Wanna hear the story that led to the ignition switch?
Due to the current virus problems, we have decided to help keep some of our favorite local businesses afloat. One is The Piggy Shack, a food-trailer home of the best Texas-style ribs I have ever had. They were saying that they were only going to sell ribs until things get back to normal (that might get modified a bit).....preorder one day, pick up next day at noon. So, last Friday we ordered a full rack. Saturday, wife and I hopped in the Falcon to go get them, with plans of stopping at local parts store to pick up an oil pressure switch. Got the ribs, went to the parts store, shut off the engine, went to the door.... locked... closed at noon.... well, crap....back in the car, turn the key, turns over but won’t keep running. At this point, my better half begins her normal consulting........ Suspecting the starter relay, I cleaned battery connections while I was under the hood, made sure things were tight on the relay, got in, it started. Backed out, went forward a few feet, died. (Early in it’s life with us, I fixed a similar issue that was being caused by the barrel connections on the back of the ignition switch). Reached behind the switch and made sure the connector was tight. Wouldn’t start, wouldn’t start..... finally started. We only had a couple of miles to get home, but we had to nurse it along like that all the way. Luckily we could take side streets. It died just as we got in the driveway, died at least twice getting into the garage, but we finally made it.. without any bloodshed.
I went to O’Reilly and got a new relay and a nice thick cable for the positive battery connection (just because I wanted a nice, new, pretty cable.... still need to put it on.) Got home, put the new relay in..... still didn’t want to start or even spin the starter reliably.... what the???? Fiddled with it for a bit, and in the fiddling process I learned that with pressure in a particular direction on the key, it would do just fine. Once started, I could move the key just right and make it die. AHA!!!!!!
So, after Sunday’s streamed church service, went to Autozone to pick up the oil pressure switch, the to O’Reilly for an ignition switch. Got home, put both in, now it’s all good again!
Since then, any running around has been done in the Bronco, and wife has been with me. Maybe tomorrow, she can stay home and I will take the Falcon for a run around the block (just in case she needs to come get me.....). I am sure it will be ok. (Famous last words) Maybe after I get home I will get the pressure washer out and clean the spot on the drive where that stinkin’ oil pressure switch was leaking.
But yes...... that car is sooooooo fun to drive, and it gets a lot of attention. Got flipped off the other day...... must have something to do with the Trump stickers in the front window on the dash, ya think????