New to the forum!

[68survivor]

Hi everyone,

After reading topics on this forum, I decided to join. Looking forward to exchanging ideas and tips and willing to learn as well. Recently started playing around with the Mustang and have not been successful at starting her up.

1968 Mustang 200 CI, automatic, all stock

 

[Anonymous]

Be careful. This forum can be addictive. I spend too many wasted hours here!

 

[69.5Mav]

68survivor

Wellcome

have not been successful at starting her up

Questions:

When was the last time this engine ran?

What are the symtoms?
Does it crank?
Does it try to catch?
Does it run for a short while then quite?

Suggestions:

Three things an engine needs to run.
1. Compression
2. Fuel
3. Spark

Let us know what you find

 

[rbohm]

Be careful. This forum can be addictive. I spend too many wasted hours here!

8) a far better addiction than mainlining heroin though.

 

[JackFish]

Howdy. Pull a plug and ground it while cranking to check for spark.

 

[68survivor]

Hello thanks for the invites and welcomings.

Car cranks over. Grounded spark plug wire and getting an intermittent spark in all plug wires nothing from the plug wire coming off of the coil tower.

The coil has positive and a negative posts. There are two small wires each one goes to these posts on the coil. What is the correct connection of these wires? One comes from the firewall the other one is coming out of the distributor base. My car is all stock. No upgrades. Car is equipped with the original dual vacuum distributor.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mugsy]

Three things an engine needs to run.
1. Compression
2. Fuel
3. Spark

There is a forth: 4) Air; but I'm just being nit picky.

As for the coil, it needs voltage to the (+) terminal and the (-) is grounded to the points in the distributor. With the key in the "run" position there should be 6V to (+) terminal. This is done to keep the points from burning out. During cranking, while the key is held the "start" position, the (+)terminal should see 12V (or what ever is coming from the battery). The higher voltage give a larger spark to assist in start-up of the cold engine.

 

[69.5Mav]

Mugsy

There is a forth: 4) Air; but I'm just being nit picky

Not a small nit. You are correct but air is assumed for compression, no air no compression.

68survivor

Grounded spark plug wire

You grounded the spark plug or spark plug wire. Grounding the spark plug wire would be an inadequate way of checking for spark. Either remove a spark plug from the engine and insert it back into its spark plug wire then ground the tip of the spark plug OR get another spark plug and insert it into a spark plug wire then ground the tip of the spark plug. If you remove a spark plug from the engine you can put your finger over the spark plug hole while cranking the engine to see if there is any compression.

nothing from the plug wire coming off of the coil tower

That is commonly called the coil wire and to test it it needs to be connected to the coil using a spark plug. If your not getting any spark here then you won't get any out of the distributor. If no spark then check the points and condenser first. The coil itself could be bad as well but point and condenser are wear items and should be checked and or replaced first. I am assuming you still have points on this engine.

If or when the ignition system checks out and the car still won't start then it is time to move on to one of the other items on the list of three.

Next I would get a can of starter fluid from an auto parts store and spray some done the carb. If the car starts briefly then your problem is fuel related, is there gas in the tank, how old is it, is it getting to the carb, is it getting into the engine?

Let us know what you find.

 

[68survivor]

Well I grounded the spark plugs one at a time using the recommended method (spark plug attached to spark plug wire and then grounding the tip to a good clean metal ground). I'm still getting an intermittent spark. Gas is flowing good and is not old. The last time the car ran was about 2 months ago. I also made sure the - and + terminals on the coil are connected correctly too. The wire coming from the fire wall is hooked to the + terminal on the coil, and the wire coming from the ditributor base is hooked to the - terminal on the coil. I'm starting to suspect the wire from the distributor base to the - terminal on the coil. When I move it, I get a good strong spark when I crank the engine with my hand held starter and she sounds like she's about to start. I have the battery charging, fresh gas in the tank, a fresh Autolite 1100.

 

[mugsy]

When was the last time the points and condenser were changed in the dizzy? Have you verified the point gap (dwell)? It definitely sounds ignition related.

 

[68survivor]

Well guys,

I replaced the small wire coming from the distributor base (points) to the negative post on the coil with a new piece of 10 gauge wire and had laying around the garage, and she fired up. How do you go about testing the wire I removed with a multimeter. I have a brand new one and have no clue how to use the thing.

My next step is to perform a full tune up (cap, rotor, points, condenser, plugs, plug wires, etc...)

 

[69.5Mav]

68survivor

I replaced the small wire coming from the distributor base (points) to the negative post on the coil with a new piece of 10 gauge wire and had laying around the garage, and she fired up.

Good!!! It feels good to find the problem. 10 gage is a little heavy, won't hurt anything but you could use something smaller like 16 or 18 gage.

do you go about testing the wire I removed with a multimeter

Use the multi meter on the Ohm or resistance setting and check the resistance from one end to the other, it should be close to zero. You should flex the wire while checking cause I believe you have an intermitant connection in it. Those are the hardest to find. Congrats!

 

[Anlushac11]

Welcome!

 

[68survivor]

I went with an 18 gauge wire. I just finished doing a complete tune up on her along with an oil change. She runs like a champ! I think I need a new carb throttle return spring. I turned the idle screw to the left a few times to get her to idle slower, and the tip of the screw doesn't seem to reach the stop. I gently push on it with my finger and it travels just enough to reach the stop and idle perfectly. I think a new return spring might have enough strength to allow the idle linkage to travel it's full range of motion. Where would I find this spring? Everything on her is stock.