Over-temp lights questions

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MULLEY
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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by MULLEY »

It doesn't work accurately as the wires normally break internally from age, so the lights flicker because of the vibration from the car whilst on the move as the internal wires are connecting & disconnecting slightly. I changed my wheels over anyway's so always check the wear of the pads at the tme, so don't need or rely on a light to appear which most likely won't mean that the pads are low. But if you have one's that work & you want to rely on a light to appear, thats fine also :)
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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by Way2go »

MULLEY wrote:It doesn't work accurately as the wires normally break internally from age, so the lights flicker because of the vibration from the car whilst on the move as the internal wires are connecting & disconnecting slightly. I changed my wheels over anyway's so always check the wear of the pads at the tme, so don't need or rely on a light to appear which most likely won't mean that the pads are low. But if you have one's that work & you want to rely on a light to appear, thats fine also :)
I don't follow this Mulley. :? The pad warning lights illuminate when the pads become low enough for the end of the "Stub" to rub and provide an earth via contact with the brake disc. Any break in the wire back from here to the light would prevent the light from illuminating.
If you are getting false indication (or flickering) then something on this route is getting shorted to earth elsewhere.
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B-Hive
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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by B-Hive »

mat_fenwick wrote:Whilst the pad warning system isn't ideal (for that reason I'd never rely on it) it's handy but not a failsafe system. I.e. any break in the wiring will cause the lights NOT to come on when the pads are worn. TBH I've never known the BX to give flickering problems, unlike failsafe systems which come on if the wires are broken.
My first TRS's pad warning lights flickered down to the fact that the wires had broken off the sensors and were free to earth themselves on the abundant metal bits, and so I am guessing that this may be the usual cause, even if the wires haven't come completely free, they may well be frayed at the top leading to shorting out on the brake caliper
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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by MULLEY »

No idea why it does this way2go, i think the above post probably answers it better than i could. Either way its a shit system to rely on, when you should be checking your brake pads physically anyway. I also ask my MOT tester to let me know how much is left on the pads as well so that i can judge how long they've got left before needing to be changed incase they are low but don't fall within the advisory notice.
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electrokid
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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by electrokid »

They don't light up for test - which is really REALLY stupid.
You're right...

Easy to modify it though - a device that briefly operates a relay (with 2 sets of contacts) or 2 relays to short the sensors to ground and so operate the lights. For a diesel there's already such a device - drive the relay(s) from the glow plug feed.
Yet I STILL haven't got around to fitting the temperature gauge I bought over a year ago...
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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by Birotor »

I would not trust a MOT tester with no BX specific experience. The factory say ' change when the light comes on' it does NOT give a minimum thickness. I would however accept my own visual examination once I had seen a pad showing the exposed wire which on a GS means about 500 miles of normal road use on a 1220.
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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by MULLEY »

I personally know my MOT tester, that's the only reason why i'd ask him as he's usually spot on, but i see your point though.
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1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
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1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

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Re: Over-temp lights questions

Post by docchevron »

the brake pad warning light should, if it's working properly, come on when there are 2MM of friction material left on the pad.
Personally I've never trusted any form of pad warning light (on cars or buses / trucks) and much prefer keeping a physical eye on them on a regular basis.
That said, for those that dont tend to take their wheels off r check under the car on a regular basis, every extra helps, although again, I've never run my pads down to 2mm.
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