I wanted to take this chance to ask about a minor problem.
First here’s what happened:
Lost all power last night, leaving a parking space. Turn ignition off, back on and it started. Turned lights on and dead again. Back and forth like this where it would start but didn’t like the lights on, so it would die immediately.
One time, the transmission shift light came on and before I tried starting it, I turned the lights on. Then, I turned it over while the lights were on and it started(with lights on). So, I was in business and made it home, 10 miles away.
I looked over the wiring diagram in the service manual. It shows wire 37 black w/yellow strip from starter switch to a 4-wire connector. Followed the wire to the connector underneath dash near heater controls.
If I’m looking at this right, 37 powers everything…? I’ll add a picture of the connection, does it look not seated all the way? It was hard pulling it apart. Looks to be black rubber pushed inside of the female side of black w/yellow #37 wire. I’ll clean it up and hope that’s it.
More excitement than patience here, maybe. I think this may be it. I’ll just document what I’m doing and you more experienced folks are welcome to tell me otherwise. This cougar is the first old car I’ve messed with in a long time.
First, I made the mistake of taking the ignition switch out before understanding circuitry and tracing wires. All looked good there.
Look for clamp on replacement battery post clamps. They corrode and fail. Also corrosion on battery posts or at the battery side of the solenoid can do that. The connection you are looking at isn’t likely the problem
Ok, thanks, bill. Thought I had it here and was going to show you guys pictures of the inside of this connector. When it is unplugged I have no power anywhere.
My eyes aren’t what they use to be. Bad pictures too, but there is black rubber inside this connection. Looks to be a hot spot on the male side.
Cleaning out rubber with a drill bit, first with a bit just smaller than inside of connector, being careful not to scrap metal. Used a drill on slow speed very carefully.
Used a small file to scrap around the sides and there’s still a chunk of it at the bottom. So, now I’m using a small bit, just twisting it with my fingers and it’s still coming out. The cotton applicators show that. Helps to have something white underneath to show what’s coming out.
Hope it’s good to share this one picture that might not have any reference here, but here is under the hood. Please tell me anything you want. The battery post are like new. Thank you
Lost all power last night, leaving a parking space. Turn ignition off, back on and it started. Turned lights on and dead again. Back and forth like this where it would start but didn’t like the lights on, so it would die immediately.
One time, the transmission shift light came on and before I tried starting it, I turned the lights on. Then, I turned it over while the lights were on and it started(with lights on).
Maybe you need to define lost all power. If the headlights don’t come on there is an excellent chance that the connection at the battery posts are corroded inside the clamp, or they are a little loose. A test light or multi meter would really help. If you turn on the lights and they don’t come on try twisting the cable clamps on the battery posts.
The next place to look is the battery size of the solenoid and the ground connection at the block.
The rubber at the bottom of the female plug is just that: molded rubber. The actual connection is made on the side walls to the male bullet.
Is there metal on the side of the female plug? I’ve occasionally seen where the metal siding has detached from the molding and the metal embedded in the plug itself. Be careful cleaning that plug: you should only do so with the battery disconnected. That female plug is not fused and hot; you can easily short it out using metal tools.
I’ll try better….when I ‘lost all power’, there was no signs of life, anywhere. I’d turn the key on/off, on/off, until I’d see lights on transmission shifter. This car needs the door closed to start, so when all is good and I turn the key to on, only the transmission shift light comes on. When that light would come on- I’d start it-turn lights on and it the motor stopped and there would be no electricity anywhere.
I repeated this a couple times…Then…here’s what got us home. I turned the key on/off on/off until I saw that light on shifter and instead of starting it first, I turned the lights on, then started it. It remained running with lights on.
Midlife, thank you. Yes, the female side had rubber that was stuck to the side walls, inhibiting a good connection. Actually the male side I show, that is visible in picture above, isn’t seated all the way. Well…it needs to be otherwise it’s barely touching the female side. The metal on female side of this connector starts 1/8” below the rubber. So, even with the two connectors butted up, the one wire(#37-blk w/yellow strip), is not fully connected, probably not even half way.
I hated to do it on one hand, but I modified it. The picture above shows the male side of wire 37 connector. It has 3 female connectors next to it. I filed the rubber on top of those three in hopes it would push in further. It did…,sort of.
Anyway, it’s back together and running good, now.
Midlife sir, I forgot to mention about the battery. Thank you, also, for the reminder. I thought of that hours after I posted about this but didn’t find it necessary to come back to mention it. I’ve realized how important that is to always remember and disconnect the battery before doing Any electrical work. The best of us even need reminders.
