[Cfletch13]

289 4v ford intake, 4150 holley that is new.

Went on a test drive the other day and the cam follower(?) on the points snapped of making it so that the points wouldn't open or close. Replaced those on the side of the road and got home just fine. The following day I started the car and it was a little hard to start, but it started. After letting it warm up a bit, I tried to give it the slightest amount of gas and the engine just did not want to increase at all in RPMs. It sounded very weird almost like it was chugging for lack of a better term.

I pulled the plugs and 1/8 were normal and the others were fowled up maybe because of my points issue.

I am really stuck as to what could be causing this since the car runs great if it is just idling there.


Maybe one thing worth mentioning is that a week ago I had a bunch of problems with my sending unit and finally got that all turned around. I checked my fuel filter and it was loaded up with tons of crud red mud and swapped to a new filter.

Maybe there is a blockage and the carb now has some of that junk that was sitting in the filter housing?

 

[FrankieThe69Kid]

The red crud might indicate rust in the fuel tank. How old is the tank? How long did it sit before you did the test drive? What happens with the tank is: if it's stored for a period of time, condensation builds up on the inside of the tank. The tank starts to rust, and (water being heavier than gasoline) the condensation runs the rust down to the bottom of the tank carrying the rust with it. As soon as you start the car, that rust gets into the fuel line and clogs the filter.
My first guess, anyway.

 

[kenash]

What he said^^^^^. Pull the carb and check the bowl, would not be surprised to see a bunch of sediment.

 

[67frankenstein]

Ignition coil is often the culprit with those symptoms, your points malfunction could have put that old coil in its grave. Be sure you buy the proper one based on your ignition system type and amount of voltage to the primary side of the coil, so you avoid creating new problems.

So you want to make sure the primary side the the coil has approximately 6 to 10 volts (depending on meter you're using) with the key on or running (it will be slightly higher running). You want to make sure it doesn't have a full 12 volts.

If you want stock replacement I'd go with a standard coil like this one... https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...tion-blue-streak-ignition-coil/uc12x/6323640/

Or you could use this one if you wanted to step it up... PerTronix 40011 PerTronix Flame-Thrower Ignition Coils | Summit Racing

...as they are both correct for points and your car having built in resistance wire.

 

[Matter]

I would look towards weak ignition also. It takes a stronger spark to burn the additional fuel when accelerating or putting a load on the engine. Since this all started after replacing the points, I would start there. Double check your install and be sure to clean the contact surface with a cleaner or alcohol and wipe clean with something lint free. Always used to use a piece of a matchbook of similar. Replace the condenser if you didn't.

 

[Cfletch13]

So I figured I would post an update, took a few days to really figure out what actually happened and was crossing off the list of possibilities.

Very long story short. Somehow the arm for the vacuum advance got bent (maybe from the broken pieces of the points) causing the baseplate to be stuck in a position that messed up the timing of the spark or something along those lines.

I basically got to the bottom of my list and decided to put a timing light on it and noticed that as soon as I hit the throttle the light stopped blinking. Pulled the distributor and checked everything over, pulled off the vacuum advance, put it back in the car and it ran just fine as soon as I timed it!

Weird issue that I never though would even have been a thing.

 

[dobrostang]

HMMM, so your car dies when the vacuum advance pulls, check the circuit from the points all the way outslde the distributor for a ground fault. It is likely grounding somewhere when the vacuum advance moves the plate. This is always a point of fail on 50 year old points dizzys. Check the insulation on the wire from the points to the dizzy through bolt if it has one. years of plate movement can wear through the insulation. Check the insulators on every screw that is hooked to the wire. Again, I havn't dealt with a Mustang points dizzy but if there is a screw that goes through the housing that the coil wire attaches to outside and points wire attaches to inside as opposed to the wire just going into a rubber gromet into the dizzy housing, check the insulators on the screw and if wire in grommet check the integrity. Use a volt meter to figure out why it is grounding when the vacuum advance moves the plate. It WILL leave you on the side of the road eventually. Get that vacuum hooked up again, helps wiht gas mileage and makes the car feel snappier on the throttle in light throttle positions, won't make your car any faster floored though...

Good luck...

 

[ylexot]

Your rusted gas tank is still an issue. You should address that before that becomes the reason you are stranded. I would simply replace the tank and sender and flush the lines. Cheap insurance.

 

[Cfletch13]

HMMM, so your car dies when the vacuum advance pulls, check the circuit from the points all the way outslde the distributor for a ground fault. It is likely grounding somewhere when the vacuum advance moves the plate. This is always a point of fail on 50 year old points dizzys. Check the insulation on the wire from the points to the dizzy through bolt if it has one. years of plate movement can wear through the insulation. Check the insulators on every screw that is hooked to the wire. Again, I havn't dealt with a Mustang points dizzy but if there is a screw that goes through the housing that the coil wire attaches to outside and points wire attaches to inside as opposed to the wire just going into a rubber gromet into the dizzy housing, check the insulators on the screw and if wire in grommet check the integrity. Use a volt meter to figure out why it is grounding when the vacuum advance moves the plate. It WILL leave you on the side of the road eventually. Get that vacuum hooked up again, helps wiht gas mileage and makes the car feel snappier on the throttle in light throttle positions, won't make your car any faster floored though...

Good luck...

Yes basically because of the jammed arm it caused some mounting bolt to hit the center shaft and grounded it out once you hit the throttle since it would move. I'm going to be getting a new distributor soon here to just replace the old part but for now a new vac unit and I'll be good to go!