Brake Light Switch

[Galwaylotus]

Stay tuned!

[Gray]

Hi

Carefull adjusting the standard mechanical switch, it can easily be pushed apart, I found out the hard way many years ago.

A good mechanical switch is probably best, but the standard S4/Sprint ones are not very robust.

I have also changed hydraulic ones without bleeding and would tend to stick with hydraulic on an S3.

Cheers Gray

[StoatWithToast]

Forgot to say - got this sorted. The mechanical switch in the pedal box area that was already fitted to mine was the same as on classic minis. They are really badly designed and made. But at least they can be adjusted, even if it requires connecting and unconnecting a lot to stop the wires pulling the dash loom to bits.

Before this, I'd wondered why the brake cylinder and the clutch master cylinder seemed to be the wrong way around - after having my head in the footwell I realised there's a bar on the top of the brake pedal to transpose the lever action towards the centre of the car and into the brake cylinder. The switch was also mounted to the oddity... Any ideas why this is here? would the brake cylinder foul the wheel arch if it was behind the pedal?

[Galwaylotus]

Stay tuned!

I should have updated this earlier. Bought a pedal mounted switch from Paul Matty. Wasn't sure what thread was on it so I sent an e-mail. They rang me the next day to give the details. I found a nut with the correct thread and ground it to a usable thickness. Installed it and used a meter to check when the contacts closed. Then locked the jamnut and connected cables. I have brake lights again!

[Old English White]

Hi,
On the drive back from garage with "OEW", my wife who was following me with her car noticed than I wasn't braking that much. In fact, I was doing, but having no lights...
Gave a phone call, and hear than one broch of the hydraulic stop switch has been weld during MOT, and that weld didn't last more than a day. I got a spare part ( in fact three of it). Now my question: Will I need to bleed the whole braking circuit after the change!?!
Or, is there a clever way, avoiding that. Please, I hate hydraulics!
Christian.

[nmauduit]

Bonsoir Christian,

that should be doable, as long as no pressure is applied to the brakes during the operation the fluid should stay up to the level of the opening you made while you replace the hydraulic switch. Then you may want to tilt your car so that the bubble goes back up to the reservoir, if there is a chance the orientation of the tubes and/or fittings could lead to trap a bubble, but most likely when replenishing the master cylinder the new fluid will find its way to the switch fitting (if your master cylinder needs bench bleeding you may need to do that - you may try to keep it full by blocking all port and openings to the atmosphere before undoing the switch - or if you don't have worries with MC bleeding usually you may just empty it from the revervoir top to minimize the mess).

I've done that kind of partial bleeding many times, for swapping master cylinders for instance. If the pedal feels the same after than before, it should operate the same.

[Old English White]

Hello Nicolas,
Your message should encourage me to do the change by myself...
I definitely will give a go.
Btw: Is there any chance to see you (and your ?lan) at the french Lotus club Festival, at Montlh?ry, the 6th of july!?!
Christian.

[nmauduit]

Hello Nicolas,
Your message should encourage me to do the change by myself...
I definitely will give a go.
Btw: Is there any chance to see you (and your ?lan) at the french Lotus club Festival, at Montlh?ry, the 6th of july!?!
Christian.

Monthl?ry had escaped me, again, busy with other things, but I would be home early July so should definitely check it out - I love the atmosphere when driving on the old ring (even though one has to exert caution with the holes in the concrete), and it's been a few years now that I've been on it, as the bunch I trackday with most often found it a bit too expensive with the high number of Commissaires UTAC Ceram imposes nowadays.

I would think all is fully booked by now, or is there a chance to sneak in with my quasi stock road 1968 S4se elan ?

[Old English White]

The French Lotus Club Festival is an open meeting to every Lotus fan.
Better then driving a Lotus, but spectators are always welcome.
The thing is, over one single day, this now classified as historic monument can't recieve a lot of cars.
So, some priorities are given to exceptionnal cars or foreign Lotus members, when they ask for.
I wasn't sure until these last days, and got one of the last ticket for the trackday. I ll intend to share that driving time with my son, coming with our more modern 111S serie1.
So, even if there is no chance to drive on track, it is worth have a look... a coffee, show your car and say hello.
Christian.