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Post by jhkaster on May 23, 2008 11:45:26 GMT -5
I couldn't get the Mark III to start today. Made that same springy, single click sound every time I turned the key. I've had this problem before and it was a single wire going to the ignition switch harness that would become loose. So, I removed the lower part of the dash (cause iginiton switch is there for '69 Marks) and the ignition switch to check the wiring, the harness, etc. No matter what I did, it made no difference. I got that same springy, single click sound. Then, I checked the battery and threw the charger on it. But it was fully charged. Next, I check the starter relay...
I wasted 90 minutes taking things apart and putting them back together.
Dang-gone transmission lever was in Drive.. not Park! I never leave a car in Drive... What a freaking waste of time and frustration!!! (I'm laughing a lot right now at my own stupidity.)
What a lesson and a reminder for me to check the obvious things first.
What simple things have cost you guys some wasted time like this?
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Post by Jeff Roblin on May 23, 2008 14:09:27 GMT -5
I remember driving DA MERC about 15 miles wondering why it was particularily sluggish ....................just to notice I left the emergency brake on!
I had an '88 Topaz LTS years ago. I was out late one night at a party (this was high school) and a 2am the car WOULD NOT START. I believed it would crank but nothing else. The hosts of the party ran a small engine repair business but couldn't figure it out. Eventually I had to call dad to have my uncle bring out the wrecker.........or atleast pick me up. After an hour of waiting ( I was WAAAAYYYY out in the boonies) Dad arrived. It about 5min he realized that the fuel shut-off switch in the trunk must have got triggered - sure enough it fired right up.
That's the 2 I remember most.
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Post by robic58 on May 23, 2008 22:01:44 GMT -5
Well James & Jeff, I was going to keep totally quiet about a recent misadventure, which since you've open the door, I'll now share with you and other faithful forum readers.
About three weeks ago my wife and I went downtown for dinner, lovely mellow sunny evening, so decided to take the Versailles for a little exercise and perhaps a few stares. Totally pleasant drive downtown, lovely dinner, and at just about nightfall returned to the car which i generally don't lock. Got it, belted up, inserted key in ignition cylinder lock. Well, it wouldn't turn much, just a bit, certainly not enough to activate the starter.
Now, I must say, I have had the occasional difficulty with the switch in the past. After many futile attempts, including fist pounding the steering wheel, I concluded that the ignition cylinder lock hd finally given up the ghost, and that we'd have to find another way home.. My wife called her son to come and pick us up. When we got home, I went to hang the keys up on the pegs..... oh oh oh... pulled two sets of keys from my pockets. One sure enough is for the Lincoln Versailles , the other for our Mercury Montego . Well, I'd been trying to start the Versailles with the Montego keys... Sure enough when I went back to the restaurant and used the correct key, it started right up with a contented , and I thought smirky, purr.
Since we have several 70s Ford products, each set of keys has
a leather fob of a colour similar to the exterior of the car, both however are generally brown/tan as are the fob.
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Post by jhkaster on May 24, 2008 4:46:08 GMT -5
Misery loves company! While I empathize with your troubles, it sure makes me feel better to know others have the same mishaps. And, I'm learning too from other's experiences.
Jeff, I forgot some cars had fuel cutoff switches in the trunk. Don't think any of mine do, but when I get my COugar, I better check that out.
Ralph, I do the same thing as you. I have color coded key fobs when possible. But with 2 or 3 sets of keys per car, and 3 Ford products and 2 Chryslers, it does become confusing and fast. I have one drawer in my dresser devoted to keys. I think it's time for me to invest in a key box and get these things organized.
I'm still laughing at myself for yesterday's goof of leaving the car in Drive.
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Post by Jeff Roblin on May 24, 2008 10:45:33 GMT -5
The only thing that I will add is that, I have gone to the mall (I hate the mall) and was convinced I had DA MERC when I drove the Impala. I often have both sets of keys with me in the summer.
Ever search a parking lot for a car that isn't there???
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Post by hipogranada on May 24, 2008 14:17:05 GMT -5
Did a similar mistake once but with the opposite result. I was driving a company pickup, which was a '77 Ford F250, with a co-worker, working at an off-site venue. At the time I had my '78 Monarch Ghia. So I needed to move the pickup, and got in it, stuck the key in and moved it as needed. Only when I pulled the key out did I realize I'd just started the truck with the ignition key for the Monarch. Compared the keys: they matched. Only time I've ever encountered that and it was actually kinda handy at the time! Well James & Jeff, I was going to keep totally quiet about a recent misadventure, which since you've open the door, I'll now share with you and other faithful forum readers. About three weeks ago my wife and I went downtown for dinner, lovely mellow sunny evening, so decided to take the Versailles for a little exercise and perhaps a few stares. Totally pleasant drive downtown, lovely dinner, and at just about nightfall returned to the car which i generally don't lock. Got it, belted up, inserted key in ignition cylinder lock. Well, it wouldn't turn much, just a bit, certainly not enough to activate the starter. Now, I must say, I have had the occasional difficulty with the switch in the past. After many futile attempts, including fist pounding the steering wheel, I concluded that the ignition cylinder lock hd finally given up the ghost, and that we'd have to find another way home.. My wife called her son to come and pick us up. When we got home, I went to hang the keys up on the pegs..... oh oh oh... pulled two sets of keys from my pockets. One sure enough is for the Lincoln Versailles , the other for our Mercury Montego . Well, I'd been trying to start the Versailles with the Montego keys... Sure enough when I went back to the restaurant and used the correct key, it started right up with a contented , and I thought smirky, purr. Since we have several 70s Ford products, each set of keys has a leather fob of a colour similar to the exterior of the car, both however are generally brown/tan as are the fob. |
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