Left the key in the on position

TinCup

TinCup

Well-known member
By accident I left the ignition in the on position. The battery is dead and now has the charger on it. The points appear to be ok so what else should I check before trying to start it. :mad:
 
Coil & points should have been the only load... if they look good, charge the battery and see what happens...

I did this once; forgot to turn the switch off after running the carb out of gas... came back the next day, saw the keys in the switch and the switch "on"... I expected the worst, but the battery still had juice in it, and the car started easily, so I guess I got lucky.

I have burned-up points in Stovebolt Chevy sixes by leaving the ignition switched on...

Good luck with yours !
 
I've done that a couple of times. Fortunately, on the rare occasion that I forgot I remembered to turn off the disconnect switch. I did it once before I had the Disconnect switch and the crank worked just fine.

Jack
 
You'll likely be fine. Otherwise, the car wouldn't have lasted 80 years!

I always Run into the garage, open the hood, turn off the gas (late '31) and let it run dry. Then I pull the fuse and switch off the ignition.

Just my routine, and it's served me well since 1967.

JWB
 
tuneman said:
I did it and burned up my coil. But my car is 12 volts and don't know if that mattered or not
Click to expand...

Probably depends on whether the engine comes to rest with the points open or closed... if the points are open and the switch left-on, there shouldn't be any current flowing through coil... if their closed or just beginning to break and are arcing, that could concievably toast something...
 
TinCup said:
Luckily they were open. Charged the battery and it started right up.
Click to expand...

Just wondering, if the points were open, then what killed the battery?

A friend left his key on and the engine had stopped with the points closed. After 30 minutes he saw the key was on, but by then the aftermarket coil was toast on a stock 6 volt system.
 
I've done the same thing ... but, thankfully, just once. Battery went flat, and I'm running a transitorized ignition module instead of points. I called FS Ignitions and they said it should be fine, just charge the battery and go for it...so, I did. Started fine, ran fine...still does.

Now...my shut down procedure calls for me to turn off the fuel as I pull into the garage....then fully retard the spark...close the GAV finger tight...wait for the carb to run dry. Then, raise the gas lever to fully off...and turn off the switch. I remove the key and MAFCA key ring and hang the ring over the gas lever where it stays till we're ready to go for another drive. If I look into the car...I better see the key hangin' over the gas lever...or I know I probably left the switch on again.

So far...it's worked fine for me. I keep our car in our locked garage, and it's blocked in by my wife's Honda on the drive way...plus, I live in a gated community where there is no access to public streets, etc. I wouldn't recommend my little ritual to just anyone, but it's worked for me since I inadvertantly left the switch on that one time.
 
I did this after a 350 mile treck to see Dad in Michigan in 2008. I have a 12 volt negative ground system with an FS Ignition. The battery was completely dead. I jumped it the next day and it started right up. Both Dad & I were shocked...
 
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