66 Mustang malfunction

Try making sure all ground connections are good and tight, many cars do better when they are. Also, make sure all battery cable connections are tight and good. Both can make your car not start. Have had these issues with my 1999 Ford Taurus SE wagon in recent months. Getting a Battery Tender trickle charger is very recommended for cars which only get used every so often in good weather, good to have for spare cars. Best wishes with your Mustang. P.S. I am a solid Ford Fan.
 
Batteries go bad w/o warning nowadays.

I drove my car from the mall to the oil change shop fine,

Try to start my car to leave after sitting 10 minutes nothing.

Replaced battery everything fixed.
 
Hey guys, thanks for the input!
Tmrw I will check the battery itself with the DMM. I think the week-long single digit temps
last week may have taken its toll on the battery. The week before last, it cranked strong and fired right up. All the connections are tight on all the cables, etc, so I don't think there is a contact or ground issue. I was thinking neutral safety switch; occasionally I had to jiggle the shifter in P (C4 tranny-also rebuilt, with shift kit) to start. When the flexplate was replaced my mechanic said he adjusted the linkage and the switch and now no jiggling needed! That didn't last long; it lost P starting altogether about a month later and I have been starting in N ever since. And now nothing at all.

The vast majority of my hot-rod compadres hang up ther driving gloves according to the calendar, regardless of actual weather, but not I. I bought this car to drive and drive it I do! I have no need for a concours trailer-queen investment vehicle. Not driven in the rain if I can help it, but it has happened. Hasn't been snowed on, but the highway dept throws SO MUCH salt down around here (I don't recall such prodigious amounts, if any, when I was a kid; we just slowed down and paid attention!) so, it prolly will never happen. If it's dry and the road is relatively salt free, the 66 WILL be "pounding the ground" as often as possible! Cold?!? No issue there, got great heat!...tho my bud has a 63 Nova SS/327/4 spd that has no heater core or ductwork; strictly fair weather for this 'lil Super Sport!

Anyway, I am sure to get it all sorted out in short order. Thanks again!

The restore was a total disassemble and rebuild. Here is a record of the build;

http://www.blueskyperformanceandrestoration.com/ourcars/#/1966mustang/
 
Nice car!

Beware the salt will get it quick, based on my experience so you won't have to worry about it's issues in a few years! Just the materials used and the way they were designed!
 
Last edited:
If it's none of the above don't forget to check the fusible links they used on those cars. See if you get 12 volts to the very small threaded stud on the solenoid located on the inner fender well or firewall when you turn the key to start position. The 90' boot/connector pulls off unless it uses a nut on the stud.
 
^ ^ ^

My buddy used to sneak under the hood of my '66 Musshoss and pull that wire off. I'd jump in, turn the key... nothing!

Fun times.
 
Jumping from hot to the small S terminal will bypass the neutral safety switch. If it cranks up you've got a fault between the key and the solenoid, and besides the wire the NSS is the only part in between.
 
off topic question, but is the 331 a stroke of a modern 302/5.0 block or did the original block get used over?
 
This is not what could be called unimportant information...
No, but I tells it as I remember it!

Jumping from hot to the small S terminal will bypass the neutral safety switch. If it cranks up you've got a fault between the key and the solenoid, and besides the wire the NSS is the only part in between.
This I will try. I recall using a screwdriver to jump the starter on my Caprice, so same concept, better location!

off topic question, but is the 331 a stroke of a modern 302/5.0 block or did the original block get used over?
As I understand from prev owner and the guys at Blue Sky, the original 289 block had a crack in one of the bell housing mounting flanges and rather than weld and risk future failure, another period correct block was used. My understanding is that a 302 is basically a 'stroked' 289, so it's all the same small block family.

Thanks again to all!
 
A 289 is 4" bore x 2.87" stroke
302 is 4" bore x 3" stroke
331 is 4" bore x 3.25" stroke


all the same basic block, a 331 just uses an aftermarket crank with longer throw. Also possible it has a few thou overbore in there to clean it up but that won't affect displacement by enough to worry about.
 
A 289 is 4" bore x 2.87" stroke
302 is 4" bore x 3" stroke
331 is 4" bore x 3.25" stroke


all the same basic block, a 331 just uses an aftermarket crank with longer throw. Also possible it has a few thou overbore in there to clean it up but that won't affect displacement by enough to worry about.

What he said....
 
A 289 is 4" bore x 2.87" stroke
302 is 4" bore x 3" stroke
331 is 4" bore x 3.25" stroke


all the same basic block, a 331 just uses an aftermarket crank with longer throw. Also possible it has a few thou overbore in there to clean it up but that won't affect displacement by enough to worry about.
actually, the 4x3.25 is a 327, the .030 over makes it a 331

reason I asked about the block, if they used a more modern block, from ford, 86-on 'XXX' cast marks, they have factory tall lifter bosses to make rollers a snap - off the shelf, otherwise you gotta make your own retainers...
 
Very nice ride!
I grew up in a "Mustang family" a few towns over from you.
At one point we had 64 1/2, 65, 66, 69 Mach 1, 72 fastback, and a Mustang II (don't ask :)
Those were the days...
 
Back
Top Bottom