So, my 66 Mustang I6 200 wouldn't start. A guy helped me by finding the coil wasn't getting power. He connected the positive battery to the coil directly and it started. Yeah, I understand this is just to get it home - it'll burn up the points I'm told. I'm home safe - had to disconnect the wire he put in to stop the car.

My question is what could be wrong? Why would I not get power to the coil? How can I diagnose and fix this? Can a beginner do this?

 

There is a pink wire under the dash that has a black cloth cover. This is your fuseable link that runs from your ignition switch to your coil. I suspect this link of wire has broken or melted.

 

Yep. Maybe a neutral safety switch alignment or loose shifter linkage (if you have an auto).
Step one, do you have an auto ?

 

Yes, I have an automatic transmission.

 

i don't have an auto, but I was convinced that the NSS only causes the starter to not turn (in switching the 'S' wire at selonoid). but the coil would get power when ignition is on. if i'm right it's probably not the NSS, but if I'm wrong, then it most likely is :-)

can someone clarify that?

 

dont overlook the fact yo have a 45 year old car and brittle wires.

 

sixt5 you are correct the neutral safety switch inturupts the starter cranking not the coil voltage.

 

I'm not sure if this will help, but, the car was starting when the shift selector was in drive and reverse. I guess that means the neutral safety switch was not preventing the engine from starting the way it should the way the switch should.

Also I noticed a tube was not connected (near carburetor). A guy reconnected it. He said it was the vacume shift something or another. He said it would have been making the car have shift problems. The car did have problems shifting before this.

So, any suggestions on how to proceed?

 

Bit of a pain to check but the resistor wire runs from the ignition switch to a plug in the firewall. Under the hood there is then a wire from the firewall plug to the coil in the under hood harness. You can check the ignition connection on the switch to see if you are getting power when the key is in the on position. You probably will need to remove the ignition switch and drop it down to be able to reach it. On mine the ignition switch wire for the ignition has a female bullet connector. If you have power at the switch as needed, then move to the firewall plug. If the resistance wire is open it will need to be replaced as it is almost impossible to splice it properly. I have seen people use a twist on "scotchlok" connector to splice this wire, but I'm not sure how great an idea that is. Other people have run a new regular wire and used a coil resistor as well.

The resistance wire is like a long fuse link, so if there is a short to ground it will burn open very quickly. So it will be a good idea to make sure the coil wire is not shorted to ground (chassis) as well.

 

Doesn't the car have to be in park to start? (I'm a novice to automatic transmissions)