Car Broke Down First Drive

[ssj335]

Could use some advice. 59 bird broke down last night. When I opened hood the black battery terminal (it's a twist top type) smoked a little and part of the metal melted.

Bc it was raining the tow driver wanted to hook me up to power so I could close windows. When he touched the exposed wire to that battery terminal the car turned over and started but without the key in the ignition. He asked if my car was Christine. Couldn't close windows though until I put the key in ignition and set to the left (power mode). Didn't try turning to the right.

I got towed to a shop last night and today im here but they are closed. Until Monday.

I replaced the bad battery terminal with a brand new one. When I was putting the new terminal back in place on the battery the car again began to turn over which was scary and I couldn't safely tighten the bolts in place while electricity was flowing. Key not in ignition. Car didn't have the power to start and eventually it's attempts to start faded and ended and I could then tighten the bolts.

My question is this - should I now get someone to jump start the car? And drive to another shop? I'm afraid the car won't turn off when I take the key out. Or leave it here because jumping it could cause damage? Something weird going on? The shop I am at is supposedly very good and the owner has many classic cars. But I'm also anxious about getting the problem resolved more quickly.

Advice appreciated. At shop now.

[jopizz]

It sounds like you have a bad solenoid or a short in the ignition switch that is sending power to the solenoid with the key off. Any shop should be able to diagnose the trouble very quickly. Replacing the solenoid is easy if that's the problem. You probably wore the battery down. That's why it stopped trying to start and you were able to tighten the cable.

John

[jopizz]

I don't advise jumping the car and trying to drive it. Have it towed to another shop if you want it fixed right away.

John

[ssj335]

Thanks guys. I have decided to keep it at this shop until Monday to play it safe. I hope it is an easy fix

[DKheld]

X2 with John - switch or solenoid are the most likely culprits.

Any evidence of mice in the car or under the hood?? - those critters can make shorts in the wiring and really cause havoc.

I'd disconnect the battery until Monday even though it may be drained. Good luck.

[ssj335]

No evidence of mice but thanks for the thought - don't want to leave any possibility unexamined. Someone looked at it and thinks it is not solenoid. So that leaves the ignition switch if he is right.

[ssj335]

Also was told solenoid looked new.

[jopizz]

Also was told solenoid looked new.

I wouldn't go by looks. Especially if it's foreign made. If you pull the wires off the front of the solenoid that eliminates the ignition switch as the problem. If it still turns over when you touch the battery cable to the battery then it has to be the solenoid.

John

[simplyconnected]

NEVER go by looks. Every electrician knows to check energized circuits for yourself. In this case, you can use a test light, multi-meter (OHM or volt meter) or a continuity tester.

A new solenoid is more likely to stick than one that has been in operation for a long time because the contact surfaces are not aligned. They need to 'wear themselves in' like new brake linings. - Dave

[ssj335]

Update for anyone interested:

1. The verdict is that the points were fried, points in the distributor not creating enough spark for some reason.

2. Additionally, the cap (distributor cap?) located near front of engine bay was not properly in place - mechanic said it was put on wrong (backwards or at a 180 degree) and not making proper contact.

3. A spring was also put on in the wrong spot by whoever previously worked on the car so that the lightest touch to the gas created a big rev action and took a long time to go back to idle. He put a new spring on in the correct location to alleviate this.

4. Wire connected to the starter was rotting. Didn't cause the car to break down but I am having it replaced to prevent a future incident where I get stranded and car won't start.

All in all it doesn't seem to me like anything major needed to be done thankfully. As per Ray, I will ask if they tested the battery for proper voltage output so ensure no cells were damaged by the short-out.

Appreciate any feedback or thoughts on all this.

[jopizz]

Unfortunately none of the issues they found would make the car start by itself as you described. I would ask the shop to explain how that happened.

John

[ssj335]

Darn! I will do that.

[simplyconnected]

I am with John and his answer.

Points simply ground the ignition coil so the coil can make spark. If the gap is too wide or small the car simply won't run.

If someone set your distributor wrong, they don't know what they're doing. This work isn't hard at all and it is covered in the Shop Manual.

Why would someone change the carb's return spring?

Many of us pointed directly to your starter solenoid as being the cause of your starter, 'running by itself'. You don't mention anything about that, which surprises me. If nobody wants to talk about that, they're blowing smoke... Believe me. Disconnect the small wires from your starter solenoid to prove your key switch circiut is ok.

Your battery is the least concern because it did exactly what it was designed for. Disconnect one post connection and give your battery a good charge. The fastest way to kill a lead-acid battery is to leave it discharged.

While the battery cable is off, test the starter solenoid.

Good wires, belts, hoses, etc., are all important but the old ones worked just fine. I don't mean to pry but... how much of this work did you do yourself? I'm asking because, good or bad, when I work on my cars I know exactly what was done. I also take pictures as I go along for my own reference. - Dave

[ssj335]

Thanks. I am def not a mechanic. The only thing I did (partially with help) was to remove the burnt out battery terminal (the type with the twist on top) and replace with a new terminal (the regular type). That was it.

The mechanic is the one who did all those other things I mentioned. He charged the battery up, changed the contacts, replaced that spring, and re-fitted the cap, also changing the wire i mentioned too.

Will ask about those other things.

[Woobie]

Unfortunately none of the issues they found would make the car start by itself as you described. I would ask the shop to explain how that happened.

John

Maybe the shop is not finished with the work but myself, personally, would be on high alert for hundreds of dollars more in repairs.

And I always want the parts returned to me that were replaced.