The Man in the night, lol, had a 77 orang westy, thats why I thought it was the 77westy member above, And very kind of him to meet me with an exhaust for my bus at BusFest .
Yeap was working ok.......brake warning light not on unless you pressed the lens to test it, no fluid leaks and brakes seemed ok. Pads did need doing, I had them back off the garage ( and the old switches too- original vw ones)
If your brakes are a bit spongy after you have been through all the bleeding you might check ... Front calipers for rusted up pads which bend instead of moving properly. Check rear brake drums are round and havent become oval with time and heat from that time you drove it miles with the handbrake on .. and maybe fit new rear brake pads and at least make sure the handbrake cable and rear adjusters are set up right, so the shoes press evenly on the drums. Otherwise the setting of the adjusters may just be making one end of the shoes do all the work while adjusting... you think the adjusters are done up to the point of brakes binding but its only that end near the adjuster actually working with the adjuster. Over near the brake cylinder theres a big gap...
The only issue I have with the eezi-bleed is that the maximum pressure allowed is 20Psi. They really mean it, too- 25PSI and you've got brake fluid all over the place. That means deflating your spare tyre a bit and faffing around like that, and obviously eventually you'll be left with no air in your spare- especially if the seal to your vehicle's fluid reservoir isn't perfect. what I've done, is fitted a small compressor regulator in the air line to my eezi-bleed, set at 20Psi. The input for that comes from my compressor. This way, it doesn't matter how long I leave it on for, the thing will just run and run, continually bleeding my brakes. I just pop around each wheel with a spanner, crack the bleed screws off a bit for a few seconds, then done.
Update. Thank you all for your help and posts. Brakes now have good pedal pressure, all bled up ok, full brake fluid flush. Flexi pipes ok, wheel cylinders ok, drums adjusted and handbrake good. The new VWHeritage switches were seeping fluid.........but the brake lights came on with a light pedal press for slowing down, Dash Brake warning now gone off. So for convenience and same day fix, fitted some GSF switches, brake lights ok when light pedal pressure, Dash brake warning light still off. but then discovered they were leaking like a sieve !! So put the original VW switches back in and re-bled. Pressure and pedal ok, brake dash warning light off BUT After swapping brake switches back to original ones, I'm back to the original problem. Brake lights only come on when coming to a full stop, not when slowing. I search the net, seems there are alot of dodgy switches. found this thread on here, with others having switch and brake light problems http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/brake-light-issues.70407/page-4 @77 Westy said in the above thread "" No hydraulic switch can eliminate the delay in the brake lights coming on. The switch can only operate when there is pressure in the master cylinder and when there is pressure the brakes are already on."" So I'm confused how the VHW, GSF switches got the brake lights on when slowing, but leaked badly, and the original VW switches only work on full stop - not slowing, but don't leak. Any suggestions?? I've searched for better quality switches, but they appear scarce. Cool Air have them £31.50 each for ATE brand https://www.coolairvw.co.uk/Item/Sh...GATE/3_Terminal_Brake_Light_Switch_-_ATE.html OnLineCarParts (any body used them?) Have several listed from the part number but they all look different https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/spares-search.html?keyword=113945515G I'd be grateful of advice as to whether to splash £60 odd quid on ATE, or have I just had bad luck with VWH GSF ?? (Again, I'm certainly living up to my user name )
Pic's of the VWH and GSF switches....which are different. VWH switches seeped from between the black plastic and the metal, didn't see this until the boot cover was removed. You can just about see the wetness in the pic. GSF switch, leaked from everywhere Proper squirted, so hard to see exactly where from
Another thread with the same problem http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/brake-lights.75437/#post-1407767 Note the pic of the failed switch, everyone seems to ignore this risk presumably because it only happens to somebody else. All hydraulic switches require pressure to operate; the difference between switch manufacturers is how much pressure – and you don’t know that until you fit them. I’d fit the original leak free switches for the circuit failure warning light and an additional mechanical switch on the pedal to operate the brake lights, eliminating the delay problem inherent in all brake lights operated by hydraulic switches. Pic is a mechanical switch with a bracket from the floor for the switch and another bracket on the pedal to operate the switch, the nuts adjust the position. The switch is from a classic Mini but many other types are available.
