Broke down today, first time in 19 years

madmaxx · #1 (**permalink**) 03-19-2011, 10:07 PM

Went out for a spin today, car has been running flawless for 6? months, not a drip of oil on the garage floor in 3 months, couldn't ask for more and than Kaput. Taking a left turn after stoping at a light, gave it some gas and thought a rod was thrown, car bucked and complete shutdown instantly, pushed clutch in and coasted into a parking lot. Open the hood expecting to see pieces and saw nothing. Engine cranked would not fire, pulled coil wire no spark put back on and it hit a little. Further invetigation found the postive lead to the coil broke free. The wire did not pull out from the connector the CONNECTOR broke in half, WTF!!! In my 20 plus years I have never seen anything like it, it is either an MSD connector or SPF, dont know which, definelty not one of mine, it was about halft he lenght of the ones I used. Called the pit crew (wife and kids) brought me some wire strippers and terminals and back in the saddle again.

Check your terminals to your coild if you have either MSD or SPF. Grab them pull them and make sure they dont break. I looked at the failed connector under a loop and it appears it has been broken a while, funny thing is the break is not twisted or deformed in anyway. Guess I need to throw a tool box in the trunk.

The bucking was from the car still be in gear when the engine cut out, would have been sweet 10 minutes earlier when I was doing 100 mph plus

Excaliber · #2 (**permalink**) 03-19-2011, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Open the hood... and saw nothing.

Well thats the problem with a small block, there SO small they are hard to see...

Piece of cake, you done good tracking down the problem and making the repair.

madmaxx · #3 (**permalink**) 03-20-2011, 06:40 AM

If the the truth be known as I was rolling into the parking lot my mind was already jumping to the next engine and what it was going to be, either a Coyote engine or a stroked 427. Two different engines I know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Well thats the problem with a small block, there SO small they are hard to see...

Piece of cake, you done good tracking down the problem and making the repair.

blykins · #4 (**permalink**) 03-20-2011, 06:47 AM

A true Cobra owner....happy with what they have, but always looking for that next upgrade...

Rick Parker · #5 (**permalink**) 03-20-2011, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Well thats the problem with a small block, there SO small they are hard to see...

Had it been an FE, the vented block would have been the first clue.........LOL

ekrupa2 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-20-2011, 06:57 AM

Same thing happened to me at the Gratiot Cruise. Luckily a guy in the parking lot had a toolkit and we spliced it back on. Heat shrunk some heavy duty terminals and no problems since. Mine also looked connected until I tugged on it and the wire pulled away from the boot of the terminal.

Barry_R · #7 (**permalink**) 03-21-2011, 07:16 AM

Not sure on your situation. But unsupported single wire style connectors will do that - as will soldered connections. Vibration fatigue. You need to have some sort of support fairly close to any termination, and firmly crimp the connector - not solder. Goes against a lot of what we've been taught over the years, but true anyways. Look at OEM connections for ideas - plastic encapsulated and firmly routed and supported.

trularin · #8 (**permalink**) 03-21-2011, 08:09 AM

I sort of expected to read a comment about a small block...Ernie.

Excaliber · #9 (**permalink**) 03-21-2011, 08:51 AM

Eh eh, I just couldn't resist, Max set me up, it's his fault.