Put motor back together...WONT START

How are your plugs? your getting fuel I assume? how about your air filter? clean or dirty? check the plug wires and make sure your distributor is fully functioning. also, Check your tranny hook ups, make sure the NSS switch and everyhitng is in tact and connected securely.

are you getting spark at the spark plug? is the dizzy stabbed on the right cylinder and stroke?

jerryD said:

are you getting spark at the spark plug? is the dizzy stabbed on the right cylinder and stroke?

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I vote for that too, the distributor not in correctly, when i put in my motor i timed it to the wrong cylinder it was also popping too while crankning, then i noticed the dizzy was 180degrees off, changed it and fired it right up

87stangdiddle said:

I vote for that too, the distributor not in correctly, when i put in my motor i timed it to the wrong cylinder it was also popping too while crankning, then i noticed the dizzy was 180degrees off, changed it and fired it right up

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i agree happened to me too before cylinder is firing on exhaust stroke turn dist. 180 degrees and attempt to start while another person slowly turns dist. until you find that sweet spot and it cranks. good luck.

If the above don't work, go back and check that all your connections on the wiring harness are tight. Took me 2 weeks once when putting an engine back in to get it to start, finally wiggled a few connectoins and she fired up on first crank.

87stangdiddle said:

I vote for that too, the distributor not in correctly, when i put in my motor i timed it to the wrong cylinder it was also popping too while crankning, then i noticed the dizzy was 180degrees off, changed it and fired it right up

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this happen to me also w/ i had a popping noise.............i think we all go through this at some point in time

180 degrees out is my vote. This happens to us all. Don't feel bad when the ford engineers were going to fire the proto type of the new shelby cobra they had the distributor 180 degrees out. they are the best of the best and they had it wrong. That kinda cracked me up. i told you we all do it.

86bluecobra said:

180 degrees out is my vote. This happens to us all. Don't feel bad when the ford engineers were going to fire the proto type of the new shelby cobra they had the distributor 180 degrees out. they are the best of the best and they had it wrong. That kinda cracked me up. i told you we all do it.

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That is pretty funny there!

the motor is 180 degrees out

lol no not motor the distributor.

sorry had a case of H.u.t.a..................Head up the a$$

lol so did the ford engineers.

86bluecobra said:

lol no not motor the distributor.

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nice catch!! we aint FWD

+1 for 180

To be sure you're not 180 out -- 1) you need to be able to find TDC at the end of the COMPRESSION STROKE --- note there are TWO TDC's for each single revolution of the distributor. If you stab it at TDC between the exhaust and intake strokes - you are 180 out and it won't start. I like to rotate the engine with a socket on the balancer bolt with the pass. side valve cover off. Watch the rockers on #1 -- rotate the engine clockwise, the exh. valve will close, just as that's happening the intake valve will begin to open, keep rotating until the intake valve closes - now you're starting the compression stroke on #1. 2) Keep rotating and begin watching the balancer/timing marks. Rotate until the pointer is pointing at the timing you want to set the engine at -- for example, if you want it at 16 degrees BTDC, stop the engine with the pointer pointing at 16 before. 3) Stab the dizzy so that the rotor is pointing at the #1 plug wire on the cap (it will help if you mark the dist. housing where #1 on the cap hits it) AND so that the wiring harness plug is about halfway between the t'stat housing and the a/c bracketry. This will give you the widest range of motion to adjust the timing later. You may have to use a socket/extension to slightly rotate the oil pump shaft to get it to line up properly. You should have that handy because the last thing you should've done before attempting to stab the dizzy and crank a newly assembled engine is primed the oil system.

Bolt the dizzy down -- then try to crank and have a timing light handy. Assuming you've settled into a reasonably steady idle -- pull the spout and set the timing.

What's really interesting to me is that mod motors (as in the new Shelby) never had distributors to stab -- they've had distributorless-direct-fire ignition systems since the beginning all the way back to the 91 Mercury Marquis, and 92 Town Cars and Crown Vics. So someone tell us, how did those poor, misguided Ford engineers mis-stab the distributor on a car with no distributor? Hmmm....

What I've found is that ever since I truly understood the relationship between what the crank and pistons are doing, and what the distributor is doing -- I've never stabbed one 180 off...

