Well, I don't have a '58 Imperial so I can't say for sure, but it would seem to
me that whether you turn the key to start the car or push a button, there would
have to be something to keep it from starting in gear. If this function is
dealt with by the button itself, it would still be worth testing.
Taking the car into a shop isn't always the best answer either, Hugh. To
illustrate, my Mark VI Lincoln wouldn't start once (well many times, folks, its
an old Lincoln) so I foolishly panicked, had it towed to a shop. The shop
replaced the starter, the relay, the battery terminals, and the ground strap.
The car started for them, so it was pronounced "cured".
I drove the car home, and the next day it wouldn't start. I got out my little
jumper wire with alligator clips on both ends, jumped the lead to the neutral
safety and it started. I am certain that this had been the problem all along.
At least if I had been smart, and not panicked, I would have tried it and
possibly saved myself all the trouble and nearly $1,000.
The problem with a shop is that they need to fix cars and move them out, fast.
As Imperial collectors we have "more time" than they do to hunt down little
problems that have massive impact on our enjoyment of the cars. All of us know
that old cars do stinky things all the time. We supposedly enjoy this sort of
thing and that is why we are in it, right?
Now I need to get ready to go to my day job.
Paul
In a message dated 3/2/2004 1:45:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, hugtrees@xxxxxxxx
writes:
>
>
> 58 Imperial does not have a neutral safety switch. What it has is a neutral
> starter switch. The neutral button is the starter button. The key does not
> activate the starter, it just opens the electrical circuit.
>
> I cannot say what is causing the problem's on this particular 58. There are
> a variety of answers, any one of which might be correct. When it happened
> to my 58, it was the coil, but it could just as easily be a bad connection
> or a starter motor problem. There is also a ballast resistor to be looked
> at as well.
>
> What the car needs is a mechanic to diagnose the problem. It will get worse
> and it won't always fail to start in a convenient place. Replacing the coil
> worked for me, but I chose to replace the ballast resistor and get the
> starter motor rebuilt not too very long after. I went from taking five
> attempts to getting the 58 going to it starting on the first try.
>
> Hugh
>
>
>
>
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