So burnt up the wiring harness going through the engine bay, must of had a short somewhere. Currently I have all my extra cash wrapped up in this 86 mustang I have been building, does anyone know how I can start the car just to get the engine started once a week until I order the wiring harness from Ron Francis? Thanks for any help, I like the forum new here someone from mustangforums referred me over. Good to be a member.
Burnt up wiring harness in 67, need help starting
- Thread starter 35167stang
- Start date
TOM B
20+ Year Stangneter 
Just to get the engine started all you need is a hot wire from the battery to the coil + and assuming you have a points type distributor dont run it to long or you will burn up the points, you could run a ballast resister to bring the volts down to about 8, then just jump the starter relay on the fender to start it, out of gear or in park of course. The 2 most common places mustang wires burn are in the resistans wire in dash and wires going under the rad.
Ballast resistor, never heard of this where can I find this and can you explain a little more how it works, just for my personal knowledge. I know how to jump it as my ignition went out a few years back, so that won't be hard I did not know if I could go straight to the coil or not, what about the alternator, so I just unhook that and jump it every time? Thanks
TOM B
20+ Year Stangneter
Early mustangs used a ballast wire or sometimes called a resistance wire to lower the voltage to the coil to about 8 volts, this protected the points from burning and getting a (pit) dug into them, other manufactures used a ballast resistor, a small ceramic part that lowers the voltage to protect the points.
In early mustangs this resistor wire is in the dash cluster harness just behind the instruments and is a pink wire in 65-66 years, Im not sure about the color in
67-68.
Depending on what wires burnt, your alt. might work and might not work, you need to test it.
OH yea one more thing,, When you by a after-market distributor that is electronic (no points) you must disconnect the risistance wire or run a new wire that has a full 12 volts or it wont work or will have low spark output.
In early mustangs this resistor wire is in the dash cluster harness just behind the instruments and is a pink wire in 65-66 years, Im not sure about the color in
67-68.
Depending on what wires burnt, your alt. might work and might not work, you need to test it.
OH yea one more thing,, When you by a after-market distributor that is electronic (no points) you must disconnect the risistance wire or run a new wire that has a full 12 volts or it wont work or will have low spark output.
Currently it is a HEI system, so I still need the resistor correct? Thanks for the help, I will have to check and see if that small resistor in the dash burnt up when the wiring harness did.
TOM B
20+ Year Stangneter
NO.
A HEI system uses full voltage, if you used the old wires to hook up your coil then you have low spart output and are getting nothing from that upgrade to HEI.
You need to run a wire from your ignition switch ON to the coil or if you have like a MSD setup follow the instructions but you need full 12 volts and dont use the resistor wire.
A HEI system uses full voltage, if you used the old wires to hook up your coil then you have low spart output and are getting nothing from that upgrade to HEI.
You need to run a wire from your ignition switch ON to the coil or if you have like a MSD setup follow the instructions but you need full 12 volts and dont use the resistor wire.
NO.
A HEI system uses full voltage, if you used the old wires to hook up your coil then you have low spart output and are getting nothing from that upgrade to HEI.
You need to run a wire from your ignition switch ON to the coil or if you have like a MSD setup follow the instructions but you need full 12 volts and dont use the resistor wire.
Wow never knew that and have never had anyone who has looked at my car mention that, I have been running straight from the old wiring harness to the HEI system for about a year now. I am suprised I have not noticed this in the driving?
So I hooked up a hot wire going straight to my coil, now correct me if I am off course, but after doing that it would turn over, which it did but would not start so I checked to see if there was power coming from the coil when the ignition hit, and there was not. Am I doing something wrong. Thanks guys.
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