Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

[Tony S.]

I'm headed to the Heartland Regional tomorrow morning and looking forward to seeing friends there. I'm getting my '65 flight judged. I went through my ops again last night and all seems to be working well EXCEPT my Casco cig lighter won't stay in the engaged position when I push it in. Had it sorta working a month ago. If I push it in and keep it in with my thumb, it glows orange hot. The three prongs inside just don't seem to be grabbing and holding the element. Is it just a matter of adjusting the three prongs?

Thanks (and looking forward to seeing friends in Des Moines).
Tony

[Brian M.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Adjust the prongs, be sure to disconnect the battery first.

[Michael M.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Anthony first you have to disconnect the battery. Then remove the element so you have access to the housing. Take a small long screw driver and slightly bend out the prongs in the housing. Connect the battery and insert the element. You should be OK.

[Alan D.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Agree with adjustment methods HOWEVER make sure your lighter is fused.
These lighters are not fused! Search for comments on this subject.

CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION

If your adjustment is off or some hair line crack develops on the internals the element may jam in the ON position and there goes the wiring harness and even the car!!!!

[Dan H.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Agree with adjustment methods HOWEVER make sure your lighter is fused.
These lighters are not fused! Search for comments on this subject.

CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION

If your adjustment is off or some hair line crack develops on the internals the element may jam in the ON position and there goes the wiring harness and even the car!!!!

Alan, as always, is correct!!!! Get a Casco 'L-2C' fuse for your lighter, available on Ebay etc.
Dan

[Tony S.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Thanks guys. The car is safely in the trailer and I'm ready to go. The weather forecast for Des Moines? T-showers Thursday and Friday. Don? Bill? You guys are killing me with all of this rain...

[Don H.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Tony,
I drove my '60 FI 160 miles to Des Moines today (Wednesday) & the weather was perfect. It will be the same ALL weekend (think positive). Drive safely, see you Thursday!
Don H.

[John D.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Agree with adjustment methods HOWEVER make sure your lighter is fused.
These lighters are not fused! Search for comments on this subject.

CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION

If your adjustment is off or some hair line crack develops on the internals the element may jam in the ON position and there goes the wiring harness and even the car!!!!

100% correct. I once owned a saddle 63 coupe. At that time I smoked cigars. So I pushed in the lighter and it stayed in. didn't take long for a fire to start. Did several 1000 bucks worth of damage. Luckily I had a green knob on the battery but by the time I got my butt out of the car and opened the hood it was too late.

[John H.]

Re: Why won't my '65 cig lighter stay depressed?

Note that the circuit that feeds battery power full-time to the lighter wasn't fused until 1967; AND, if you have a later service replacement or newer reproduction lighter receptacle, they have a U-shaped bi-metallic element on the connector stud. That element was added as a safety feature in the event that multiple accessories are plugged into the receptacle and it overheats, the bi-metallic element expands and direct-shorts the feed circuit to ground, blowing the fuse.

That's fine for '67-up Corvettes that have a fuse, but on pre-'67 Corvettes that aren't fused, if that "safety" element shorts to ground, it'll fry the harness all the way to the starter solenoid, which could start a fire and burn the car down.

If you have one of those later receptacles, either remove the bi-metallic element or add an in-line fuse at the feed wire connection. Photo below shows a later receptacle with the U-shaped bi-metallic "safety" element.