Car started 2 times without electric...

[dmitrywild]

Hi, thanks for looking.

Here is a quick story, my mechanic and I, took the car to the show, it was pretty hot out, it sat outside for a few hours in the sun. Then as we climbed back in to drive back, it started but there was no radio on, all the gauges were off, and the it drove as if chugging every time I pressed the gas pedal as if it would stall any moment. Not a nice feeling. Once accelerated it was a bit better. So we stopped, shut it off, opened the hood, looked inside we checked few wires leading to the regulator and then it started fine, radio went on, gauges started working. Then in a day or so, I took it out again it sat outside for a few hours, it started again without electricity. I drove it home, put in the garage, few times it started fine. One thing was different I didn't leave it in the sun. A bit perplexed about the cause:
1. Could it bad wires leading to the regulator?
2. Regulator itself?
3. Something else?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Sheriff41]

It could be the ignition switch starting to wear out/come apart. This is the switch mounted low on the steering column, not the part you put the key into.

 

[dmitrywild]

It could be the ignition switch starting to wear out/come apart. This is the switch mounted low on the steering column, not the part you put the key into.

u mean this one?
https://www.classicindustries.com/p...EJNctnI0yhYPZlmxmgxoCGzcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Sheriff41]

Yes. Sometimes they get loose and can separate - the plastic part from the metal base. If the plastic part is loose the contacts in the switch may not be functioning properly. Check yours out before you buy one.

 

[midlife]

Hmmm...check your ground cable on the battery. Your problem seems to be heat related, so that can affect mechanical contacts where you have dissimilar metals (lead post and steel connector).

 

[Hemikiller]

I'm with Midlife here, you need to start with the basics before you start throwing parts at it. The round can in the photo is the ignition coil. Appears you have a Pertronix breakerless conversion in the distributor.

The original ground cable had a strap that attached to the lower mounting screw of the voltage regulator. This was the only battery to body ground connection on these cars and was not one of Ford's "better ideas". If that ground strap isn't connected, it'll cause a variety of electrical issues as the electricity tries to find it's own path. I've had cars that would just die intermittently, not charge, foul plugs and have wacky gauge readings - all because of a bad or missing body ground.

It was very common to replace the OE cable with a cheapo parts store version when the terminal cracked or the wiring failed. Whether or not the battery to body ground was reattached was just luck of the draw as to whether the person doing the repair knew that the ground strap was essential or not.


West Coast Classic Cougar has reproduction sets in stock.

https://secure.cougarpartscatalog.com/store/Search.aspx?SearchTerms=battery cable&CatID=15898

 

[Stanglover]

I'm far from being an electrical expert, not by a long shot, but I agree with Hemikiller. That cable is essential, but also so is a clean metal to metal contact. Make sure there is no paint or dirt under the cable connection, both at the apron and the block and the screw and/or bolt is tight.
Cables are available from NPD as well.
Not to be too critical, but looking at your pics, some of your connections look pretty cruddy. Clean connection are always better in the long run.
Good luck.

 

[dmitrywild]

So writing back to update,
We got in there cleaned the chords to the battery. Also upon inspecting the chords to the ignition coil, saw the rust and 1 wire just rotted out, so we replaced the ignition coil and cleaned the wires toit, and now the car starts with half a turn, but the issue was elsewhere during many tests and trials we saw that the key stays turned in the ignition unless you rotate it back a bit. Apparently there is a part that's supposed to auto rotate the key half turn to accessories mode, but it doesn't do it, so we have been doing it manually and the electricity has been coming on every-time. So the mechanic said the issue is in the steering wheel column, that we will need to open up and review in the winter time. That's all folks (For now) thanks a lot.