Stubborn lack of brake lights!

BX Tech talk
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Way2go
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Post by Way2go »

Kitch wrote: But the brake lights should only come on with the ignition. I've never seen a car that has them wired up all the time.
Mk2 Cortina? Unfused as I learnt to my cost when the stick-on rear screen heater shorted on the feed picked up from the switch. :shock: :oops:
1991 BX19GTi Auto
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thanuttiscotsman
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Post by thanuttiscotsman »

hi there,
bx lights should only work with ign on, switch is piece of piss to change ive got a spare switch if you need. its your for a pint.

rossco
1989 BX 16v ph1 Chipped, k+N, full scorpion, weber throttle body, NOS 1990 BX 16v ph2
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

Well chaps, I've removed the stoplight switch but so far it has defeated all attempts to take it apart! Is there a knack?? The black end cap just won't shift and I am breaking little pieces off it through trying! It seems like it's superglued on... I'm going to call the Cit specialist down the road from work to see if they have one in stock. There's a good chance as they look after Gary's race BX.

If they don't then I shall be sending you a PM Rossco- thanks for the offer!

Cheers,

Mark.
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

sleepy0905 wrote:Had this problem and it was the stop switch at the peddle that had failed if you are carefull you can take the switch apart and clean the contacts its usually the feed side contact that gets all blackened and pitted I have just repaired this same fault on my neighbours saxo which had the same problem I have a working switch here somewhere if you need one.
Hi Sleepy, can you tell me how you take the switch apart please? I want to see if I can resurrect the one I've got before I buy a new one. Try as I might, I can't figure out how to dismantle it - without a hammer that is!!!

Cheers!

Mark.
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thanuttiscotsman
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Post by thanuttiscotsman »

hi there,
tis less hastle for you to just change it and as far as i know all bx ft brake switches are the same.

rossco
1989 BX 16v ph1 Chipped, k+N, full scorpion, weber throttle body, NOS 1990 BX 16v ph2
1996 transit 2.5di 80 swb
2006 Suzuki GSR 600cc Fast as F**K!
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

PM sent.

Cheers,

Mark
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

The BX lives again!!

I've managed to get the switch working again by spraying WD down the sides of the "button" and into the two holes where the terminals are anchored, and working the button vigourously. It only worked intermittently, until I started pushing sideways on the button while I was pushing it inwards, which meant it scraped against the contacts and obviously removed some corrosion! So, for the time being it works, and I will soon have a spare just in case - thanks Rossco!

Swings and roundabouts though: I discovered that as it had been standing several days, in some very heavy rain, I've got Lake Michigan in my rear footwells, and lo, the felt under the rear seats is sodden too. So the damned sunroof drains are blocked, as I suspected (with a prevailing smell of damp in the car).

Has anyone had any success using a tyre footpump on the ends of the rear draintubes? - cos that's what I'm going to try tomorrow.

Mark.
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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

The other way is go to a bike shop and buy a brake cable get it home and remove the inner throw away the outer sheath and the flexible inner can be used to push up the drain tube without damaging it you can then use the inner for many other jobs including laying in a new speedo cable. :D
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Stewart (oily!)
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

And for getting water out of the footwells I raid the laundry and grab a lot of towels, make a bundle ofthem and wrap the oldest one around the outside, pop the resulting parcel into the footwell and place some bricks on top, replace bundle of towels daily until mushrooms desist from growing in the car :)
Alternatively fit a bilge pump :D
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

Yes, or alternatively, as I was thinking earlier, drill holes in the floors :twisted:

Well no, but what is it with me and Citroens that ship water? Both BXs and the GSA have had chronic problems keeping the wet stuff on the outside!

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Post by jeremy »

Spring net curtain wire available from B&Q etc is much the same as the outer sheath of a bowden cable.
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

Yeah and jeez I'm going to need some soon. There's an absolute DOWNPOUR going on outside the office at the mo!

Thanks for the tips, Jeremy, Stewart & Sleepy. Going out shopping at the weekend for drain cleaning equipment!

Mark.
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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

Get yourself an aquavax that will get rid of the puddles and most of the water inside or my missus says get a load of Tampax they will absord a lot of water.
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jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

As a temporary measure seal the roof with gaffer tape when you get it dry - you can then sort out the drains at you leisure!

Does work - I've one of those glass panel tilt or lift out things in my estate and the seal has gone again - and as the roof is nearly useless when it does work its sealed with tape which does at least keep me dry.
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Way2go
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Post by Way2go »

sleepy0905 wrote:Get yourself an aquavax that will get rid of the puddles and most of the water inside or my missus says get a load of Tampax they will absord a lot of water.
I was posting about the Vax when the forum generated an explorer error on me - great minds think alike! :D

Dunno about the Tampax though - sounds expensive plus a potential hazard is......(perhaps better not go there). :lol:
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