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Interesting ride home

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jvandyke

jvandyke

Luke Skywalker
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Was leaving work today (don't tell the insurance guy) and after about 500 yards engine dies. I coasted over to a side street. Won't restart. Weird. I start looking around and decide it has to be something simple (it's all simple in these cars anyway right?) After fiddling with connections at the coil and ignition switch I finally pop off the dizzy cap and I see something even I know ain't right. The wire from the terminal (where the coil wire connects) to the points has come off it's solder joint. Hmmmm
I stole a piece of wire from the defunct washer motor (after market electric junk from VB long since dead) not doing anything important so I stripped a hunk of that at both ends, wrapped it and twisted it. Don't want to leave that bare like that though so I stole a hunk of electrical tape off my garage door opener (holds the battery cover on since that broke in a car crash last year) and taped it up. Wound the other end around the female connector on the wire to the coil (after pulling back the insulation) twisted it, pushed the insulator back over it, replaced the cap and was on my way.
Even though breaking down is not cool, it's sorta fun figuring out what went wrong, jerry rigg'n it and getting back under way with only a few minutes lost.
 
McGuyver would be proud!
 
He probably would have ended up with 5 more HP and 3 more mpg though. Maybe this is a sign for me to finally get off my duff and make a shutter for the Crane Cam's XR700 that's been sitting on my tool box for a year.
 
Actually, with what you had, McGuyver would have probably converted it to nuclear power.. Of course he would also have a script to help him. :yesnod:

Quoting another well known TV action character... Don't you love it when a plan comes toghether?
 
I was just really glad to get home without a tow truck or, even worse, having to walk back to work with my tail between my legs.
 
If you had electronic ign, you would still be there.
 
jlaird said:
If you had electronic ign, you would still be there.
Click to expand...
True that it's all or nothing with electronic ignitions. I think this connection just fatigued. Looks like it was (re)soldered once before. And I was (am) worried about that little ground strap in there, that looks like it's on it's last leg too.
 
jlaird said:
If you had electronic ign, you would still be there.
Click to expand...

True. Which is why on every post about installing aftermarket electronic ignitions someone always mentions carrying a set of points and a condenser in the boot. This gives you the best of both worlds.

I had a similar failure years ago on a Toyota. I turned the key and everything worked as it should for about 1 second. It turned out to be a broken wire off the fusible link connected to the battery. I used the wire from the test lamp I keep in the boot (all my cars have one, not just LBCs) and a bit of duct tape and was on my way home. I agree, it is comforting to know you can sort something out and rig a quick fix.
 
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