Completely Baffled

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AlexGranda

New Member

Jun 16, 2011

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Jun 16, 2011

#1

• Jun 16, 2011

• #1

Fellow Mustang owners I have a 1970 Mustang Granda which has a 1978 351W completely rebuilt, new dist (HEI) and wires, New Card all new....I have checked the valves (six times), Checked for TDC and Dist position and everything is good to go. I can not seem t get it to fire up...Any and all suggestions welcome....I am getting fuel....

 

woodsnake

15 Year Member

Jan 16, 2007

1,352

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Hicksville, NY

Jun 16, 2011

#2

• Jun 16, 2011

• #2

Battery fully charged?

 

rbohm

Founding Member

Apr 12, 2002

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tucson,az

Jun 16, 2011

#3

• Jun 16, 2011

• #3

two things, are you getting spark to the plugs, and have you run a compression check?

 

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AlexGranda

New Member

Jun 16, 2011

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Jun 16, 2011

#4

• Jun 16, 2011

• #4

I do have spark just checked and the compression has not been checked by a gage but it has new rings....Battery is on charger and I will wait until to check it again tommorow...

 

horseballz

10 Year Member

Sep 30, 2009

824

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Las Vegas, NV

Jun 17, 2011

#5

• Jun 17, 2011

• #5

>Firing order?
>Is your distributor rotor hitting the #1 plug wire at TDC between the compression & power stroke or between exhaust & intake stroke? Remember that there are "2" TDC's (2 rotations of the crankshaft) for each full rotation of the distributor. To find the correct TDC for your spark you can turn the crankshaft (by hand) while watching the rocker arms on cylinder #1. The correct TDC should be a little less than 1/2 turn of the crank after the intake valve closes.
HTH,
Gene

 

2

2+2GT

10 Year Member

Apr 25, 2009

3,333

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79

Southeastern Pennsylvania

Jun 17, 2011

#6

• Jun 17, 2011

• #6

AlexGranda said:

Fellow Mustang owners I have a 1970 Mustang Granda which has a 1978 351W completely rebuilt, new dist (HEI) and wires, New Card all new....I have checked the valves (six times), Checked for TDC and Dist position and everything is good to go. I can not seem t get it to fire up...Any and all suggestions welcome....I am getting fuel....

Click to expand...

I was tempted to say you had the distributor 180° wrong, but even that would backfire. So we're back to no spark. Even with no compression, you get fire.

 

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AlexGranda

New Member

Jun 16, 2011

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Jun 17, 2011

#7

• Jun 17, 2011

• #7

All I agree...I have ensured the Dist is NOT a 180 degrees out...I am sure it is on the compression stroke, the compression blew my finger out...I am going to see if the battery is problem...Question I changed out stock DIST with HEI, would the battery not be strong enough??? I have been working on cars for over 25 yrs and this has got me stumped...I have not worked with performance engines very much but learning a ton....Thanks for all your help so far, I am sure I will get this figured out, hopefully this week...I am headed back to Iraq next week and will have to leave this in my son' hands....thanks again

 

2

2+2GT

10 Year Member

Apr 25, 2009

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Southeastern Pennsylvania

Jun 17, 2011

#8

• Jun 17, 2011

• #8

Well, my Dad had a 72 Thunderbird 302 back when it was new, one day it cranked over just fine, but no spark. Turned out the battery had a dead cell, which meant the starter would turn, but the ignition was only getting 10V, which was not enough to fire the ignition system.

I am not a fan of exotic ignition systems.

 

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AlexGranda

New Member

Jun 16, 2011

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Jun 17, 2011

#9

• Jun 17, 2011

• #9

Could be battery voltage...Had the problem before with the standard igintion as well and replaced the battery and I had power then we rebuilt the engine and I am back to the same issue...I do have spark at the plug, Pulle it to check the spark just not sure if it is aquality spark....I will check the battery with a voltage meter....THanks

 

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AlexGranda

New Member

Jun 16, 2011

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Jun 17, 2011

#10

• Jun 17, 2011

• #10

Ok...question about voltage...I have 12.6 volts but once I turn the inginiton the voltage going into the dist drops to 9.2....Should it still be at least 12volts...If so should I exchange to the battery, it is pretty new...