Cranks OK, but No Start Checklist for Fuel Injected Mustangs

1.) Remove push on connector from starter solenoid and turn ignition switch on. Place car in neutral or Park. Remove coil wire from distributor & and hold 3/8” away from engine block. Jumper the screw to the big bolt on the starter solenoid that has the battery wire connected to it. You should get a nice fat blue spark.
Most of the items are electrical in nature, so a test light, or even better, a voltmeter, is helpful to be sure they have power to them.
No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) MSD or Crane ignition box if so equipped
B.) Coil
C.) TFI module
D.) PIP sensor in distributor
E.) ECC relay next to computer - look for 12 volts at the fuel injector red wires
F.) Fuse links in wiring harness - look for 12 volts at the fuel injector red wires. All the fuse links live in a bundle up near the starter solenoid.
G.) Ignition switch - look for 12 volts at the ignition coil red/lt green wire.
H.) Computer

See the following links for wiring diagrams...

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/16/71/3c/0900823d8016713c.jsp for 79-88 model cars

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/19/59/5a/0900823d8019595a.jsp for 89-93 model cars

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1d/db/3c/0900823d801ddb3c.jsp for 94-98 model cars


2.) Spark at coil wire, pull #1 plug wire off at the spark plug and check to see spark. No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Moisture inside distributor – remove cap, dry off & spray with WD40
B.) Distributor cap
C.) Rotor
D.) Spark Plug wires
E.) Coil weak or intermittent - you should see 3/8" fat blue spark with a good coil

3.) Spark at spark plug, but no start.
Next, get a can of starting fluid (ether) from your local auto parts store: costs a $1.30 or so. Then pull the air duct off at the throttle body elbow, open the throttle, and spray the ether in it. Reconnect the air duct and try to start the car. Do not try to start the car without reconnecting the air duct.
Two reasons:
1.) If it backfires, the chance for a serious fire is increased.
2.) On Mass Air cars, the computer needs to measure the MAF flow once the engine starts.
If it starts then, you have a fuel management issue. Continue the checklist with emphasis of fuel related items that follow. If it doesn’t, then it is a computer or timing issue: see Step 4.

Clue – listen for the fuel pump to prime when you first turn the ignition switch on. It should run for 5-20 seconds and shut off. To trick the fuel pump into running, find the ECC test connector and jump the connector in the lower RH corner to ground. See http://www.mustangworks.com/articles/electronics/eec-iv_codes.html for a description of the test connector. If the relay & inertia switch are OK, you will have power to the pump. Check fuel pressure – remove the cap from the schrader valve behind the alternator and depress the core. Fuel should squirt out, catch it in a rag. Beware of fire hazard when you do this. In pinch you can use a tire pressure gauge to measure the fuel pressure. It may not be completely accurate, but you will have some clue as to how much pressure you have.

No fuel pressure, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Tripped inertia switch – Coupe & hatch cars hide it under the plastic trim covering the driver's side taillight. Use the voltmeter or test light to make sure you have power to both sides of the switch
B.) Fuel pump power relay – located under the driver’s seat in most stangs built before 92. On 92 and later model cars it is located below the Mass Air Flow meter. Look for 12 volts at the Pink/Black wire on the fuel pump relay.
C.) Clogged fuel filter
D.) Failed fuel pump
E.) Blown fuse link in wiring harness. Look for 12 volts at the Orange/Lt Blue wire on the fuel pump relay. The fuse links live in the wiring harness near the starter solenoid.
F.) Fuel pressure regulator failed. Remove vacuum line from regulator and inspect for fuel escaping while pump is running.

Fuel pressure OK, the injectors are not firing.

A.) A Noid light available from Autozone, is one way to test the injector wiring.
B.) I like to use an old injector with compressed air applied to the injector where the fuel rail would normally connect. I hook the whole thing up, apply compressed air to the injector and stick it in a paper cup of soapy water. When the engine cranks with the ignition switch on, if the injector fires, it makes bubbles. Cheap if you have the stuff laying around, and works good too.

a.) Pull an injector wire connector off and look for 12 volts on the red wire when the ignition switch is on.
b.) No power, then look for problems with the 10 pin connecter (salt & pepper shakers at the rear of the upper manifold).
c.) No power and the 10 pin connections are good: look for broken wiring between the orange/black wire on the ECC relay and the red wire for the 10 pin connectors.


4.) Spark & fuel pressure OK.

A.) Failed IAB (no airflow to start engine). Press the throttle ¼ way down and try to start the car.
B.) Failed computer (not very likely)
C.) Engine ignition or cam timing off: only likely if the engine has been worked on recently).
D.) Firing order off: HO & 351 use a different firing order from the non HO engines.
HO & 351W 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Non HO 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
E.) No start when hot - Press the throttle to the floor & try starting it if you get this far. If it starts, replace the ECT.

....yup....but remember, that will only get you as close as you were before. If you follow the directions above, it will get you REAL close -- which makes for easier starts.