Brake light switch

[Englishbob]

Ok Gentlemen,

a couple of newbie questions

Firstly where' the brake light switch on a 48 Chrysler Windsor

Secondly,there's a wire that connects with the main negative battery cable on the starter/solenoid that isnt connected to anywhere else? anyone have a clue where it should go?

Thanks

Bob

[Plymouthy Adams]

your brake light switch is located inline close to the master cylinder under the car...simple pressure operated switch..you can jumper across the terminal with no incurring damage to test your circuit...

the other wire...without looking at the sechematic for your model and such..it would be a hard quess..couldhave been owner installed for any number of accessories over the years.

[55 Fargo]

Ok Gentlemen,

a couple of newbie questions

Firstly where' the brake light switch on a 48 Chrysler Windsor

Secondly,there's a wire that connects with the main negative battery cable on the starter/solenoid that isnt connected to anywhere else? anyone have a clue where it should go?

Thanks

Bob

The "other wire" at the starter connection, usually goes tothe Scisson Electric choke, at least mine does on my 47 Chrysler Coupe.

Welcome to the forum, it's always nice to see 1946 to 1948 Chrysler owners on here.................Fred P.S. will check the schematic in my 40s Chrysler Service Manual, just to be sure

Update, the solenoid at the starter, the main negative bat cable with the following 3 wires on the same terminal.

- red wire to ammeter

-green wire to horn relay

-wire to fuel gauge

there are 3 other contacts on the solenoid,

- 1 wire to starter switch

-1 black wire to electric choke

-1 brown wire to generator armature contact

This is from the 1940s Chrysler shop manual for C38 Chryslers...........

[Englishbob]

The choke is manual.although it looks like a modification and the fuel gauge doesnt work so i guess i've got some time under the hood tracing wires

thanks

Bob

[55 Fargo]

The choke is manual.although it looks like a modification and the fuel guage doesnt work so i guess i've got some time under the hood tracing wires

thanks

Bob

Other than the Choke modification, is your engine the original, it should have C38 on the number, I have a 218 Canadian Plymouth engine in my car, it came from a 1951 Canadian Plymouth, but it is still a 25 inch block as all Canadian blocks were the same for 218 to 265 engines..........Fred

[Englishbob]

I will check tomorrow

where is the engine number?

Bob

[greg g]

If you find you need a new brake switch, these hydraulic switches are still used in motorcyle and ATV applications. You should be able to find one at a Harley dealership. Unscrewing the old one and putting the new one is shouldn't necessatate a need for bleeding as long as you don't apply any pressure to the pedal while it 's open. Also if your car still retains its original wireing the center lamp in the trunk (boot) lid is the only Brake light.

[Plymouthy Adams]

very available and inexpensive for our little British cars also...

[55 Fargo]

NAPA has them here in Canada, just try your local NAPA in Calgary Bob.

[55 Fargo]

I will check tomorrow

where is the engine number?

Bob

Front left side of engine block upper end of the engine below the head. When you find the number, just post it here, we will let you know what you have.

[Don Coatney]

very available and inexpensive for our little British cars also...

Are the pipe thread sizes the same on British switches? The Brits sometimes used there own standards (Whitworth, metric,etc)

[Plymouthy Adams]

yes...brake Brit ans US interchange, at least they did on the Sunbeam as I used off the shelf lines...some nuts and bolts on some cars are Whitworth...but they go back to an earlier time and some motorcyles...they use national fine thread a lot more than we do...as in just about all their hardware...they go a step further for chassis bolts and used rolled threads so as not to have a prescored stress line on each thread.

[Frank M.]

English Bob; The brakelite switch is on top of the frame,just under the battery tray. I believe that was part of your original Question. Frank M.

[Englishbob]

Thanks guys ,got the brake light working now.

Engine # is C38 7070C from what i can see

All i have to do now is fix the fuel guage and i'm off >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bob

[greg g]

Check the ground at the sending unit on the tank. Run a seperate wire from the sending unit mounting screw to one of the screws in the access cover under the mat on the trunk floor. If this doesn't work, check up under the dash to make sure there is not any inadvertant grounding of the gas gauge terminals. I had a defroster duct come of the difuser and the wire stiffener in the tube grounded the gauge, causing to read full all the time.

[greg g]

Check the ground at the sending unit. usually running a jumper wire from on of the sending unit mounting screws to one of the access panel's mountig screws will do the trick. Also examine under the dash and make sure there isn't any inadvertant grounding of the gauge terminal posts. I had a defroster duct come off the diffuser, the wire stiffener in the tube, contacted one of the gauge terminals causing it to read full all the time.

[55 Fargo]

Thanks guys ,got the brake light working now.

Engine # is C38 7070C from what i can see

All i have to do now is fix the fuel guage and i'm off >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bob

Bob, glad things are coming togther, yes that is an OEM engine for your car you have there......