Need input classic Mustang Starting Problem

Hi all- I’m in a pickle here. I spent the entire holiday weekend working on my 66 mustang, 289, 2v, v8. Tonight I was ready to fire it up, change the oil and maybe chk timing…but NO…I screwed up.

Notes-The battery is good, I installed a new coil in the spring as the old one’s top was funky. Checked the electronics (voltages) and they were good. The car needed some pre-fall maintenance because it would run hot, but other than that it was running fine. Items tackled this weekend were: entire system flush, thermostat replaced, new upper hoses, and replaced passenger side ex manifold as I found a crack. It has points and mechanical voltage regulator (a new electronic one is on backorder.)

The problem is this: after I got it done and everything hooked back up, I attempted to start it. It cranked over like it usually does, once. Then kaput, the dreaded clicking. I went to look it over and found that I had forgotten to connect the center coil wire cap to the distributor cap (the big one) before I tried to start it. Can anyone tell me what I’ve burnt up or melted? I think and HOPE its something simple like the coil, or solenoid or points…but really don’t know.

I appreciate any input-help as I’m now single and have no one to ask for advice. I don;t mind working on it at all, but I’m not in the best health and don’t have lots of time to do more diagnostics right now.

Thank you very much, in advance!

It sounds like you just drained the battery. Do you have a battery charger? You’ll want to have one. Charge up the battery and try again. Is there some other problem you noticed?

I have to agree with texases on this one. Typical of a nearly dead battery. How are you determining the battery is good? Also, having the center distributor wire disconnected on this type of ignition system shouldn’t hurt anything.

I too think that you just drained the battery.

I did that recently while working on someone’s car. I called it a day and overnight the under hood lamp drained the battery. Next morning I had to charge it before the owner came to pick it up.

There is a slight possibility that you welded the points closed…but a slight chance.

Yosemite

drained battery like the others, you have to be careful though, sometimes new coils have a differnt size boot, and that can cause the spark to bleed off before it ever gets to the plugs. Coil may have gotten fried, though I doubt anything ever got to the points. Coil can be checked, and double check timing and dwell angle or point gap just as a precaution

Thanks for the ideas…I know its not the battery. I normally keep it hooked to a tender and I only cranked it once for 4 seconds and it didnt start but turned over, then once again and I heard the click. I stopped and then after connecting the wire from coil to dist I tried it twice more but each time only got a click.

How old is the battery?

I will check the battery again in the morning though!

Do you have a voltmeter? Measure battery volts before and during start attempt.

I will update with what I see/find tomorrow by lunch.

Agree w/ others it is a good idea to charge the battery before trying to crank the engine. Repeated cranking w a partially discharged battery can damage the starter motor or the starter solenoid.

Speaking of the starter solenoid, I expect that’s the problem here. It’s just a coincidence this happened after doing the repairs. On your Mustang I expect the starter solenoid is a separate gadget, not part of the starter motor like it is on newer cars. So it should be cheap and easy to replace. The contacts age and develop higher resistance, and the dreaded “click” is the result.

If it happened as part of your weekend activities, then my guess, you’ve got a grounding problem. You have to have a very low resistance between the battery ground post and the starter case. The pathway is usually from the starter case to the engine block then a wire from the engine to the chassis then another wire from the chassis to the battery ground post. So check all those connections, you may have had to loosen one to change out the exhaust manifold for example.

Are the battery connections clean and tight? Are the cables and clamps in good shape?

The starter “solenoid” mounted on the inner fender is actually a starter relay. After replacing my third one I always carried a new spare and wrenches in the glove box for my 4 Mustangs and other Fords that used them. I would bet a dollar against a dime that is your problem (the rapid clicking or sometimes just a single click sounds far too familiar).

I forgot about those relays. Yep, good idea.

Hi All- Update
again thanks for you’re input-everyone!

Yes- to reiterate, its always a single click.

I only had a few minutes this morning but checked the battery and it showed 12+ volts. The cables/connections are good and clean. I tried the key but got the single click. I also thought I might have the coil connected wrong. I now have the negative to the dist/points and the positive is from starter…I had it the opposite way yesterday…

I also put the leads on the starter solenoid/relay on the fender wall and that showed similar voltage. (with key off) Does that mean its good if the current is passing through or its bad and stuck open?
I did the jump test, pos battery side to ignition switch wire terminal and I only got sparks no cranking.

One post triggered a memory that I did wipe off the 4 ga wire attached to the starter right before I put the new manifold in. Don’t know why that would be a problem…

I’m sort of figuring its the starter relay but I need to check all the grounds first.

Thoughts??

Thank you!

A nearly dead battery will show 12 volts under no load. You need to measure the voltage while attempting to start the car.

Measure voltage from ground to the lead that goes from the relay to the starter, while a helper turns the key.
It will be zero before turning the key.
When the key is turned if it doesn’t increase it’s a bad relay.
If the voltage jumps to 12V it’s a bad starter or the connection to it.
Try tapping the relay and starter with a mallet or equiv.

The problem might be with the starter relay.

Jump between the large terminals on the relay and if the starter operates the relay is bad.

Tester

“Jump between the large terminals”.

I was reluctant to suggest this.
Use a jumper cable or other conductor heavy enough to handle 100 amps or more.
Be careful not to touch anything to ground.
There will be some sparking.

Sure will be sparking, no big deal I hope. If it does the same after sparky test It may be your starter moter and flywheel are in a one in a million position. Makeing sure the engine is off and you can remove spark plugs to be doubly safe if you push hard on the fanbelt and push on the fan blade clockwise seems to be my recollection you can turn the motor enough to eliminate a starte motor flywheel bind, it will only need a little movement to move the flywheel enough to see if hat is the problem, and if it is impossible to turn your engine is locked up.

I like the solenoid idea, connections, cable inspection and bench test starter motor best.