Has your Cobra ever left you stranded? - Page 3

HI Cobra · #41 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 01:27 AM

That last picture kind of reminds me of the Exorcist!
Bummer.

BOURRET · #42 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 02:04 AM

Yes, this happened many times, mostly due to ignition problems.
For instance when I went to Elvington in 2005, the small axis on the electronic distributor broke and a wise garage man between Dover and London made a similar pin from a strong piece of steel rod .
Once, I had to make 100 miles stuck in 3rd gear before reaching my garage.
Another time, I had to do 500 miles with a slippery clutch (I burned the disk during the drag races) that allowed me only 2000 rpm going back home. Both clutch and alu flywheel were dead and now, I always have at home a spare clutch and flywheel waiting...
A glorious one was when both the starter and the ignition box failed. Nice policemen offered me to push the Cobra to start but this had been useless as I knew it would not fire (thanks, otherwise I might have had problem if they had hear the sound upon starting!!!!)
Since, I always carry a spare new starter and ignition control box in my trunk.
The most frightening one was when I went to Poland, 100 miles before reaching the polish border, my water temperature fluctuated badly. I stopped and noticed an almost empty water system. I had to make the decision whether to keep going to my racing destination (still 300 miles to go) or to go back home (900 miles to go). I stopped for 3 hrs to decide to go to the race session in Poland, putting coolant in the system about 1-2 quart every 100 miles. The car did the race and I came back home stopping every 100 miles to check water level and adding fluid.
Last time was this september 2009 for an abnormal oil pressure value (20 PSI less than usual). I decided to stop the car before this could become worse or bad for this engine. I was coming back from a dragstrip and still 200 miles away from my home....So many thanks to my best friend who came to my help with a trailer.

Anthony · #43 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 03:58 AM

Has your Cobra ever left you stranded?

Yes.

1) MSD pick-up coil went bad

2) Broke a rocker arm while just cruising.

DanEC · #44 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 05:19 AM

It seems that I see a lot of references to MSD failures. Is this a brand to stay away from when I assemble my car? I have run an old Accell CD unit in my 66 Corvette for over 20 years without a failure.

Dan

undy · #45 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HI Cobra

That last picture kind of reminds me of the Exorcist!
Bummer.

Your Cobra sux Chebbies in he!! ...

RENEW1 · #46 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 09:27 AM

Although I was not badly stranded, just had a failure in my driveway after several miles of my first trip after registration. No power after just entering my driveway, pushed car into my garage. Problem was a loose wire on the 50 amp circuit breaker which overheated the stud on the breaker and melted the seal holding the battery side stud in place. Interesting part was there was about 1/8" of "looseness" between the stud washer and the nut. I'm surprised I was able to run the car in earlier garage testing and going through Ct inspection!

Dangerous Doug · #47 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 12:36 PM

I was out with my son one day, picking up Indian food for dinner down in Santa Cruz. Jumped in to take off, and the battery was dead. My battery jumper was weak, so I had to push start it. Parking lot was mildly slopped, but I managed to enlist the assistance of two young women that were out for a walk to help me push it to start it.

It was pretty embaressing.

Turned out, I had a battery with a bad cell. Winchester replaced it, FOC, and life moved on.

But, that was pretty embaressing...
DD

289fia_cobra · #48 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 02:44 PM

Almost.
On FFR4883, I installed first version of I-Squared electrical and was using the big-amp circuit breaker for a secondary kill switch. It wasn't designed for that use and one day at work it just gave up. I didn't know what to do and was ready to call CSAA and got an idea.

I yanked out the battery side cable of the breaker (took a bit of work) and once free, used it with my jumper cable to connect it back to the power/fuse block. used my rags/towels that I also keep around, and wrapped up both ends of my very bulk wiring job so I wouldn't short it on the bare aluminum. I was able to drive it home.

Thats as close as I've come to being stranded.

I've had two flats and used my Mach Pump and two plug kits I always have around to get myself back on the road.

When I set out to build my car, I wanted to build it as if maybe it could be a daily driven car; my first LONG trip as a test, was from my home to Huntington Beach and back; 900+ miles and no problems what so ever. I've put on a total of 7400+ miles. Broke two shocks also but was able to limp home both times.

tbracker · #49 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009, 07:40 PM

First time a mile from home after a four hour drive. Broke a rocker at 30 mph. Called my brother for a tow.

Second time, after getting the rocker replaced, I was out rather late and broke another one. Slow speed failure again and just three miles this time. Couldn't get a tow so I secured the car and walked home. Brother tow again, first thing in the AM. Got the whole top end replaced after that. It obviously wasn't a "fluke" as the manufacurer insisted the first time.

On a side note; I later found two of the wires to the starter had been stripped by would be thieves. I guess they never found the kill switch and if they had they wouldn't have gotten far with a busted rocker arm. Still, it pisses you off. Next time I'll sleep with the car till sunrise.

Third time on Alligator Alley I found where the 'E' on the gas gauge really is.

