Car shuts off randomly

[swhite832 10]

I have an electrical gremlin in my wifes 69 convertible.

 

Driving down the road it would quit, motor, lights, everything. After pulling over it would start right up then do it again and again while limping it home...intermittantly!

 

I cleaned every ground I COULD READILY FIND and added dialectic grease. I cleaned all positive connctions in the same fashion. After replacing what looked like the original ignition switch I put it in reverse and it lost all electrical power for only a moment then the lights and other electrical functions came back on. It did this twice then I could not get it to repeat the problem.

 

I want to say the neutral safety switch is the culprit but the ENTIRE electrical system shuts down not just the ignition and I am not sure once the car is started the neutral safety switch can shut down the entire electrical system.

 

Any ideas before I throw money at the neutral safety switch.

 

Thanks

SWhite

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Saying that you lose all power completely, I would start by checking the lead from the batt side of the sol back to the ing switch first.

IIRC its the Black/yellow striped wire. there could be a break of the conductor inside the covering that is causing your trouble.

 

If I had to guess, I would look at the wire connection ring and down about a foot from it for a weak or stiff spot by flexing the wire

Edited January 21, 2011 by Mach1Rider

[02Lightning 10]

The neutral safety switch will only make your car not start. You can see what it would do by trying to start the car in drive. That switch will not make your car die going down the road.

[relic1864 10]

I had a 65 Corvette that use to do that. I finally found that there was a box under the drivers side dash just above the clutch pedal that a lot of wires plugged into. One of these plug ins was rusted looking and if I wiggled that wire it would start back up. I never found a replacement plug in box for that car. Anyway Vetts are different than Mustangs but its a bad connection somewhere. Probally easier to fix than that Vett was.

[mikem 13]

I had this exact same problem months back. Just by chance, while the engine was running, i jiggled the wires behind the ignition switch and the engine faultered. The engine and electronics would begin to shut down with each tug of the wires. I removed the ignition assembly and looked at the ignition electrical harness and saw some burned areas against the plastic backing. Long story short, i found a new harness on ebay, replaced it and absolutely no problems since then. Apparently it was a problem for the 69 year model and Ford started making an improved version for replacement, or so i'm told. Cured my problem.

[mikem 13]