Classic/Antique Car Repair/car won't shut off

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Expert: Paul Wilczynski - 8/22/2009


Question

I have a 1965 impala with a 350 that the previous owner installed. After the car is turned off and the key is removed the car stays running sometimes up to a minute. I checked the ignition switch an that's working fine. The timing was also checked and that also good. If I leave my battery connected after about 2 or 3 days parked the battery is completely drained. Besides that the car runs great. Any suggestions are appreciated. I'm trying to do what ever i can on my own before I take it to a shop.  Thanks


Answer
Sergio, the person who installed the 350 inadvertently connected the hot coil lead to the wrong terminal on the ignition switch...instead of connecting it to the SWITCHED terminal, he wired it to the BAT terminal, which is ALWAYS powered on. You can verify this by charging up your battery and waiting an hour or so; don't start the engine, just let it sit...the ignition coil will feel hot to the touch even though you haven't started the car.

Wire the coil hot lead to the proper switched terminal and you'll be OK.

Problem solved.

--Paul

Classic/Antique Car Repair

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Paul Wilczynski

Expertise

Most questions involving vintage car restoration, mechanical and body, paint and upholstery. Parts sourcing. Extensive experience in wood-bodied station wagons, British and French cars of the '40s through '70s. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger, Citroen Maserati, VW Beetle, 1955-65 Chevrolet (especially Nomad station wagons), Corvair.

Experience

Wide-ranging and long-term. I owned a restoration shop in the 1970s, continue to dabble in vintage exotics. At one time, had a seven-car collection of contemporary exotics which I had restored and maintained myself. When I was 18 years old, I designed a woodie kit for the VW Beetle, which I developed into a product which was featured on television and in over 100 magazines and 25 books at last count. I still own and drive one of my creations. I owned a design and fabrication consultancy from 1982-2002, specializing in show car fabrication for manufacturers including Ford, Mazda, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, etc. Since 2003, I have been a department manager in Industrial Design, and a full-time instructor in automotive design and fabrication at the university level. My students go on to design automobiles as staff designers for major auto manufacturers worldwide.

Organizations
Western Automotive Journalists, Industrial Design Society of America.

Publications
Long list of magazines and books, including Playboy, VW Trends, VW Greats, Hot VWs, and European automotive magazines.

Education/Credentials
I teach design and fabrication at university level. My education is in Industrial Design, University of Illinois (1966-1970).

Awards and Honors
Many awards for restorations in local concours and shows.

Past/Present Clients
Mazda, Ford, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Mercedes, Porsche.

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