Need help after carb install

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Joined
Dec 8, 2014
Messages
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Location
Miramar Beach, FL
My Car
1973 Mustang Convertible
H Code 351C
Ok I got everything hooked back up and now car won't start.

Initially it turned over a few times pulling fuel up to carb.

Then I got a spark from beg terminal of battery and it went dead.

If I unhook and rehook battery lights and everything come on but when I turn key spark from neg and everything goes dead.

Had no issues with starter or battery before I swapped intake and carb

Ideas?

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To be on the safe side I'm hoping its not your battery as I had one blowup in my face. The connection inside between the cells burned apart ignited the gas blowing it in countless pieces so don't be standing over top. Stupid me one minute the battery would work and next time I had to bump it to work Like I said stupid Me

 
Testing the battery is not a bad idea

Coming off the solenoid is a grey wire that is your fusible link-usually when it blows, you won't have lights either-but if it is still able to make contact you can have lights and not enough juice flowing through the wires to activate anything.

Solenoids also fail and when they don't engage, you can't crank the engine- thankfully that part is inexpensive and easy to swap out.

Do you have an electric meter? If so there are a few test you can do to try and isolate the problem. Also what type ignition system is in the car?

 
I used a voltmeter and I get 12.68 on the battery so I think it is good

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Testing the battery is not a bad idea

Coming off the solenoid is a grey wire that is your fusible link-usually when it blows, you won't have lights either-but if it is still able to make contact you can have lights and not enough juice flowing through the wires to activate anything.

Solenoids also fail and when they don't engage, you can't crank the engine- thankfully that part is inexpensive and easy to swap out.

Do you have an electric meter? If so there are a few test you can do to try and isolate the problem. Also what type ignition system is in the car?
I have a voltmeter. I am running the Pertronix Ignitor in my car. Original Pertronix and stock coil.

 
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most likely solenoid-you can normally hear them click when the key is turned if they are working. Might need someone to turn the key while you listen

You can test the solenoid by yourself, with the car in park or neutral, by running a screwdriver between the large positive terminal connected to the battery and the small terminal closest to it marked "s" If this engages the starter, it is in your trigger wiring, if it does not and your battery is good, it is either your solenoid or your starter. If you check for voltage at the large terminal (opposite the one the + cable is connected to ) while jumping the terminals like this and you have none the solenoid is bad.

Finding a break in a fusible link is easier, just pinch the wire and work your way down it, if it is shorted you will feel a soft spot. Replace with fusible link from Napa or other source, don't just use copper wire.

 
The spark from your battery when you try to start it is a big concern. Either the terminal is loose or bad, or you have a short in your starter. Whenever you have a load on the battery or are charging it hydrogen gas is produced. Hydrogen gas is very explosive and as someone else noted it can easily blow up a battery. Double check the terminal, remove it from the battery and clean the post and the terminal. The problem may also be where the cable connects to the terminal.

Another possibility is that you removed a ground cable from the firewall to the engine and didn't replace it when you put the new manifold on, and the starter is not getting a ground. There should also be a ground cable that runs from the battery to a screw under the voltage regulator and then to the engine block.

 
The spark from your battery when you try to start it is a big concern. Either the terminal is loose or bad, or you have a short in your starter. Whenever you have a load on the battery or are charging it hydrogen gas is produced. Hydrogen gas is very explosive and as someone else noted it can easily blow up a battery. Double check the terminal, remove it from the battery and clean the post and the terminal. The problem may also be where the cable connects to the terminal.

Another possibility is that you removed a ground cable from the firewall to the engine and didn't replace it when you put the new manifold on, and the starter is not getting a ground. There should also be a ground cable that runs from the battery to a screw under the voltage regulator and then to the engine block.
The only wires that were connected to the Manifold were the black wire in pic below, it was attached to the plate covering the hole for the choke Heater Tube. Photo number 2. I connected the other end of this wire to the valve cover so it has a solid ground.

The only other thing that was on the old Manifold that isn't on this one is a PVS valve that had a red and black wire to it and vacuum hose coming from it to the EGR system. I removed the EGR system and this wasn't connected to anything else so I removed it and those wires are no loner connected.

I un attached and reattached the Black wire mentioned shown in pic. Now I get no spark from battery, but I get nothing. Same thing though, if I reconnect battery, I have lights, etc... When I try to start car everything goes dead and I have not lights or anything.

I am ordering a new Starter Solenoid now. Local parts store has cheap one and I don't want to install that.

Anything else you can think of would be appreciated.

pic1.JPGpic2.JPG

 
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The spark from your battery when you try to start it is a big concern. Either the terminal is loose or bad, or you have a short in your starter. Whenever you have a load on the battery or are charging it hydrogen gas is produced. Hydrogen gas is very explosive and as someone else noted it can easily blow up a battery. Double check the terminal, remove it from the battery and clean the post and the terminal. The problem may also be where the cable connects to the terminal.

Another possibility is that you removed a ground cable from the firewall to the engine and didn't replace it when you put the new manifold on, and the starter is not getting a ground. There should also be a ground cable that runs from the battery to a screw under the voltage regulator and then to the engine block.
+1. Don't forget the battery ground cable to the block.

 
That one was never disconnected. The odd thing was after I first reconnected the battery it started turning over as it was drawing fuel to the battery. Probably two or three key turns.

Then it sparked at negative terminal and went dead. No clicking or anything.

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When it sparked at the negative terminal, was the negative terminal already attached to the battery? Or did it spark as you connected the terminal to the battery post? The first case should never happen unless the connection is incredibly loose. The second case typically happens when there is a significant (>1 amp) current load present (e.g. a door open that turns on the courtesy lights, or a short somewhere).

 
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Check for corrosion at the wire to connector point. You should never get a spark at a connection with good connectivity. The only other possibility is that the wires to the battery are reversed or you have another power source (battery) that is reversed from the battery.

 
Sounds like you have an intermittent or high resistance connection either at the solenoid or the battery terminals. Try cleaning up the battery terminals, coating them with petroleum jelly and re-installing. Without the jelly, surface corrosion between the battery lead post and the clamp can give a high resistance to high current loads like the starter and could explain why you got a spark there. If that doesn't do it, maybe it is the solenoid.

 
I got that issue solved by cleaning posts again.

Everything is cranking now thanks guys.

Now it isn't starting still. I can see fuel in the filter, but it isn't getting into carb. Going to remove and inspect line from filter to carb.

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I think this project is trying to test my commitment.

Car won't start. Constantly turns over but won't start.

I can see the fuel squirting in to filter but not carb.

I did not remove dizzy. So timing should not have changed.

Removed and reconnected distributed cap. Checked wires to make sure they are not loose.

I pulled fuel hose off of carb and a little fuel dripped, so I take that to mean it is getting into the carb.

Any ideas? Trying to not accept defeat and take car to mechanic.

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Can you get it to start by dumping some fuel down the carb? Try having someone help. Pull the fuel line off the carb and have them hold it in a bottle and turn the car over. It should be squirting fuel into the bottle. Sounds to me like you are not getting any gas.

 
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