droptine

I have a 1973 mustang that I have been restoring, I am to the point of starting the car to see how it runs and am having problems. I seems to fire while I have the key in the start position but as soon as I release it to the run position it dies, Like I shut it off. The car has original wiring which looks to be in very good shape, Im just wondering if I have something hooked up wrong. its a 351C with gauges. Any help would be great!

66mustangkid

have you checked your automatic locking cylinder. i snapped mine a couple weeks back. the actual automatic locking cylinder is a pain to get to, but as a temporary fix, you can take regular wiring from your car, run a wire from the positive battery post to a convenient location in the cab of the car, run a wire from the positive side of the coil to the same convenient place in the car, and attach the two separate wires to a light switch. Turn the light switch on, and start the car, if it keeps running, its the cylinder mentioned above. Good luck, hope this helped.

droptine

I dont mean to sound totally clueless but what is the automatic locking cylinder, is that part of my ignition/key cylinder? do I leave all of my wiring hooked up while I do this test?

cdeck714

just curious, but how old is the gas in it?

66mustangkid

yes, you can leave everything the way it is. Thank god becuase the automatic locking cylinder is way down in the steering column, you have to take it all apart to get to it, luckily if it was just the ALC that broke, its a cheap fix... probably15-30 bucks. thats what mine was. The ALC is basically a stopper that, when you turn the key, you have 1) off
2) auxillarys
3) on
4) start. typically

when you turn the key, you turn it all the way to start, then the car starts and you let go of the key, if you pay attention, the key pops back to the On position. the ALC does what it says, automatically locks the key in the on position so the key doesn't fall into the off position. yours, like mine, was old and it got stresed and proably broke. good luck

66mustangkid

if it was the gas that was causing the problem, wouldnt there be a popping or a grumbling, like it was struggling, before the car dies?

cdeck714

I had engine basically start and run with the starter helping turn the engine, but as soon as the starter would stop spinning the really old gas didn't have enough umph to keep the engine turning. ran a fuel line to a glass jar of fresh gas and the engine ran fine.

droptine

it is fresh gas.... just got it the same day I tried to get it running

JMD

Judging strictly and expressly from what I assume is a succinct description of your issue........................ (meaning when you let go of the key, nothing, zip, nada)

Your ignition circuit is DEAD, it is starting off the start circuit from the solenoid.

The circuit is designed so that the RESISTOR WIRE from the ignition switch is bypassed for starting. There is a wire that comes from the solenoid that delivers a full 12 volts to the coil when the ignition switch is turned to the start position, when the key is released, the IGNITION CIRCUIT is supposed to deliver about 8 volts to the coil through the ignition circuit resistor wire, this part ain't happening.

Your circuit is broken somewhere between (and including) the ignition switch to the coil.

Get a TEST light, start testing at either end of the circuit and work your way to the middle until you find the issue.

67t5ponycoupe

+1 on that! Check for voltage at the coil with the key in the RUN position. If you don't have that you ain't going no where.