'63 with no electrical power
08-03-2015, 12:39 AM
#1
4th Gear
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'63 with no electrical power
Hope someone can help with this electrical issue.
Drove my '63 to a cruise night.. car died twice in route but re-started easily. When leaving, car had no power to anything electrical and would not turn over with a jump of start with a push and clutch pop. Had it towed home where the battery metered at 12.5 amps and 9.5 under load. Alternator also tested as ok. When I jiggled wires under dash behind the ignition switch, and turned the key, the car started, ran for about 2 minutes and died again. Pulled the socket from the rear of the ignition switch and found all 5 wires ( Red / Purple / Brown / 2 Pinks) to all have solid connections. Now I'm suspecting there may be a short in the electrical system, but don't know the best way to ID where. Could the ignition switch have an internal short or should I be looking elsewhere? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Drove my '63 to a cruise night.. car died twice in route but re-started easily. When leaving, car had no power to anything electrical and would not turn over with a jump of start with a push and clutch pop. Had it towed home where the battery metered at 12.5 amps and 9.5 under load. Alternator also tested as ok. When I jiggled wires under dash behind the ignition switch, and turned the key, the car started, ran for about 2 minutes and died again. Pulled the socket from the rear of the ignition switch and found all 5 wires ( Red / Purple / Brown / 2 Pinks) to all have solid connections. Now I'm suspecting there may be a short in the electrical system, but don't know the best way to ID where. Could the ignition switch have an internal short or should I be looking elsewhere? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
08-03-2015, 04:49 AM
#2
Racer
I'd be looking at the bulkhead connector on the firewall. I had a similar problem with my '67 (it would die when I went around a sharp corner where I had to depress the clutch causing the firewall to flex just a bit). When I pulled the plugs off the bulkhead connector, I found a lot of green corrosion and a broken connector pin. I carefully cleaned it off, (contact cleaner and a brass brush on a rotary tool) and put it back together using dielectric grease to seal the connection and all was well. I was lucky in that the bulkhead connector and associated plugs were in pretty good shape, so I was able to get by with a good cleaning and replacing and repairing a couple of faulty connector pins.
Also, I should add, be very careful if you are going to remove the plugs from the bulkhead connector, as the plastic plug housings tend to get brittle with age and can break. I sprayed mine with Armour-All (to soften and lubricate them), and then placed an incandescent light on them to warm them up a bit. It may be overkill, but I was able to get them apart with no breakage.
Also, I should add, be very careful if you are going to remove the plugs from the bulkhead connector, as the plastic plug housings tend to get brittle with age and can break. I sprayed mine with Armour-All (to soften and lubricate them), and then placed an incandescent light on them to warm them up a bit. It may be overkill, but I was able to get them apart with no breakage.
Last edited by tubman; 08-03-2015 at 05:38 AM. Reason: Add a cautionary note.
08-03-2015, 05:41 AM
#3
Team Owner
Unless the 9.5V (I'm sure you didn't mean amps above) measured was while the starter was cranking that's low.
With the engine at a fast idle a meter placed across the battery should read 13.8-14.2V or you have charging system problems.
Outside of that, bulkhead connectors, ignition switch wiring/connection, or, distributor hold-down bracket not making good contact....
With the engine at a fast idle a meter placed across the battery should read 13.8-14.2V or you have charging system problems.
Outside of that, bulkhead connectors, ignition switch wiring/connection, or, distributor hold-down bracket not making good contact....
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 08-03-2015 at 06:54 AM.