1961 Ignition Switch Wire Issue
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
From: St. Charles IL
1961 Ignition Switch Wire Issue
I've been tracking down a sporadic stall/no-start issue with my 61. After looking at the carbs and the fuel line I believe I've isolated it to an electrical issue and specifically an ignition switch issue. I found that when I touch one of the wires going into the ignition under the dash (see link to picture) that the car starts to run rough and eventually stalls out in a few seconds. If I touch the wire and release it right away the car runs rough but then continues once I release the wire. Upon closer inspection I found that one of the four wires going into the back-side of the ignition is slightly exposed. I was wondering if anyone knew a good way to simply replace this wire connection. Is it some sort of Molex connector that I can simply replace? Can I pull the wire from the switch and reinsert it somehow? Do I have to suck it up and replace the whole ignition switch (which seems to work fine otherwise)? I've attached a link to a picture of the back of the switch, it's the one with larger white connector housing and four wires running out of it in the center of the picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8822597@N04/3674827339/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8822597@N04/3674827339/
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 357
Likes: 28
From: Northern AL
I've been tracking down a sporadic stall/no-start issue with my 61. After looking at the carbs and the fuel line I believe I've isolated it to an electrical issue and specifically an ignition switch issue. I found that when I touch one of the wires going into the ignition under the dash (see link to picture) that the car starts to run rough and eventually stalls out in a few seconds. If I touch the wire and release it right away the car runs rough but then continues once I release the wire. Upon closer inspection I found that one of the four wires going into the back-side of the ignition is slightly exposed. I was wondering if anyone knew a good way to simply replace this wire connection. Is it some sort of Molex connector that I can simply replace? Can I pull the wire from the switch and reinsert it somehow? Do I have to suck it up and replace the whole ignition switch (which seems to work fine otherwise)? I've attached a link to a picture of the back of the switch, it's the one with larger white connector housing and four wires running out of it in the center of the picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8822597@N04/3674827339/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8822597@N04/3674827339/
Based on where the exposed wire is at, you may be able to fix it but as I mentioned above, I just can't see it on the picture provided.
Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
I'm confused..why would you replace an ignition switch for a wire harness connector being exposed ? It appears to me that the connector is not seated in the plastic housing. IIRC you can look down in the housing and the connector should have a little tab (a piece of the connector metal that is slightly lifted that acts as a 'barb' to lock the connector into the housing. A small jeweler's screwdriver can depress this barb and get the wire/connector out of the housing for inspection. If this wire is not far enough into the housing and thus making an intermittent connection then that's your problem not the switch. Sometimes CAREFULLY bending this barb up a little more and re-inserting into the housing locks it in. Wish I had pictures to show you but you'll see what I mean when you start looking into this.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 30, 2009 at 03:34 PM.
Franks explaination is good, just make sure you disconnect the battery before you mess with those wires. They are HOT and not fused. 