Many thanks for your reply @77 Westy . That set up is probably a bit complicated for me, I've only basic techy knowledge and not alot of confidence If there was a kit with a full picture step by step instructions with a youtube video, and someone on a 24/7 customer help line, I might have a go at it, LOL There's an idea.....someone could put kits together to sell ????? Blimey, another post with someone else with same problems. There must be hundreds of buses on the road with this brake light issue, or poor quality switches. It's just strange how the brake lights worked ok with both sets of leaking switches.. (yeap, pressure, but the pressure was good on all 3 sets of switches)
Just go to a VW dealers and buy a new original switch they are cheaper than cool air @ around £25 It doesn't take much pressure too switch the lights on just enough to get the brakes rubbing with a desent switch. Three pin switch part number 113 945 515G Two pin switch 113 945 515H
Hi, thank for the reply. Yes it would be great to get original ones. I've tried VW dealers and their supplier TPS. They don't make them and more and no superceded part number. To be sure I phone 3 or 4 dealers.
Yes looks like the 3 pin switch has been dropped last year as a main dealer part but available from VW classic spares. Two pin still available from VW dealers. You can fit the two pin if your not worried about the brake warning lamp.
I have two new 3-pin switches you can have for postage (from France), I can’t remember if they’re original but VW never made switches anyway. I’m on holiday just now but I’ll be home in a couple of weeks if you’re interested.
@77 Westy WOW, thank you, so very kind. I'll send you a pm The ones fitted now, do have a vw stamp and the vw part number on it, it came from the USA with them fitted. Many thanks again
Hi all, If anybody is interested or was following this, and to those who helped.....thank you. Update. Brakes fixed....woohoo... and I've got the feel good factor . I got some Meyle (German made) switches at Dubfreeze. Fitted them today....yes in the bitterly cold weather . Rebled the brakes and all is good No leaks and a firm pedal and the brake lights come on when slowing (not just when fully stopping like before) Now on to the rest of the ever growing list of things to fix
Good to meet you at Dubfreeze, you've no excuse not to come to Techenders now you've seen how harmless we are
" Harmless " ............. LOL ........ as long as I stay away from the chilli sauce, like one of you had, and then get inside a cold sleeping bag ,hehe (that was you @Flakey wasn't it?) sorry, I was trying to remember TLB user names and real names .......it was 9am and freezing cold Yes it was great to meet some of you............Hope you all had a good time. I'm glad I plucked up the courage to come and say hello I got some treasures , including the Meyle switches. It was good to look at the switches the traders were selling before buying. They were all poop, except the Meyle, which were from Shofields.....keep a mental note for if any of you need replacements. Hmmmmm, Techenders...... as I said, it's the same weekend as BigBang, unfortunately Thats a tough choice, I do enjoy Santa pod and the racing. lol, I'm living up to my user name again I've change "your" to "A" sleeping bag.....oops , after rereading what i'd typed last night I blame getting so cold today and brain freeze = making the typo
These are the guys I use: http://www.brooksidevwaircooled.com Just south of Birmingham but I come up from Surrey just to use them. Great family business. Great work and always very interested and friendly. Now...to try and sort out my failing brakes on my own No chance of getting up to Birmingham with this issue. Like you i’m not the best mechanic Hoping I just need to bleed them as no visible leaks, but i’ve not taken anything apart. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Read everything I could on the subject...bought the Eezibleed kit & fresh fluid. Cleaned up and WD40d the nipples. Read instructions several times, even visualising the process. Got to tackling the task and I suppose it could only have gone slightly worse! The gentlest of turns and the nipple is partially snapped off! Is this something a local mechanic can sort out for me if I get it there? Thing is, if I try and pull the hose off to remove the spanner the nipple end will likely just fall off. Is this going to spew brake fluid everywhere and render it totally not drivable to the mechanic, even though i’ve not unscrewed it at all? Cheers folks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
