Went out yesterday morning to take the 87 on a short trip. Got in,turned the key and nothing. Dead, no sounds, just dead. No red dash ignition lights. Tried headlights: bright. Tried key again with lights on. No effect on lights, and all else dead.

Heart rate went up a few notches, and then calmed myself down and started thinking (not easy sometimes).

After taking a pill because the thinking was giving mea headache, a began narrowing down the problem. Lights:yes, all else, no. Ignition switch: sounds good.
Removed the lower scuttle panel and saw the electrical connector that plugs into the back of the ignition switch had moved back out of position. Pushed it back in and tried starting. Fired right up s usual. Fixed!

Now the secure the connector to the ignition switch. Why in hell do they put that tiny screw that secures them together near the top where you can't tighten it instead of the bottom where it's easy.

Rant over, so a simple cable tie looped over the connector and the ignition switch solved it. Probably more secure than that almost useless tiny screw anyway.

Glad it happened in my garage and not whole driving when the connector fell out. Could have been a real problem in heavy traffic.

Advice to the group, this is a somewhat oft seen problem so tuck it away in the back of your mind if you have similar symptoms as I had.

 

the ignition switch also has a black plastic sleeve which snaps onto the metal cylinder on the back of the switch. Does your switch have it?

 

No it does not. Does this lock the row together?

 

yes, it locks the tiny wires under the switch too.

the problem is when the switch is removed, the sleeve cracks and is never replaced, but using the vinyl tie is the same principle, though the sleeve is like 1/2" wide all around, almost a full cover of the rear of the cylinder

I still have mine which also broke when I replaced the original ignition switch, hoping to repair it someday but since it is some kind of greasy vinyl plastic, no adhesive sticks to it. I've tried most everything, from super glue to epoxies, it always separates.

 

Very interesting gentlemen!


1. Way back a bit, I swapped in a NOS ignition switch sourced via David Boger. That solved a lot of issues.


I read of fixing the switches in situ. The little screw access dismissed that effort.


I don't recall a sleeve. But, as the buzzer was disconnected, a PO may have been in there.


Oh, Oh I did not do anything to secure the connector. it plugged in quite securely, so I'll just hope. Dropping and replacing that scuttle was a pain in...


I took the of switch apart. Minor mess up. Lost some teeny stuff. Later, I read Grant's caveat as to doing that in a plastic bag!!!


I found the inside of that old switch loose and gummed with congealed grease. Fixable, I have my doubts. Nevertheless, I packed it up along with some related stuff.


Other switches from other critters just seemed so much more robust.


Carl