Last time a friend was driving and hit a curb in the median. Blew out two low profile tires and bent both rims. No choice but a flat bed ride home.

Lesson learned...what good is one spare tire anyway.

greg schroeder · #50 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009, 08:51 AM

Out of gas, out for drive
Dead battery, on the way to my wedding
Broken half shaft, after spirited start

nealgs · #51 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 07:45 AM

first proper drive in our Southern Roadcraft cobra to our local Cobra club region meet, 12 miles from home - fuse to fuelpump blows, leaving me stranded - doh!

Not a good start. Get a lift back home on back of flatbed. Following day, find a spare fuse in glovebox - lol

anyways, she fixed again now

, just waiting for the typical UK weather to brighten up enough to go out in her again.

rgds
Gary

mdross1 · #52 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 03:12 PM

Knock on wood,had to scares but always drove it home.One was a puff of smoke out from under the hood,antifreeze seeped onto exhaust.The other was brakes not letting go.that was balance beam on dual masters needed a tweak.

SKINNEDR · #53 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nealgs

first proper drive in our Southern Roadcraft cobra to our local Cobra club region meet, 12 miles from home - fuse to fuelpump blows, leaving me stranded - doh!

Not a good start. Get a lift back home on back of flatbed. Following day, find a spare fuse in glovebox - lol

anyways, she fixed again now

, just waiting for the typical UK weather to brighten up enough to go out in her again.
rgds
Gary

A cobra in the UK has to be lots of fun... Something like a UFO.. Am I correct?
Dex...

Dwight · #54 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 05:39 PM

Last Saturday, returning from a car show 50 miles away. I decided to drive to the state line and buy gas. The Tenn. state line is 13 miles from my shop. As I pulled out of the station I broke an rear upper control arm. I pulled over and called the tow truck.
Third time my Cobra has been on a tow truck.
First time oil leak. Second time stopped up fuel filter. Both were easy to fix once I knew what was wrong.
Dwight

twobjshelbys · #55 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 08:15 PM

Not yet. By the Grace of God Go I.

It is inevitible though.

RallySnake · #56 (**permalink**) 11-16-2009, 01:29 AM

I have been driving my cobra since 1986. It has failed lots of times. The first few were stupid things, like the choke on the carburetor was not fixed and the door closed, flooding the engine. Or a fuse blew.

I had three electric fuel pumps quit and strand me. Now I run two of them and can always switch to the spare. I've had four or five quit since then, once in the middle of nowhere, West Texas and I was really happy could push that switch and keep going.

I bought a used MSD 6AL ignition on eBay and that quit once. However, I have my old MSD 6A connected too and can throw a switch to keep going.

I have run lots of tires down to the sooth part and have had lots of flats. The fix-a-flat cans have always gotten me where I'm going. On one rally, we were up in the mountains and both tires on the left side were flat. I was really glad I had 3 cans with me. On another rally, I got a 3 inch gash on the right front tire. I would not have believed it if someone had told me the flat fixer would work but it did! It took 4 cans to get 100 miles to the end of the rally and then home.

Recently, my Holley carburetor overflowed and stalled the engine. It took a while to figure out that it was caused by another fuel pump problem.

RallySnake

PANAVIA · #57 (**permalink**) 11-16-2009, 02:11 AM

Election night 2008. -- I missed the whole thing.

was on a shake-down drive with the "PERFECT 5.0L Ford fuel injection system" --(by Painless, based on the GM computer )

so on with the story -- I .-- was running low on gas, so I stopped at the local shell. --

filled car up, -- hopped in wouldnt start again, cranking away ... checked everything -- no spark , no fuel pump, but all the fuses were ok, and I was getting power to everything... so on the AAA tow truck it went.

I got home --just in time to watch McCain's concession speech.

turned out --it was a half-baked system, so much so that summit racing took it back after I explained my case --, got to love summit.

Replaced with a Ford Racing system with an X3U computer. --works great now.

Steve

trularin · #58 (**permalink**) 11-16-2009, 05:37 AM

Stranded - no.

Hung-up - yes.

London, five or six years ago, did a burnout with the new double clutch and spun all of the clutch pieces into the bell housing. Spent the next two hours trying to get some clutch to drive home. We got it and we drove home.

lnfletcher · #59 (**permalink**) 11-16-2009, 06:52 AM

Funny I saw this thread today! Friday I went out for a long drive and when I returned home, I shut it off to open my gate and it would not start. Starter failed in my driveway!
Not stranded yet, but it would all be part of the experience! (That I could do without.)

rattlesnakepete · #60 (**permalink**) 11-16-2009, 01:22 PM

I re-cammed my windsor back to KC specs when I bought my cobra. It came from CA and had a very mild smog cam in it. On my madan voyage a terrible grinding noise came out of the engine the first time I hammered on it. I immediately pulled over and called a tow truck. I was very upset that I just damaged such a nice engine.

Turns out I forgot to properly tension one of the water pump fasteners which backed out and rubbed on the pulley!

Oh Happy Day!

As a side note the tow truck driver was very helpful getting the car onto the trailer, which is challenging.