Gene jockey

I bought a replacement ignition switch for my 63 thinking, wrongly, that a new one might work better. The new one and the old one seem to be similar, but the "feel" of the old one was better, so I put the old one back, following the shop manual instructions. . Now, I can't get anything to work at all. No starter, no horn, a tiny jump in the temp gauge (cold garage) as the key passes through the arc, no headlights. The interior dome light does come on when the door is open. The wiring under the dash looks good with no obvious aftermarket surgery. I must have knocked something out of place while fumbling around under the dash. Where to start?

Frankie the Fink

The first thing is to make sure no wires have come loose from the ignition switch connector. Push each one in, individually, to make sure they are seated.

If you were just under the dash to remove this switch there isn't really much you can bump around to cause your problem. The internals of the switch could be bad I guess but it would have had to happen while you were R&Ring it.

msk914

If you are sure the ignition switch is seated correctly, look behind the dash for a black (ground) wire with an insulated end just hanging there. This ground wire plugs into a connector behind the dash.

Gene jockey

I do recall seeing a single black orphan connector right up next to the lip of the dash...

65GGvert

Headlights and horn don't go through the ignition, so it's not the problem. After you check what you've already been told, try wiggling the two connectors below the master cylinder at the firewall and report back if that gets you anything.

65GGvert

Also double check the battery connections and measure the battery voltage. Maybe you drained it during the work, but it still has enough left to light the dome lamp.

Gene jockey

I have traced visually a single black wire with a black connector just behind the parking brake bracket. The black wire coming out of the single connector goes into a capacitor. The other end of the black wire folds forward into another single connector from which there is a tan wire that goes somewhere forward up behind the dash.

My next step is to raise the car on the lift so that I can better see what I'm doing while standing rather than laying on my back.

65GGvert

That won't cause your symptoms. Did you measure the battery voltage?

Gene jockey

I reinstalled the switch and its connector,and I still get nothing from the switch. As mentioned earlier, I did find an apparently loose black wire with a single black connector, but on further inspection this loose wire was connected to a capacitor behind the parking brake bracket. The other end of the black wire goes into a single connector with a tan wire leading up behind the dash.

I also checked the connector below the brake reservoir and the white firewall connector. Both seemed to be intact

Battery voltage is a potential issue. The battery is new (NAPA). I suspect I have a current leak somewhere as a consequence of my fiddling with the ignition switch, as the car ran well before I started this switch swap.

65GGvert

After 30 hours and 3 tries to get you to measure the battery, I'm dropping out. Hope you find it.

rtruman

Loose ground on Engine block ,battery connections

Gene jockey

I checked the battery in the car and got about 3 volts. I then put it on the charger on trickle overnight and saw 5.3 volts. then I took the battery out of the car and charged the battery and for several hours, and I got 7.1 volts. I'm now measuring the voltage drip over time to see how well the battery holds charge.

buns

Are you using a trickle charger to bring a dead battery back to life?

babbah

Time for a new battery as yours is RIP

Gene jockey

That's what I was afraid of... If this solves the problem, I'm happy!

Gene jockey

Thanks

Gene jockey

It tuned out to be a bad battery, just as several of you suggested. This was a six month old battery. I guess batteries are not what they used to be.

Gene jockey

It tuned out to be a bad battery, just as several of you suggested. This was a six month old battery. I guess batteries are not what they used to be.

Gene jockey

I did check the battery, and it was part of the problem. Got another new battery, and that helped. However, I still seem to have a current leak that will drain the battery in a day or so. Inspection of the switch connector revealed a missing contact and a slightly melted socket. I think I'm also missing a ground wire to the back of the dash.
I'll let you know what else I find,

Thanks

Railroadman

Maybe you should put the new switch back in and be done with it. Or at least see if that plus the new battery solves all the problems.