judith@mit-amt.MIT.EDU (Judith Donath) (10/13/85)
I have an 1964 Ford Falcon that has developed a problem somewhere in the electrical system. It had been off the road for a year, and (not surprisingly) would not start when needed again. It was taken to a garage where they said "Needs new battery". Got new battery. Drove it to new home, far from that garage. A few days later, the generator light did not shut off im- mediately after car was started, but remained lit, at first for a few minutes, and then permanently. Foolishly ignored this, since the car was starting fine. One day it would not start. Got it jump started, brought it to a new garage. They said "Needs new voltage regulator". Got new voltage regulator. A few days later, the generator light starting remaining on. The garage was closed for a few days, I had some essential errands to run. Drove around for a few days, and, not surprisingly, got stuck when it would not start. Got it jump started, brought it back to the garage. Having been jump started, all was fine - no light, nothing. They looked at it for a while, tried it out for a couple of days. Gave it back, saying that if I revved the engine a lot when I started it, the light would go out, and everything would be okay. Tried this for a few days. It worked the first few times (though I thought that revving the engine high isn't good for it) but now the light is on and nothing makes it go out. I've learned my lesson about driving it in this condition, but I really need this car to be driveable! Any clues as to what the problem might be??? (And if you are in the Somerville/Cambridge MA area, do you have a garage you could recommend for an old American car?) Thanks, Judith judith@mit-media-lab
jrm@cbuxc.UUCP (John Miller) (10/16/85)
> > I have an 1964 Ford Falcon that has developed a problem somewhere in the > electrical system. It had been off the road for a year, and (not surprisingly) > would not start when needed again. It was taken to a garage where they > said "Needs new battery". Got new battery. Drove it to new home, far from > that garage. A few days later, the generator light did not shut off im- > mediately after car was started, but remained lit, at first for a few minutes, > and then permanently. Foolishly ignored this, since the car was starting > fine. One day it would not start. Got it jump started, brought it to a > new garage. They said "Needs new voltage regulator". Got new voltage > regulator. A few days later, the generator light starting remaining on. > The garage was closed for a few days, I had some essential errands to run. > Drove around for a few days, and, not surprisingly, got stuck when it > would not start. Got it jump started, brought it back to the garage. Having > been jump started, all was fine - no light, nothing. They looked at it for > a while, tried it out for a couple of days. Gave it back, saying that if > I revved the engine a lot when I started it, the light would go out, and > everything would be okay. Tried this for a few days. It worked the first > few times (though I thought that revving the engine high isn't good for it) > but now the light is on and nothing makes it go out. I've learned my lesson > about driving it in this condition, but I really need this car to be > driveable! Any clues as to what the problem might be??? (And if you > are in the Somerville/Cambridge MA area, do you have a garage you could > recommend for an old American car?) > > Thanks, > Judith > > judith@mit-media-lab > > Needs new car! Sorry, I could not resist.