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Barrier Blue · 03-09-2003, 10:16 AM

I pulled my 66 GTO out yesterday so I could clean and straighten up the garage. I let it sit in the driveway and run for about 15 or 20 minutes before shutting it off.
When I later tried to restart it to put it away, it cranked but didn't start on the first turn of the key. Tried it again and it was totally dead - no noise from the starter. Then I noticed that the domelight wasn't on. Tried headlights, turn signals, radio, heater fan, rear defroster- nothing worked. Tried the horn, and it worked fine. The horn is the only thing getting juice evidently.
Put the charger on it, even though I didn't think that that would help, and it didn't.
I'm not an electrical whiz by any means, but I'm thinking maybe my ignition switch went bad. I couldn't smell, see, or feel any fried wires.
I had forgotten all about this, but a few months ago I pulled the car out of the garage to let it run for awhile, and it sat there running fine. Then suddenly with no warning it shut off by itself. I was able to start it right back up though.
Can anybody help me with this problem? :

When I'm paid, I always follow my job through...you know that.

Barrier Blue · 03-09-2003, 10:16 AM

I pulled my 66 GTO out yesterday so I could clean and straighten up the garage. I let it sit in the driveway and run for about 15 or 20 minutes before shutting it off.
When I later tried to restart it to put it away, it cranked but didn't start on the first turn of the key. Tried it again and it was totally dead - no noise from the starter. Then I noticed that the domelight wasn't on. Tried headlights, turn signals, radio, heater fan, rear defroster- nothing worked. Tried the horn, and it worked fine. The horn is the only thing getting juice evidently.
Put the charger on it, even though I didn't think that that would help, and it didn't.
I'm not an electrical whiz by any means, but I'm thinking maybe my ignition switch went bad. I couldn't smell, see, or feel any fried wires.
I had forgotten all about this, but a few months ago I pulled the car out of the garage to let it run for awhile, and it sat there running fine. Then suddenly with no warning it shut off by itself. I was able to start it right back up though.
Can anybody help me with this problem? :

When I'm paid, I always follow my job through...you know that.

hozy · 03-09-2003, 10:29 AM

The first thing I would check would be the connections at the battery.

cuz68 · 03-09-2003, 10:40 AM

Check the ground cable on both ends.

Barrier Blue · 03-09-2003, 10:43 AM

Thanks guys, I'll try that.

When I'm paid, I always follow my job through...you know that.

carbking · 03-09-2003, 11:11 AM

Well, at least you can still blow your own horn!!!!

Seriously, would check voltage both input and output at the switch. My guess is no voltage input to switch, broken wire.

Jon.

Good carburetion is fuelish hot air.

george kujanski · 03-09-2003, 01:17 PM

My '67 wirng diagram shows that the horn feed is connected to a battery splice downstream from the battery starter connection. From the starter, there is a fusible link; the diagram doesn't clearly show where the splice for the horn relay is. In any case, it's feasible that the feed from the fusible link to the fuse box is defective, since the horn feed is taken before the feed to the fuse box.You will have to find the fuse box feed and trace it back to the battery splice to check it out. My diagram shows this to be a black wire with a double red stripe.

Regards, Georg

Barrier Blue · 03-09-2003, 01:29 PM

Thanks Jon and George. I'll check into that wiring. I cleaned the battery terminals and cable ends, and that didn't solve it.
Jeff

When I'm paid, I always follow my job through...you know that.

Jack Blum · 03-09-2003, 04:59 PM

It’s sound to me more like the connection between the inner fuse box and the firewall connector. This is where everything goes in and out of the car. With the battery disconnected, I would check this by removing the 2 5/32 screws from the inside and make sure the connector looks like it’s been sealed from weather. The connection is sealed with non-conductive grease, so if it’s dry be sure to replace the grease with non-conductive type. If your car has had a frame off restoration, or a complete strip down, this may not have been tightened up enough. My 2 cents worth.

TigerEFI.com (Classic Pontiac Fuel Injection) [email protected]
Motto: Build it for NASA and drive it like you stole it!

Barrier Blue · 03-09-2003, 06:01 PM

Thanks Jack. You were real close. I was checking out the engine harness like George told me to do, and at first I couldn't find anything. Then I thought the bulkhead connector looked a little funny, so I pulled it, and sure enough the hot wire going into it had fried it. I guess I need a new harness (another new harness that is, that one was a repro

).
I don't know why it would have fried like that, maybe the switch not turned off all the way - due to a little slop in it?

Thanks Hozy, Cuz68, Jon, George, and Jack

When I'm paid, I always follow my job through...you know that.

Jack Blum · 03-11-2003, 06:46 PM

Typical reasons for a wire overheating are a low resistance load like a coil that is breaking down as it gets older, or the wire itself is to high a resistance, like those cheap Pep-boys starter cables that seem to just burst into flames when trying to start a new 455. The end of the wire near the connector can get burnt if the connector is not making a proper connection. This lack of connection acts just like a load and causes heat to build up. Unfortunately this heat usually makes the connection worse over time until there is no connection at all. And sometimes the connection will return after it cools down due to the fact that the metal in the connector flexes with heat. As long as the wire is in good shape, you may just be able to clean up the connection and be fine. But if there is any evidence of cooked or cracking insulation on the wire, then the wire was most likely the problem. If there is any doubt at all of the reliability of the wiring, replace it. Better safe than sorry. And your car is worth more than the cost of a wiring harness.

TigerEFI.com (Classic Pontiac Fuel Injection) [email protected]
Motto: Build it for NASA and drive it like you stole it!

Barrier Blue · 03-12-2003, 12:53 PM

That may be the root of the problem Jack. The connector did seem to release from the fuse block easier than I remember being able to do it when I used to part out these cars, so maybe it wasn't on there tight enough. Thanks for your good ideas and suggestions.
I had been thinking of just trying to repair the harness, but for the sake of safety and reliability, not wanting to get stranded far from home, I figure I would be better off spending $94 for another new harness.

When I'm paid, I always follow my job through...you know that.

PMDRACER · 03-17-2003, 11:15 PM

Geez Jack. 2 Pep Boys battery cables catch fire in 2 different cars, (only 1 of them ours) and you think it's a problem!
I just can't make up my mind which is the worst smell - the burnt wires or the fire extinguisher powder.

8^)

TIGER EFI - Electronic Fuel Injection for the Traditional Pontiac Engine. [email protected]

Jack Blum · 03-18-2003, 07:04 PM

Just remember Bill my boy, your car is going to be the next one we start up.

TigerEFI.com (Classic Pontiac Fuel Injection) [email protected]
Motto: Build it for NASA and drive it like you stole it!

PMDRACER · 03-19-2003, 12:15 AM

Yeah-
But I don't run Pep Boys cables. I use nothing but the good stuff. Straight from Wal-Mart!

TIGER EFI - Electronic Fuel Injection for the Traditional Pontiac Engine. [email protected]

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