anyone know how ignitions work?

I recommend that if you have a MSD 6AL box that you use their wiring scheme. They built the box, so they know how it should be wired.

OonDeanisS said:

the coil has no power in start, but sparks when i let it out of start. Where is the ignition switch located so i can find this red/lt green wire.

The firing order on a 351w is 1, 3, rear clip, 7, 2, 6, 5, front clip, 4, 8 on the distributor cap right?

Click to expand...

You put your key into the ignition switch.

If you want at the wires, you need to take the covers off the steering column. I believe the "start" wires are white with pink stripe. However, you really should be following your wires from the coil back to find the problem, not from the ignition forward.

Edited for accuracy - thanks JR.

See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/ You really need to save this site in your Internet Explorer Favorites if you plan on working on Mustang electrical stuff.

Diagram courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds


Notice that the white/pink wire becomes a red/blue wire the goes to the TFI (when you HAD a TFI). That provides extra power to the ignition system when you crank the engine. The red/blue wire is only energized when the ignition switch is in the crank mode.



See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/

Ignition switch wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif

Fuel pump, alternator, ignition & A/C wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

Computer,. actuator & sensor wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif

Fuse panel layout
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/MustangFuseBox.gif

Vacuum routing
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxFordVacuumDiagram.jpg

OonDeanisS said:

the distributor cap goes counterclockwise starting at the imprinted 1 doesnt it?

Click to expand...

yes. you might be off a tooth on the dizzy gear. try turning the dizzy to see if it stops backfiring.

Verify that your rotor is pointing at #1 when the #1 piston is at TDC. Take out the sparkplug and use something that is long and soft, like a straw from 7-11 for the huge slushies, and put it down the #1 spark plug hole. Watch it as it rises until it peaks, then check your rotor position. It should point at #1 (top of compression stroke) or #6 (top of exhaust stroke). If it's not. Fix it. If it still pops or backfires, that means it was probably top of exhaust stroke, so the rotor is turned 180 out, rotate the rotor 180 degrees and restab the distributor. Get it fired up and set timing.

Yes, put a socket/breaker bar on the crank to turn the motor.

#1 front passenger side. if you got a 1/2" drive ratchet set, just get a socket for the crank bolt and turn it over by hand.

Seeing that you have a nest of worms, it is possible that it isn't an engine with an HO cam.

Distributor installation (if you removed the distributor)
Putting the distributor back in is fairly simple. Pull #1 sparkplug, put your finger in the sparkplug hole, crank the engine until you feel compression. Then line up the TDC mark on the balancer with the pointer on the engine block.

The distributor starts out with the #1 plug wire lined up at about 12:00 with you facing it. Align the rotor to about 11:00, since it will turn clockwise as it slides into place.

Align the distributor rotor up with the #1 position marked on the cap, slide the distributor down into the block, (you may have to wiggle the rotor slightly to get the gear to engage) and then note where the rotor is pointing. If it still lines up with #1 position on the cap, install the clamp and bolt. If not, pull it out and turn 1 tooth forwards or backwards and try again. Put the #1 spark plug back in and tighten it down, put the clamp on the distributor, but don't tighten it too much, as you will have to move the distributor to set the timing. Note that if it doesn't align perfectly with #1 position, you can turn the distributor until it does. The only problem is that if you are too far one way or the other, you can't turn the distributor enough to get the 10-14 degree optimum timing range.

At this point hook up all the wires, get out the timing light and start the engine. Set the timing where your car runs best. Don't forget to disconnect the SPOUT jumper connector when you set the timing, and plug it back in when you finish.


Firing order check:
This doesn’t prove that the block is HO. Some trucks evidently use a HO firing order
with a low lift cam. However, it will definitely prove that a block can’t be HO because the firing order is wrong.

Remove the #1 & #3 spark plugs. Put your finger in #1 spark plug hole. Crank the engine over until you feel compression on #1 cylinder. Slowly turn the engine until the TDC mark and the timing pointer line up. Mark TDC on the balancer with chalk or paint. Put your finger in #3 spark plug hole and crank the engine 90 degrees. You should feel pressure trying to blow past your finger. If you do not feel pressure, repeat the process again. If you feel pressure, it is a HO engine.

No pressure the second time, remove spark plug #5. Put your finger in #1 spark plug hole. Crank the engine over until you feel compression on #1 cylinder. Put your finger in #5 spark plug hole and crank the engine 90 degrees. If you feel pressure now, the engine is not a HO model, no matter what it says on the engine.

Using a small carpenter or machinist square to mark the harmonic balancer off into 90 degree sections may be helpful here.

A 15/16 deep socket & breaker bar or ratchet may be used to turn the engine.

The HO firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.
Non HO firing order is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

Get to know Tmoss & Stang&2birds site real well...it is your best friend...

Follow the ignition switch in the top LH corner of this diagram, or go back to the original diagram I posted.

Diagram courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds


See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/ Everyone should bookmark this site.

Ignition switch wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif

Fuel, alternator, A/C and ignition wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-91 Mass Air Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif

Vacuum diagram 89-93 Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxFordVacuumDiagram.jpg