingHi all.I have 91 vanagon with 2.2 Subaru Engine. My master brake
warning light onthe left side of the dash has started coming
on....sometimes......Im notsure how long its been doing it - I rarely drive
the car at night, but I didthe other day and noticed it - now that I know
its there I can see it in theday, but its probably been going on for a while
during daytime drivingwithout me noticing. It flickers on only when the
engine is running above3000rpm. As soon as I brake or put the clutch in the
RPM goes below 3000the light instantly goes off. It is not speed related - I
can do it atidle. The more I am above 3000rpm the stronger it comes on. I
have checkedthe fluid - it was a bit low, I topped it up but no change. Also
adjustedthe parking brake for correct operation. Im not sure if this is a
standardvanagon thing or something the PO monkeyed with during the 2.2
install.Any ideas?ThanksBrettGreater Vancouver,
BC.------------------------------Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:10:20 -0700From:
Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>Subject: Re: master
brake light misbehavingit would be nice if it was a 'standard Vanagon thing'
...like low brake fluid, pressure failure warning coming from the brake
lightswitches,or parking brake handle switch acting up ..and I would check
out all those carefully ...and.....the 3,000 rpm thing ..has me wondering
what possible interface there could be between the Subaruengine and
electronics and that brake warning light ..tachometer or VSS are the only
things that remotely occur to me ...also.."as soon as I brake or put the
clutch in' ...ah ha ..cruise control ?cruise control is involved with brake
and clutch switches or vacuum valves..if there is cruise control I'd explore
that avenue .and ..fwiw, not long ago I found a 'just plain faulty' brake
warning light.I was getting a vanagon alive again that had been dead for a
couple ofyears...forget the exact symptom ..warning light was on when it
shouldn't be ..and it was for sure, a faulty warning light .it's not a
simple light bulb, I think there's more to it than that I thinkin that
little part.if there's cruise control and it can be disarmed by pulling a
fuse ....etc..I'd check into that.that seems to me to be the most likely
link between rpm, brake and clutchpedal operation and that warning
light.Scottwww.turbovans.com =
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