1987 740 GLE - ignition switch?

my friend's 87 740 seems to have a random no
start. i checked it out tonight:

i turned the key to ON none of the lights came on
in the dash. i cranked it, but it just sputtered
and died immediately. i turned it OFF and then
back ON, and then i have lights. then i have all
the lights, i crank it, and it runs fine.

this seems to have come on with the extreme cold
lately. otherwise the car has no running problesm,
very smooth and plenty of power, so i've ruled out
ignition and fuel. ignition switch?

 

That's exactly what our '85 765T did when the ignition switch was going
out - no lights, no start, when very cold. It got worse over a period of a
month or so. Once running, it was reliable (didn't die) even when the
starting problem became intolerable.

I was advised it is a very common problem and bought one from IPD
(www.ipdusa.com) for $60 IIRC. It is pretty easy to replace - the switch is
connectorized and unbolts from the lock part. It took me a little over an
hour, with no inventive language.

Mike

 

Check the earth connection from the battery to the bottom of the engine
block. The inner core of the cable breaks and causes stating problems -
also at night headlamps go dim and bright according to whether the contact
is made or broken. I had a 1986 740 GL Estate Car and had major problems
with starting until I discovered this problem. Solution is easy - buy 2
braded earth straps form a accessory shop and bridge over the engine mounts.
You will never have any further trouble. Additionally you can always add
another earth strap from the battery to the bodyshell.

 

"no inventive language" heheheh. thanks for the tip.

 

thanks for the tip. i will definnitely give this a
check.

 

That's "connectorized" and "no inventive language" in the same
paragraph.

You are George Bush, and I claim my free holiday in the middle east.
--

Stewart Hargrave


For email, replace 'SpamOnlyToHere' with my name

 

Hey hey HEY if you Brits did not enable him the whole sorry adventure might
never have happened.

Perhaps in every country we can consider the lonely men and women civilian
or under arms as well as children both of the aforementioned folks, and
native to Iraq or Afghanistan suffering because of the Iraq situation --
including the 100,000 or more Iraqis killed by the 'fight to make amerikah
safer©®' --to say nothing of the awful destruction of lives and homes by the
tsumini (sp)

Kind of makes the question of 850 or s80 seem kind of silly now....

 

You elected him, so its the Brits fault all along

 

But the ignition switch seems to be the immediate problem.

Mike