C2 Electrical Gremlin

[George C.]

I have a new challenge with my 65 roadster. When driving I had an occasional cut out, seemed electrical not fuel. I thought it was a loose wire on the ignition switch becasue the plastic connecter has lost its little tab locks. I have tried about everywhere, and can't find a plastic connector to buy. I took the whole switch out, took the connector off removed and crimped each of the wire lugs carefully making sure that they would make good contact with the switch. After a few short runs I proclaimed victory, and thought that was the end of the story.
Tonight I headed off to a local cruise-in and of course the fun began just as I was pulling in, about a 15 mile ride. The car shut off a couple times, and was hard to start. I played with the wires reaching under the dash but I can't be sure that I had anything to do with when the car decided to start and run again. I got it home shut it off, and again it was hard to start but did eventually. I think that the problem may be elsewhere. Could it be the ignition switch itself?
Reading a post tonight about a bad set of points/condensor, I am really not sure where to start. Any and all suggestions about how to approach this are welcome, I really do not know where to look first.
Thank you all, as always,
George #36908

[Philip C.]

Re: C2 Electrical Gremlin

George check the two wire harness plugs in the engine compartment. They plug into the fuse box under the master cylinder. They come loose sometimes, this is the #1 for this type prolbem. Phil 8063

[Wayne W.]

Re: Yep, Classic Air Car Itis *NM*

[George C.]

Re: C2 Electrical Gremlin

Phil,
Why didn't I think of that? A great idea I will check it out tomorrow night.
Thank you,
George

[George C.]

Re: Yep, Classic Air Car Itis

Wayne,

What would we do if they ran smoothly all the time?? I guess we would probably tear something apart that was working, but just needed to be freshened up a bit.

Thanks,
George

[Douglas L.]

Re: C2 Electrical Gremlin

Hey George,

Here is something to look at. In the distributor, there is a ground wire that goes from the point breaker plate to the distributor housing:


The distributor point plate rotates based on vacuum from the vacuum advance. Over the course of 40 years and a few tune-ups with new points, this wire can get pushed around and come loose. If it does, the motor will not run. Being the plate rotates slightly, the wire can make better contact some of the time and sometimes not. Sometimes, the wire can look fine while being poorly connected. That's from my own experience and it took forever to find the problem.

Good luck.

Doug Lee

[Jim T.]

Re: C2 Electrical Gremlin

George had a somwhat similiar problem on my 68 years ago, about 1976. One day had to walk home, returned with tools to do whatever, but the car started and I drove it home and then got serious about finding the problem. It was just a unique problem to me, but the terminal post on the coil would turn in the coil. Replaced the orignal coil and everything has been great since.

[Jack H.]

In addition...

to what others suggest, this is a known symptom of cars equipped with a 'green knob' battery cutoff switch. That's an easy one to inspect/check...

What can happen is since there's no tactile feedback when you close these switches, you can wind up with less than full surface contact in the switch. This allows the switch to 'bounce' creating electrical arcs that destroy the thin copper/brass plating on the contact surface beneath the knob.

You wind up with high ohmic contact and the result is first sporadic loss of electric power followed by a sometimes sudden and COMPLETE loss of power. I've seen it happen a couple of times when cars were on the road...NOT pretty!

To inspect, you unscrew and remove the green knob. Note beneath the plastic handle, the knobs is a solid brass bolt with hex head embedded in the handle. It's the tips of the hex head that act as 'horns' focusing the electical arcs outward across the mating surface of the switch below.

Look closely at the condition of that surface (the upper 'bar' of the switch). If you see arc traces that've burned through the thin plating of the contact surface, it's time to remove/discard the switch. Personally, I prefer the slighly more expensive knife contact version of the switch offered by the same manufacturer....

[Wayne K.]

Re: In addition...

Jack,

If the switch as you've explained it failed causing the car stop wouldn't everything electrical also be out of service ?

Wayne

[Ed D.]

Re: In addition...

Check the ignition/radio shield over the distributor if it's in place. The shield may vibrate and ground out coil and or distributor wire.

[James W.]

Re: C2 Electrical Gremlin

George,

My '64 convertible exhibited the same problem about 8 years ago. It ended up being a bad condenser, replaced it and never had a problem after that. I'd start there first.

James West

[Phil P.]

Re: C2 Electrical Gremlin

i second james suggestion as i chased the same issue, refusing to think it would be the point condenser---it was

[Randy S.]

Re: C2 Electrical Gremlin

George,

I had the same problem in my 66 but the big clue was the radio shut off simultaneously. If you are losing ALL power then it may be the firewall harness plugs which contols the main power feed into the car or green knob battery disconnect
If it is engine only cutout and you have other electrical power then look toward the ignition suggestions.

Randy

[Donald M.]

OR You Can....

take the "Green Knob" cutoff switch and throw it as far as you can (look out for neighbors' windows) and buy a Save-ty Switch knife-style cut off switch. Never heard of a failure.
JMTCW,
Don

[George C.]

Re: OR You Can....

Wow an overwhelming list of things to check, I greatly appreciate all the feedback. I have been tied up with work and have not been able to look at the car since Wednesday night. I will try all these suggestions, 1 at a time, in the morning, and post what I find.
Again thanks to each of you for your suggestions.

George