I actually had that happen to my '78 MGB many years ago. To make a long
story not quite as long, the wiring insulation on the starter wiring had
gotten brittle and broken. Somehow, the solenoid and battery wire
crossed causing the starter to engage. The car took a left turn across
the street, drove up my neighbors hill and ran over their prized Japanese
cherry tree. I found the car propped up on the tree and it was evident
where the tires had turned several revolutions before stopping. Not sure
to this day how all that happened, but as I was sheepishly removing the
car from the yard, the starter engaged several times as the wires again
crossed. Fortunately the neighbors were all good friends, and no
lawsuits came about from it. I can only imagine the surprise of anyone
walking down the road (or driving), to see the car drive off on its own!
I started calling the car Christine after that . . . The good thing, had
it gone right instead of left, it would have mowed down my other
neighbor's prized azaleas and probably hit their car.
I sold the car to a neighbor (different city) several years ago and he
proceeded to total it 2 months later. Somewhere in all of this is a
lesson . . .
Dale O
'72 MGB (Not Christine)
'73 Lotus Europa
'76 TR6
'78 Spit
>
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2004 10:14:57 +0100
From: "Paul Hunt" <paul.hunt1@blueyonder.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Self starting 78B
That needs the ignition to be switched on before it starts cranking, it
then
won't stop cranking when you turn off the ignition, but does so when you
drop the handbrake.
Many years ago a diesel van belonging to a neighbour started cranking all
by
itself which is something quite different, it proceeded to crawl across
the
front gardens of the two houses next door trashing a couple of flower
beds
in the process :o)
PaulH.
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