[jaseology]

Need some advice. I have a 1966 289 V8 4-barrel. The engine hadn’t been turned on in 20 years. Among other parts that do not affect the engine turning on, I changed the:
• Intake manifold
• Fuel pump
• Starter
• Alternator
• Distributor
• Ignition coil
• Ignition relay
• Summit carburetor
• Spark plugs
• Spark plug wires
•Battery
• Electrical harness to starter/ignition components

The engine just turns and turns via the starter as I hold the key, but it doesn’t run.

Any advice?

 

[Quicksilver66]

It’s either fuel or spark. Are you sure you put the distributor in correctly and have the timing set? What about making sure the plug wires are done correctly? Those would be my guesses. I’m sure more knowledgeable folks will be along shortly. Good luck!

 

[kenash]

Hi,
So, it cranks, but, does not fire correct?
Start, by checking you have 12Vs at the + side of the coil. Re-check all of your primary ignition wiring is correct. Primary ignition wiring is the ckt. that get's voltage to the coil. The coil is what creates the "spark", that fires the plugs.
Have you checked your plugs for spark? Have you grounded the distributor coil wire to the distributor to check the coil is delivering a spark.
Do you have a wiring diagram for your year mustang? If not get one! It'll pay for itself any times over. Also, a shop manual is a definite need for your tool box.

 

[Brian Conway]

https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&cx=partner-pub-7865546952023728:6eru0j-4s1u&q=https://forums.vintage-mustang.com/vintage-mustang-forum/557618-no-start-how-check-spark.html&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj0x_-wxZrlAhWGJTQIHaRwDvQQFjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw1FR-hoNm5ZXA5aw3xpMPry


Check for a strong spark. Second reply by 'johnpro' .

 

[FrankieThe69Kid]

Was the car originally auto trans and converted to manual? If so, it's not going to start without the neutral safety switch bypass. Easy fix if that's the case.

 

[awhtx]

If so, it's not going to start without the neutral safety switch bypass.

The NSS interrupts the starter circuit. If the NSS is defective or not installed the engine won't even turn over.

 

[Knapper]

I see no mention of replacing fuel tank or lines. Have you verified the carb is getting fuel?

 

[Redneckgearhead]

My advice, do some diagnostics.

 

[jaseology]

The carb is getting fuel, there is spark (I verified this by taking out a spark plug and cranking the engine, but it would only spark when I touched the spark plug to another piece of metal), the engine is timed, has original C4 auto transmission.


I might have switched a wire somewhere when replacing parts. I'm not an auto electrician so this is going to take me a while haha

 

[oldpaint]

Do you see a jet of fuel when you throttle the gas? You have fuel - at least to the carb - and you have spark so you should be able to get it running, unless there is something catastrophically wrong in the engine. Now you just have to find whats not adjusted/set right. How old is the gas?

 

[Redneckgearhead]

The carb is getting fuel, there is spark (I verified this by taking out a spark plug and cranking the engine, but it would only spark when I touched the spark plug to another piece of metal), the engine is timed, has original C4 auto transmission.


I might have switched a wire somewhere when replacing parts. I'm not an auto electrician so this is going to take me a while haha

The carb is getting fuel but is it supplying enough to the engine.... A spark plug will only spark if it's grounded so that's correct (has to be a complete circuit). You might have dropped the distributor in on #1 tdc but that doesn't mean the engine is timed, as you haven't had it running to set the timing. If the spark plug is sparking then you have the wiring correct enough to run.

Pull the air cleaner off, look down the carb and see if the carb is squirting fuel when you open the throttle. If it is, pump the throttle a couple times while you're cranking it.

 

[kenash]

The carb is getting fuel, there is spark (I verified this by taking out a spark plug and cranking the engine, but it would only spark when I touched the spark plug to another piece of metal), the engine is timed, has original C4 auto transmission.


I might have switched a wire somewhere when replacing parts. I'm not an auto electrician so this is going to take me a while haha

At this point, you might want to get a wiring diagram for your year. I would suggest the colored diagrams as they are easier to read.

Check this out......
http://averagejoerestoration.com/resources/mustang-wiring-and-vacuum-diagrams/1966-wiring-diagrams/66ignit.jpg

 

[my289]

So when you put the new distributor how did you verify it was put in right? Did you pull the #1 spark plug and bumped the engine till you got on the compression stroke and then drop the distributor rotor pointing at the #1 plug wire location of the distributor?

 

[watto1]

Try turning the dizzy a little each way and see what happens..

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Magnus]

Maybe the distributor's in 180 degrees out?

 

[Woodchuck]

Does it do anything other than just crank and crank and crank?

Pop, snort, puff, spit, fart?

Do you have a timing light?

 

[daves67ss]

It takes air, fuel and spark....and all at the right proportions and at the right time. If you have spark and fuel, check your timing.

 

[1968Cally]

It takes air, fuel and spark....and all at the right proportions and at the right time. If you have spark and fuel, check your timing.

and compression.

 

[TheGreatVulture]

Sounds a lot like my car when I bought it, if it fits with the "Pop, snort, puff, spit, fart". I had replaced about the same set of parts, or at least had them off and back on again.

Distributor was out 180. Was an easy enough fix except the oil pump drive paddle fell down into the oil pan.

 

[FrankieThe69Kid]

As suggested by others, distributor might be out, but maybe not 180 degrees. Does it "almost" fire with the dist turned all the way one way or the other? If so, figure which way it needs to be turned a little more and "re-clock" the plug wires by moving them all over one post on the cap. I had to do this on my last engine.