switch wire connection gets hot

[dulcimerbob]

Got the Titanic running but the connector where all the switch wires come in gets very hot when the car is running . Any ideas?

[manoa matt]

Can you be more specific which connector?

The one that comes to mind is the white plastic connector block behind the ignition switch. There is a lot of current that passes through the ignition switch. Several remedies exist: Undo the connector block, take a tiny flat blade screw driver and release the electrical contacts from the block and clean then up. Search the electrical section of the forum for "brown wire fix" this mod re-introduces a fresh 12v source to the switch. Also search for "headlight relays" This mod re-routes the huge electrical load that would normally pass through the ignition switch with the headlights on.

[dulcimerbob]

My car is a 76. I just put a later switch in with a plug terminal . I removed the plug and used the male spades to hook up my stock females . I left some of the plastic plug intact as it held the spade terminals . That's where the heat is. Would the brown wire fix help this ? I did clean the terminals before installing the switch . Thanks

[Zippy]

Sometimes when you push the connectors together some of the pins come loose from the connector. Instead of getting pushed onto the opposite pin they get pushed out. Since they aren't making full contact they tend to heat up.

Dirty pins can suffer from heat because the current has to get through the added resistance of the dirt and that causes heat. Also, loose or bent pins can cause heat because they are not making full contact and the current has to go through a smaller contact area.