> It worked fine this morning, but tonight was back to its old tricks. The
> wires at the back get very hot while the car is running (too hot to
> hold), but once it has started, it seems to stay on, albeit with some
> stuttering. Jiggling the wires at the back of the ignition is all that
> is required to get it to start. Am I right trying to fix it, or is it
> better to junk it and order a new one (at great expense and not
> inconsiderable delay)?
IMO, if it's that far gone, then any repair is only a holding action. I'd
get a new one on order ASAP. Heat is the enemy of copper, if it's too hot
to touch then you can be sure that it's oxidizing and getting worse. It's
possible some of the heat is being generated in the connectors, so it might
be worth cleaning them up.
If you really want to try to whip a few more miles out of it, one solution
is to add a relay to take some of the load off of the ignition switch. Not
sure about Cape Town, but in the US, any parts store will have a "fog light
wiring kit" with all the necessary components (including the relay) for
about $10. I use a relay to power everything but the ignition coil itself
(so the car will keep running if the relay fails).
Randall
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