 

robbz28

Member

Sep 23, 2009

775

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Epps, LA

Jun 17, 2011

#11

• Jun 17, 2011

• #11

Even on the exhaust stroke it will still blow air out of the spark plug hole...just because its easier to go out of there than the valve...any time that piston is going up its pushing air out of somewhere if it can go....I did the same thing and had my dist out 180....just letting u know what happened to me.

 

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lauras70mach1

Member

Aug 1, 2004

202

0

17

minnesota

Jun 17, 2011

#12

• Jun 17, 2011

• #12

HEI needs direct current right from the battery
Make sure it gets uninterrupted power with key on
Make sure you don't have it hooked to a wire that goes "off" when the car is cranking like an accessory wire
If you're a multi-brand guy remember Ford firing order is 1234 on the passenger side and 5678 on the driver side

You will be happy with the HEI - they're big, but they run mint!

 

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AlexGranda

New Member

Jun 16, 2011

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Jun 17, 2011

#13

• Jun 17, 2011

• #13

Pretty sure I am at the 180 checked with intake valve in the correct possition and much more air comming out during this stroke....It does have 12v going when it the run postion but during cranking did notice a drop to 9.4 volts....

 

PoppyMod

Member

Jun 27, 2010

617

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Severna Park, MD

Jun 19, 2011

#14

• Jun 19, 2011

• #14

AlexGranda said:

Pretty sure I am at the 180 checked with intake valve in the correct possition and much more air comming out during this stroke....It does have 12v going when it the run postion but during cranking did notice a drop to 9.4 volts....

Click to expand...

Hi,

Along with what other's have suggested, if you checked for spark at anyone of the plugs and there was none, then, your circuit connections for the Dizzy are at fault.
Good Luck

 

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lauras70mach1

Member

Aug 1, 2004

202

0

17

minnesota

Jun 19, 2011

#15

• Jun 19, 2011

• #15

Hook a charger or booster up to the battery when you crank it and see what happens.

 

C

chrisboss429

New Member

Dec 20, 2006

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Jun 19, 2011

#16

• Jun 19, 2011

• #16

Try running a new wire to the coil, if I'm not mistaken the original wire is a resistor wire and is limiting power to the hei?

 

2

2+2GT

10 Year Member

Apr 25, 2009

3,333

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Southeastern Pennsylvania

Jun 19, 2011

#17

• Jun 19, 2011

• #17

Something is screwy. You should have 7V to the coil, except when cranking the starter, then you should have 12V. That's the stock setup, of course. Since the car has been converted to GM ignition, anything is possible. Time to check every wire of the ignition system.

 

rbohm

Founding Member

Apr 12, 2002

6,698

550

204

tucson,az

Jun 19, 2011

#18

• Jun 19, 2011

• #18

2+2GT said:

Something is screwy. You should have 7V to the coil, except when cranking the starter, then you should have 12V. That's the stock setup, of course. Since the car has been converted to GM ignition, anything is possible. Time to check every wire of the ignition system.

Click to expand...

check the wiring to the module, and if that is ok then possibly the module is bad. you did mount it on a heat sink and use the dielectric silicon grease didnt you? if not then likely you burned up the module as the gm module hates heat with a passion.

 

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danny clemens

Member

May 4, 2005

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Jun 19, 2011

#19

• Jun 19, 2011

• #19

If you have the old type distributor in working condition I'd put it back on and try it.

Be safe over in Iraq and hopefully you can get this straightened out before you leave. If not you or your son keep us posted.

 

hhead

Founding Member

Jul 13, 2002

280

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so cal

Jun 20, 2011

#20

• Jun 20, 2011

• #20

Check to see if the rotor in the distributor is actually turning?