Brake lights "frown"

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   ok so if you can help me with this one I would appreciate any ideas. 74 Javelin. 
A few people have gone out of their way to inform me that my brake lights dont work. I thought they were just being silly.. Old car and all. I thought the old bulbs and the old car just didn't light up like the new ones. 
Finally I went out with someone and asked them to observe and see if the lights got brighter when I hit the brake, and they didn't.

What I did next,
I went under the dash with a test light and made sure all the fuses were working. They were, except for the dome lights ones.. long story short it came unplugged under the hood by the brake booster. and its working now. 
I put new bulbs in to be sure. it didn't help.
I took the test light and tested the plug that goes to the brake switch and it doesn't have power to one side. it was getting dark or I would have ran a jumper wire from the battery to the plug just to see if it was the switch ounce and for all.

The question that lingers is "why dont one of the wires have power?" one pink and one green. I traced them back to a bundle of wires under the dash. 

Where do they go? can I check another fuse, plug, source, to find out why they dont have power.? Then if it doesn't work I can deduct that the problem is the switch.

and yes, I tried my tests with the key on, and with the car running.

Please help where you can.

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Casey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/26/2015 Location: Riverview, FL Status: Offline Points: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote Casey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Brake lights "frown" Posted: Mar/26/2015 at 8:10pm
	ok so if you can help me with this one I would appreciate any ideas. 74 Javelin. A few people have gone out of their way to inform me that my brake lights dont work. I thought they were just being silly.. Old car and all. I thought the old bulbs and the old car just didn't light up like the new ones. Finally I went out with someone and asked them to observe and see if the lights got brighter when I hit the brake, and they didn't. What I did next, I went under the dash with a test light and made sure all the fuses were working. They were, except for the dome lights ones.. long story short it came unplugged under the hood by the brake booster. and its working now. I put new bulbs in to be sure. it didn't help. I took the test light and tested the plug that goes to the brake switch and it doesn't have power to one side. it was getting dark or I would have ran a jumper wire from the battery to the plug just to see if it was the switch ounce and for all. The question that lingers is "why dont one of the wires have power?" one pink and one green. I traced them back to a bundle of wires under the dash. Where do they go? can I check another fuse, plug, source, to find out why they dont have power.? Then if it doesn't work I can deduct that the problem is the switch. and yes, I tried my tests with the key on, and with the car running. Please help where you can.

FuzzFace2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10356	Post Options Post Reply Quote FuzzFace2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/26/2015 at 8:31pm
	IIRC you should not need the key or motor running for the brake lights to work. Now you should have 1 side of the switch with power (hot) all the time with out pushing the brake peddle down. The only time the other wire will be hot is when the peddle is pushed. That is if the switch works as it should. Now that 2nd wire that is hot when pushed goes up thru the turn signal switch then out to the rear lights. So get out your test light and recheck the wires at the brake light switch to see if both are hot when peddle is pushed as they should be. If not replace the switch. If both are hot then you need to look at the turn signal switch. Sometimes you can use a electrical contact spray on the switch and work the switch and all will work. If not then you will have to replace the switch. Dave ----
	TSM = Technical Service Manual 75 Gremlin X v8 for sale 70 Javelin 360/auto drag car 70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car

Casey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/26/2015 Location: Riverview, FL Status: Offline Points: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote Casey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/26/2015 at 8:40pm
	at this time I dont have power to the wires going to the switch. I need to get power to one of them.. Im not sure where to go to check that.. after I get power I can address the switch. any ideas on where to check for power to the wires?

dltowers Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Dec/12/2012 Location: Friendswood, TX Status: Offline Points: 5827	Post Options Post Reply Quote dltowers Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/26/2015 at 9:12pm
	Casey, Not sure if related to your problem, but when my wife's 1974 Javelin was restored, the brake lights would not come on. The problem was the Turn Signal Cam on the steering column. Best Advice I Can Give You...."Buy a TSM as soon as you can".... Edited by dltowers - Mar/27/2015 at 8:11am
	Original Owner, 1974 Javelin: 360ci,2v,727TC. Motorola Multiplex with 8-Track. G4 Plum exterior with 421Q Black Uganda Interior. Purchased on July 16, 1974 from Hooker AMC, Sherman, TX for $4500.20

rocklandrambler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Feb/09/2013 Location: Nanuet, NY Status: Offline Points: 3953	Post Options Post Reply Quote rocklandrambler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/27/2015 at 12:52am
	Casey, I'm taking it that you don't have a TSM. You should purchase one as soon as possible as it will become invaluable. If I'm not mistaken the green wire at the brake light switch will go to the fuse block and the pink goes to the steering column. Most AMC fuse blocks are marked what the fuse is for. Look for one marked STOP-TURN SIG or something similar. Pull that fuse which I believe is a 9a. and clean the contacts. There should also be a large push on connector where your green wire should be. Pull that connector off and clean the contacts. Ensure that the green wire is secure and there's no corrosion. Hope this helps.
	Past AMC's 1974 Hornet X (new) 1975 Gremlin X (new) 1964 Classic 660 Cross Country 1965 American 440-H

FuzzFace2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10356	Post Options Post Reply Quote FuzzFace2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/27/2015 at 8:06am
	Rockland good call on pulling the fuse, I would pull them all, and clean the fuse ends and the holders. It does not take much corrosion to stop the power from going thru the fuse. That was a big problem on my 70 Javelin project. As pointed out look for a fuse marked as stated and after cleaning check if you get power thru it. Then move on to the spade to see if it has power as some have had issues with the fuse block rivits coming lose. Good luck Dave ----
	TSM = Technical Service Manual 75 Gremlin X v8 for sale 70 Javelin 360/auto drag car 70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car

Mopar_guy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jun/07/2009 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 4825	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mopar_guy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/27/2015 at 7:06pm
	Here Casey, this should help even though it's for a 73. http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/manuals/AMC/1973/Service%20-%20rescan/index.html The wiring diagrams for the whole car are at the end.
	"Hemilina" My 1973, 5.7 Hemi swapped Javelin

Casey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/26/2015 Location: Riverview, FL Status: Offline Points: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote Casey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/27/2015 at 9:59pm
	I will hit the link and look right after I send this. I used my light to check all of the fuses and the block on both ends just to make sure everything was working. The fuse closest to the passenger side that sits verticle doesn't have power to either side. I sand papered all of the connections where the fuses rest yesterday before I posted. What is a TSM? I don't think I'm going to tear the column off. That's way beyond what my daddy taught me.

dltowers Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Dec/12/2012 Location: Friendswood, TX Status: Offline Points: 5827	Post Options Post Reply Quote dltowers Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/27/2015 at 10:18pm
	Hello Casey, The term TSM refers to Technical Service Manual, below is a photo of the main 1974 TSM on the left, and the 1974 supplement on the right. You can usually find them for sale on Ebay:
	Original Owner, 1974 Javelin: 360ci,2v,727TC. Motorola Multiplex with 8-Track. G4 Plum exterior with 421Q Black Uganda Interior. Purchased on July 16, 1974 from Hooker AMC, Sherman, TX for $4500.20

Casey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/26/2015 Location: Riverview, FL Status: Offline Points: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote Casey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/27/2015 at 10:25pm
	oh.. I have those. its just hard to read paper graphs when I am looking at wires with my eyes then go to the book it gets confusing.