MY CAR WON'T START!...seriously, yesterday it blew out the water pump gasket and while I was replacing that I decided to tune it up and replace the spark plugs, plug wires, fuel filter, air filter, replaced the old coil with a new Accel Superspark coil and that was it. Got nothing now. I turn on the ignition and the alternator light comes on in the dash but no starter action. I checked voltage at the battery and alternator and they appear fine. I am getting 12 or slightly more volts to the positive terminal on the coil and the starter relay on the fender (all testing done with ignition in 'ON' position); but I get nothing on the other side of the relay at the cable going down to the starter or on the negative terminal at the coil. I also don't get anything at the negative coil term. in the 'Start' position. It has been firing up just fine up to this point. I don't have a wiring diagram so I am not sure how many fuses or links I am supposed to have and where they might be. Oh yeah, 1965 Mustang coupe, 289 2bbl. Any ideas or suggestions about where to progress next? Man I love electrical problems.

 

Turn your key off and unplug your coil wire. Get a pair of pliars and by using the ends of the handles, short across the starter relay. Just touch both big nuts with the handles and hold it there. If the starter turns over, then you need to replace the starter relay. Also, if you have an automatic, make damn sure you are in park or neutral and that the safety switch is engaged. Jiggle the shifter.

 

+1 if it's a auto, I myself have never ever ever been stumped by that one

 

okay, jumped across the relay and it turned the starter fine. My question is that this relay was working fine the other day and all of a sudden it isn't. According to my last test, it wasn't getting voltage on the lug at the starter side with the ignition switch in the 'on' position. Should be getting voltage at that point or only in 'start' position?

 

It gets voltage across the relay in the start position. Just replace that 5 dollar relay and you should be good to go. But before you do that, I want you to turn your key to the start position and jiggle your automatic transmission shifter. The neutral safety switch is hooked up to the starter relay, and if the neutral safety switch is engaged, it will prevent voltage from going across the starter relay.

 

anything other than a short that could cause the neutral switch to engage? Currently, I have the car parked on a slight incline and I know the parking brake isn't fully adjusted. That was next on my list after the water pump and have limited parking space, so that's where it ended up. On the way to the parts store for the relay...will replace it and try again. Thanks for the help. I'll let you know what happens.

 

okay, installed the new starter relay/solenoid and she fired right up. what a coincidence! Thanks for the help Soaring. Big help and actually a cheap and easy fix Took the '65 out for a quick spin after that and had to come back really quick to adjust the fan shroud. Thought I had the clearance right but not right enough...fan was grazing it gently when I made hard right turns. I guess that would be flexing from something? Frame? Guess I ought to weld up some sub frame connectors. What would be a good way to fix a partially stripped thread on the water pump shaft? Longer bolt (this ought to work if it is partial)? Would the longer bolt and weight throw the rotational assembly out of balance? Or should I just tap it with a new thread pattern on all four holes and go in with new bolts? Or not worry about it...are three bolts enough to hold the pulley, spacer and fan rotating at highway speed?