Bob P. -- Ignition Switch Woes

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

I was not talking about the mounting holes , I am talking about adding small ventilation holes because with the box mounted upside down, water could collect on the finned side which would normally be the top. They told me that if mounted on it's feet, the bottom is not sealed so water could escape, being upside down, the condensation cannot escape.

No, I just ignored that advice.

[davids2toys]

That is what I was told a few years ago. It never really made sense to me because ft the bottom is not sealed, that mean it is ventilating the inside of the box, Maybe just not enough perhaps? The tech I spoke with yesterday said he never heard of that!!! He also said I need to only drill 1 5/32 hole in the cap when a could of years ago and just last week the techs said (4) 1/4" holes!!! I think they are making this up as they go along.
I told him I have the socket style cap with the window in it so why should I need to drill and holes at all, I could just leave the window open for ventilation and he agreed!!

[Gaz64]

The bottom plate is not sealed, and is meant to be the "drain" of the unit IF any moisture somehow occurs. Generally only those mounted in the engine compartment of those who like to wash their engine bay. I like mine mounted vertically. I see no harm how the unit is mounted in the passenger compartment.

[jetblue69]

Am I the only one that runs a capacitor on my MSD? If you don't, you should!

[davids2toys]

I do and so does Patrick?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

I do and so does Patrick?

Yes, and so does Patrick. Now, you have to remember that capacitors do wear out, though not too often. The easiest way to test your MSD capacitor is to to disconnect your battery and then hit your horn button. If you hear the horn relay click and the almost beginnings of a "toot" then you know the capacitor is holding a charge. That's also how you bleed the capacitor off before you do any work on your electrical system.

[jetblue69]

Yep, definitely need to bleed off the capacitor... As an electrical/avionics engineer on commercial aircraft I can tell you that if you don't do that with gas turbine ignition systems it WILL KILL YOU!

[patrickt]

And considering that most of our cars are sitting dormant 99.9% of the time, it just makes sense to disconnect the battery and bleed the capacitor off. That will help reduce cooling system electrolysis corrosion and, theoretically at least, extend the life of the capacitor. My positive cable to the battery is on a big knife switch, so it's very easy to disconnect and visually confirm it. Then I just flip the dash light switch on and leave it on. Not only does that bleed the capacitor off, but it also prevents the capacitor from spontaneously charging itself (yes, they really can do that). It's always best to leave a capacitor shorted. That really only takes a few seconds. Yep, that's a great bar-room quiz question to win a free drink: Can a capacitor really spontaneously charge all by itself? And for bonus points, how the heck does it do that?

[tboneheller]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

You are saying the car would still start?

No. It would not start. After it sat for a couple hours, it would start right up and not have any issues for weeks.

[davids2toys]

I was talking to another a local ERA owner friend of mine and it sounds like he had the exact same problem years ago as you descibe. He said the pins had become loose in the block connection. I believe he said he got a new connection and set all the pins with RTV. Maybe he will chime in to this thread and enlighten us with the explanation he gave me!

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

I was talking to another a local ERA owner friend of mine and it sounds like he had the exact same problem years ago as you descibe. He said the pins had become loose in the block connection. I believe he said he got a new connection and set all the pins with RTV. Maybe he will chime in to this thread and enlighten us with the explanation he gave me!

Put your head under the dash and look for two big-ass red connectors. They are for the high amperage feeds. ERA pulled the high amp lines out of the multi-pin connectors over 15 years ago. If you don't see these big red connectors, then you should consider upgrading the connections. Here's a pic:

[davids2toys]

You made my day, I have it with a heavy red wire and a heavy yellow wire. Right next to it is an exact same type connector with and a heavy brown and a heavy white wire. So to clarify, if I have this red connector can I rule out this old pin problem and concentrate on the ignition switch or small red MSD wire as the culprit?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

You made my day, I have it with a heavy red wire and a heavy yellow wire. Right next to it is an exact same type connector with and a heavy brown wire and a heavy and a heavy white wire. So to clarify, if I have this red connector can I rule out this old pin problem and concentrate on the ignition switch or small red MSD wire as the culprit?

Yes. Rest easy.

[davids2toys]

Cool, thanks!!!
What is the blue connector?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Cool, thanks!!!
What is the blue connector?

I don't think I've seen a blue connector. Post a pic and I'll see if I recognize it.

[jetblue69]

Originally Posted by patrickt

And considering that most of our cars are sitting dormant 99.9% of the time, it just makes sense to disconnect the battery and bleed the capacitor off. That will help reduce cooling system electrolysis corrosion and, theoretically at least, extend the life of the capacitor. My positive cable to the battery is on a big knife switch, so it's very easy to disconnect and visually confirm it. Then I just flip the dash light switch on and leave it on. Not only does that bleed the capacitor off, but it also prevents the capacitor from spontaneously charging itself (yes, they really can do that). It's always best to leave a capacitor shorted. That really only takes a few seconds. Yep, that's a great bar-room quiz question to win a free drink: Can a capacitor really spontaneously charge all by itself? And for bonus points, how the heck does it do that?

Well, I'll leave that for someone else. I will recuse myself from the contest given my profession.

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I don't think I've seen a blue connector. Post a pic and I'll see if I recognize it.

Here you go. I also included a pic of this weird little circuit board which caught my eye, what is it?

[CJ428CJ]

I also included a pic of this weird little circuit board which caught my eye, what is it?

If I remember correctly, that circuit board is the circuit ERA uses to allow your windshield wipers to "park" in the correct position.

[patrickt]

OK, the "high amperage" wire path is BROWN from the 50 amp circuit breaker to one side of the amp gauge, RED from the other side of the amp gauge to the #1 always-hot post on the fuse block, YELLOW from the #1 post on the fuse block to the BATT terminal on the ignition switch, and WHITE from the ACC post back to the switched circuits on the fuse block. And yes, that circuit board makes up for an impossible-to-obtain wiper timing switch.

[davids2toys]

So you must have the blue box also with the same wiring as me?
I have a voltage gags, no amp.