Ignition Connector Loss = Sudden Death

[RickS]

This may not seem like rocket science, but bear with me...

Finally a nice day in the PNW, so drove the nine-one-one to work. On the return drive, at 65 on HWY 520 I hit a severe unseen bump and the engine quit. It completely went away. Tried the key - nothing. Couldn't bump start it - completely dead. When I rolled to a stop, tried the key (no click, no fuel pump, no starter, no nothing except the Stones on the hi-fi). Checked the usual suspects to no avail. It had to be an electrical connection - but where? (Yes I know you read the Title)

Car was flatbedded to Redmond Euro where Monty Jarvis, owner and proprietor diagnosed the problem with out even touching the car. Monty said the majority of cases of electrical sudden death result from a single connector coming loose, or off, near the ignition switch. He reached under the dash, found the loose connector, plugged it in, hit the ignition switch, and varooooom!

(Edit: Monty had at least 5 early cars in his shop - including a white early S with an Early S Reg sticker, so he is very familiar with the care and feeding these cars)

So the next time your car has no juice to the fuel pump, ignition, or anything really important, you too now posses divine power.

[orange911]

Rick,

Thanks for posting. As someone who despises to be picked up by a flatbed, I would have spent the night digging for the solution, so long as I was solo at the time.