69 malibu, 4 wheel drums, and manual brakes:

I replaced all four wheel cylinders,linings and new spring kits all the way around,and the brake lines across the back axle and across the front and new front brake hoses,not down the frame though.

The car had sat for 8 years before I did all this work.
Anyway I bled the wheel cylinders and drove the car.It kept feeling like the brakes wouldn't release, so I back off the adjusters alittle and than had a low pedal,so I snuged them back up t'ill I had a good pedal and drove the car some more and the brakes (ALL FOUR BRAKES MIND YOU)were dragging again to the point where I didn't think I would make it home,but I did.

I figured the master cylinder wasn't letting the fliud back up so I replaced that (after bench bleeding of course) and when I emptied the fluid I noticed that the holes in the bottom of the resivior (old one) had sludge in them, (hopfully that was it).
Drove the car and brakes didn't drag,BUT I still need to re-bleed the wheel cylinders, cause the pedal goes down a ways.

My question#1 is Why is the brake light staying on faintly?
I did a search here and see that there's a "button" of some sorts that needs to be pushed down on the proportioning valve when bleeding???

I didn't do this the first time I bled the brakes and It's been on ever since.
How do I make it go out :confused:

Question #2
Also after I re-bleed the brakes if they keep "dragging" what else can I look for??
I wouldn't think think the proportion valve needs replaced cause all four brakes were dragging????

Any help or thoughts are MOST apperiatied.

Sorry for all the bad spelling graemlins/clonk.gif

Thanks Guys

Make sure the rod going from the brake pedal to the master cylinder is not too long. You should feel a little play in it. I think it's adjustable. You have to center the brake warning switch to get the light to go out. It senses differential pressure in the system. If a rear line broke (for example) the little rod in the switch would shift to the rear because there was more pressure on the front than the rear, you would have to crack a front bleeder while applying pressure to the pedal. Sometimes you can actually hear a "click" when the rod centers itself. You can also take out the switch that the wire is attached to and look in there to see if it's centered. The switch drops into a small groove to open the contact. You can see the groove. Good luck

There might be a slight air bubble in the proportioning valve, thats where the electrical contact goes to the brake light. Might need to bleed the brakes some more. Also it could be as simple as the contact has come off the propotioning valve a little, or is dirty and needs to be cleaned.

Thanks Guys,
I thought about the rod being too long but discounted that because it is the same rod that was in there before I parked the car 8 years ago and it wasn't a problem then.

About this swicth, is this built into the proportioning valve? I can't see any wires coming from the proportion valve from the top,I'll have to jack it up and look from underneath.The only thing I see on top is what looks like a thin stud. Maybe that's where the wire goes and came loose????? or is that the "button" I've been reading about? I tried to push it but it didn't budge.


Also any truth in the thing about having to push in the "button" on the proportion valve prior to bleeding? where is it located?

The cars a BB and I installed headers which fit perfectly, not touching but REALLY close to the Proportion valve. Any problems with this? I understand it's probably not the best location for it with the added heat and all.

Thanks Again

The way the brake light works is it has 12v on it always and will come on if it receives a ground, either through the distribution block on the frame or the ebrake foot pedal. (4 wheel drum cars do not have a proportioning valve, just a distrubution block). The stud on your distribution block is what would supply the ground if there is a braking imbalance. Because you can see the stud the wire obviously isnt hooked up. It is a tan wire. If it is wedged somewhere to bare metal it will make the brake light come on. Find that wire and get it freed up, if the light is out then hook it back to the distribution block. If the light still doesnt go out with the wire unattatched to anything and not grounded check the switch on the ebrake pedal and make sure that isnt made. Try pulling the ebrake release and pulling up on the pedal to get it all the way up.