The master switch would have been my first guess had Gary not said he
already tested it, mine would make my car crap out as described by others
for no apparent reason and power was still connected through the switch for
the other circuits. That was a head scratcher (wasn't a lister yet).
I hooked both wires to the same terminal on the switch, disconnected the
ignition wire as described below and put a cheap but reliable battery
disconnect switch on the battery terminal, no problems since.
Greg Lemon
54 BN1
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave & Marlene" <rusd@velocitus.net>
To: <Editorgary@aol.com>
Cc: <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 3:34 PM
Subject: Re: Car stopped puzzle - Why?
> Why do you guys continue to put up with master switches. The Lucas
> switch is very poorly designed & constructed so no wonder it causes so
> many problems. They are the cause of more mysterious electrical problems
> than any other part of the car. I can't see how grounding the coil helps
> prevent hot wire theft since there is no battery connection anyway. If
> someone is thinking that it is a good way to shut off a runaway engine
> in case of an accident, the boot is the wrong location for it,
> especially on top of the exposed fuel tank. If it is to prevent burndown
> in the garage, "grounding along the chassis rail" a car with such poor
> wiring shouldn't be driven in the first place & so, doesn't need a
> battery. If it is just for concours correctness, putting both heavy
> wires on one terminal & insulating the coil ground connection would do
> the job. So why again?
>
> Dave Russell
> BN2 - No master switch
>
> Editorgary@aol.com wrote:
> > In a message dated 5/6/04 9:26:48 AM, kags@shaw.ca writes:
> >
> > << I had a battery master switch fail on me one time exactly like that.
I also
> >
> > had a friend have the white/black wire come off the terminal in the boot
of
> >
> > a 4-seater and get grounded by luggage or tools or something - same
result -
> >
> > car stopped right there. Sometimes 'jiggling' the switch will correct
the
> >
> > problem - then you know that the switch needs replacement. >>
> >
> > I've had the master switch ground wire go bad on me, as well, at
> > Silverwhatever in BC, as a matter of fact. Turned out that the little
circlip on the
> > cut-off switch shaft had come off and the shaft had pulled out just
enough to allow
> > the wire to ground the coil.
> > As noted above, that wire makes a connection in the engine compartment
> > between the engine and chassis subharnesses, so is easy to disconnect
for
> > diagnostics. Won't tell you if it's grounding in the engine compartment,
but will tell
> > you if it is -- more likely -- grounding along the chassis rail. No
positive
> > information in my case. Will start replacing tune-up parts one at a
time,
> > starting with rotor, to see what's going on.
> > Cheers
> > Gary
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