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HELP! 66 won't start

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bryan83taco
  • Start date Start date Mar 17, 2013

Bryan83taco

Active Member
Feb 4, 2003
554
40
39
SF Bay
Mar 17, 2013
#1
  • Mar 17, 2013
  • #1
So my 66 with a 302 has been dead in the water for a few months now. It was running OK when I took off the intake manifold and distributer to clean and powder coat. While everything was apart I put in new plugs, rotor, cap, and wires. Now it cranks but won't start. Put first cylinder at TDC, found timing mark on balancer and stabbed the dizzy. Might be 180 off but I made sure my finger was being pushed out of the cylinder verifying the compression stroke. I have spark at the coil, verified that by grounding it to the intake manifold and cranking it. It was a white spark though (should it be blue?). I have a new coil I'm going to try tomorrow. Got a loud backfire once.

I set the firing order to 15426378. Not entirely sure what year 302 but I'm sure it's an older model because the oil dipstick goes through the timing cover. It's on my to do list to check the block #'s to verify what year it is.

Previous owner converted it from points to petronix ignition. Also threw a new Edelbrock 9906 carb on it. But it still wouldn't fire with the old carter AFB carb on it.

Tomorrow I plan on testing spark on each wire and putting in the new coil. Anything else?

Please help guys, I'm pretty new to classic mustangs and carbs. I'm a fox guy that got lucky and found a good looking '66. I may be missing a few details that have escaped me at the moment. Let me know and I'll fill in the blanks. Thanks!
 

horse sence

15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
12,192
8,022
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Wile Coyote's stunt double
Mar 17, 2013
#2
  • Mar 17, 2013
  • #2
did you wire the dist. counter clock wise or clock wise? counter clock wise is correct.
if it back fired the dist could be 180 off or wired backwards.
 

rbohm

Founding Member
Apr 12, 2002
6,698
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tucson,az
Mar 18, 2013
#3
  • Mar 18, 2013
  • #3
horse sence said:
did you wire the dist. counter clock wise or clock wise? counter clock wise is correct.
if it back fired the dist could be 180 off or wired backwards.
Click to expand...

^^this^^. chances are your dist is 180 out.
 

Bryan83taco

Active Member
Feb 4, 2003
554
40
39
SF Bay
Mar 18, 2013
#4
  • Mar 18, 2013
  • #4
I messed around with it today and set the timing again. I think it was 180 degrees out. Also put in new coil. But didn't even get a chance to start due to a dead battery. Stupid red top wont even hold a charge anymore. Gonna get a new battery this week. Thanks for the help guys.
 

spirockp

5 Year Member
Mar 26, 2004
465
12
39
NJ
Mar 20, 2013
#5
  • Mar 20, 2013
  • #5
Lesson learned. Always take pictures before doing a project like that.
 

Bryan83taco

Active Member
Feb 4, 2003
554
40
39
SF Bay
Mar 25, 2013
#6
  • Mar 25, 2013
  • #6
Still dead. Won't backfire. Turns over fine but won't start WTF.
 

rbohm

Founding Member
Apr 12, 2002
6,698
550
204
tucson,az
Mar 25, 2013
#7
  • Mar 25, 2013
  • #7
as you know you need three things to get an engine to run, compression, ignition and fuel, and they all need to come together at the proper time. try playing with the ignition timing while you try to start the engine.
 

SoCalCruising

Founding Member
Jul 25, 2000
2,437
0
47
SoCal
Mar 26, 2013
#8
  • Mar 26, 2013
  • #8
Maybe your 302 has a new-style cam and 5.0L firing order. Can you find out from the previous owner?
Also, have you tried moving the dizzy around while you or someone else cranks (in case you're way retarded - well, not you, the dizzy)?
 

Bryan83taco

Active Member
Feb 4, 2003
554
40
39
SF Bay
Apr 1, 2013
#9
  • Apr 1, 2013
  • #9
Had a mechanic friend come over an help me out today. Found out the timing chain was almost 180 degrees out of whack. Previous owner must have somehow timed it so it would run. This explains why the engine never ran well when it did actually run.

Spent the rest of the afternoon tearing off all the accessories and water pump. I will be upgrading to a double timing chain.
 
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