Accidently left ignition on

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Nabco

Just to make sure everything is ok I just took her for another 9 mile drive, no backfires, smooth idle at stop, no stalling, good acceleration...... It looks like I'm good....maybe I should buy a lottery ticket today!!!!

Double check the key again

[Nabco]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Double check the key again

Funny!!!!

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

I lucked out as well,with an electronic ignition. Left the key on for a week. Battery was only installed last August. It was low on water. It took it several hundred miles before it excepted a full charge from Petersons regulater. It does show marginal when load tested with a hf batter tester. But everything seems good now after 600 miles or so. I was packing a back up battery and coil, just in case.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I've read that if you drain the charge from a battery, then recharge it, you have lost 10% of the battery capacity.

BTW, if the points were open, then the battery wouldn't be drained. You'd have an open circuit, so nothing to drain the battery. Dead battery means the points had to be closed.

[Patrick L.]

I go thru a pre-flight/post-flight mental checklist. But, we're not getting any younger so stuff happens.

[George Miller]

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Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I've read that if you drain the charge from a battery, then recharge it, you have lost 10% of the battery capacity.

BTW, if the points were open, then the battery wouldn't be drained. You'd have an open circuit, so nothing to drain the battery. Dead battery means the points had to be closed.

Plus 1

[Nabco]

I actually just put a sign on the door from the garage going into the house.

IGNITION OFF??

Just a reminder, like you said Patrick we are not getting any younger!!!

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Nabco

I actually just put a sign on the door from the garage going into the house.

IGNITION OFF??

Just a reminder, like you said Patrick we are not getting any younger!!!

Underneath that write::

FUEL OFF??

[100IH]

NABCO, visual inspection is the thing to do but the old smeller is maybe a better friend for locating where wires or coil got hot. If it had gotten really hot, lhe smell would linger for days, ask the dog.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by 100IH

NABCO, visual inspection is the thing to do but the old smeller is maybe a better friend for locating where wires or coil got hot. If it had gotten really hot, lhe smell would linger for days, ask the dog.

100IH,
A man wuz saved from a fire, when his HOG smelled it & broke down his door!
In a later interview & pics, "Why duz thet Hog have a peg leg"?----"Well, whin you gotta' Hog that GOOD, you don't EAT him all at once"!
Bill Weird

[Patrick L.]

At least with me, post-flight is,


lights off
fuel off
left lever up
key off
ammeter on zero

[Nabco]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Underneath that write::

FUEL OFF??

The fuel is probably why I forgot to turn off the ignition, I always turn off the fuel first to drain the carb, did that, engine dies, and jumped out and forgot the key....

[tony starr]

Thanks everyone. What I did is left the car running after turning the fuel off and of course forgot to switch the ignition off as well after it had stopped.

I replaced the battery and it fired up ok. Points looked a little charcoal in color, may need a little clean up. I've ordered a new coil, so I'll take it for a run once I've got that handy.

I think a sign leaving the garage as a reminder is a great idea...

[Patrick L.]

Originally Posted by Nabco

The fuel is probably why I forgot to turn off the ignition, I always turn off the fuel first to drain the carb, did that, engine dies, and jumped out and forgot the key....

Everyone does things a bit differently.

I turn the lights and fuel off approaching the barn, but, shut down with the key and then look at the ammeter.
I know darn well I'd leave the key on if I let the engine run out of fuel.

But, a checklist near the garage door is a good thing. Peace of mind is a good thing.

[glenn in camino]

Originally Posted by tony starr

Hi all, I accidently left the ignition on my '30 A turned ON. I know I have a dead battery now. What other damage have I done? Burnt out coil? I'm yet to check it over... just wanting to know what to look for first. Thanks!

Once on a tour, a friend left his ignition on, and after about a half hour, his coil caught fire.

[ol shakey]

The one thing not talked about is if the points are closed with key on for along time the heat from the dead short will take the temper out of the flat spring that holds the points closed causing them to float at higher rpm so may run good at low rpms and bad at top end if it runs at all. They don't have to be on long enough to run the battery clear down to weaken that spring.

[burner31]

Originally Posted by Patrick L.

Everyone does things a bit differently.

I turn the lights and fuel off approaching the barn, but, shut down with the key and then look at the ammeter.
I know darn well I'd leave the key on if I let the engine run out of fuel.

But, a checklist near the garage door is a good thing. Peace of mind is a good thing.

Those of us driving '31's do not have the luxury of turning the gas off, until we stop and raise the hood.

[ian Simpson]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

With a stone dead battery, in the country, with NO electricity or battery chargers, we'd just push it with a car, until the generator kicked in.
ONE Strong, Fast Mule can sometimes do it, in second gear. Just be SURE to use a LOOOONG chain, so you don't run him over, when it STARTS!!!
Bill Mulepower

In my misspent youth I owned a Ford Thames van built in Dagenham that had a battery on the verge of totally giving up. On more than a few occasions after an evening parked on the beach with my girl friend with the radio playing, the battery would not start it up. Even the hand crank was not up to the job with a dead battery. The solution was to put the van in reverse and crank it up the slope off the beach using the hand crank. A short run back down the slope and popping the clutch in second would save the day.

I often moved my vehicles using the hand crank.

[Patrick L.]

Originally Posted by burner31

Those of us driving '31's do not have the luxury of turning the gas off, until we stop and raise the hood.

Yep, that can be a problem. Mine is a 31, but early enough. I think if I had a late one it would have an electric shut-off on it.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by ian Simpson

In my misspent youth I owned a Ford Thames van built in Dagenham that had a battery on the verge of totally giving up. On more than a few occasions after an evening parked on the beach with my girl friend with the radio playing, the battery would not start it up. Even the hand crank was not up to the job with a dead battery. The solution was to put the van in reverse and crank it up the slope off the beach using the hand crank. A short run back down the slope and popping the clutch in second would save the day.

I often moved my vehicles using the hand crank.

Alone one night @ my shop, I couldn't push Cindys' VW bug up the ramp, to put the engine in. Put Vise Grips on the trans shaft & spun it in, in first gear, with ONE finger!
Bill W.