Hi all,
This is my first post here. I'm looking for an answer to a problem I have, and I need some advice from people with experience with this engine.
I just bought this 1986 Mustang, and the guy that I bought the car off of said it started losing power, then died and would never start back up.
The car acted like it wanted to hit once or twice while cranking, but it never would catch. I changed the plugs, then loosened the distributor hold down and tried to move the base timing a tad, and after I did, I find the tach no longer registers cranking RPMs, and I have no spark. I ran an OHM test on the coil, and I get .7 kOhms between the primary terminals, and 8.2kOhm(If I'm remembering right) between the ground primary and the secondary. These are within spec, so I'm counting the coil as good.
So,
1) Could the TFI module on the distributor be bad?
2) What else would cause me to have no tach signal and no spark?
3) I found another module on the other side of the engine where a Duraspark module would be located, that just has "electronic regulator" on it - what is this? I can't find any info on it anywhere.
You can take the TFI off and take it to a parts store and they will test it. If not, I can email you a procedure that you can do yourself with a meter. PM me an email address for it if you want.
You can tell if you are getting spark with a timing light hooked up like normal, and crank the car over. You should see it strobe like when you are setting timing.
Usually the tach not registering is a sign of the PIP (hall effect stator in the distributor) is FUBAR. To replace it, you need to remove the distributor, press out the roll pin that holds in the gear, and then take the distributor apart the rest of the way.
Are you sure that the distributor rotor is actually rotating when the engine turns over?
I am assuming the box on the fender apron on the driver's side is what you are talking about? That would be the voltage regulator for the charging system.
You can take the TFI off and take it to a parts store and they will test it. If not, I can email you a procedure that you can do yourself with a meter. PM me an email address for it if you want.
You can tell if you are getting spark with a timing light hooked up like normal, and crank the car over. You should see it strobe like when you are setting timing.
Usually the tach not registering is a sign of the PIP (hall effect stator in the distributor) is FUBAR. To replace it, you need to remove the distributor, press out the roll pin that holds in the gear, and then take the distributor apart the rest of the way.
Are you sure that the distributor rotor is actually rotating when the engine turns over?
I am assuming the box on the fender apron on the driver's side is what you are talking about? That would be the voltage regulator for the charging system.
Yes, please email me the procedure. I'm PM'ing you my email address. The strange part is, the tach did register until I moved the dist, so it's possible that it did die. And yes, the rotor is actually turning, it was verified visually.
Yes, the box on the fender apron is what I was referring to. Thank you, I couldn't find any data on it anywhere.
I thought I would shink it down to post here for others as well.
I have emailed it to you.
I got it, thanks. I'll try to check that tomorrow, having an engagement photo made this afternoon, so I'm guessing I won't get anything done on the car haha.
The stator and the TFI module were both bad. I replaced them, and the car starts now. I need to figure out why the trans won't go into gear now though (automatic, my first thought is the linkage).
Well, it's temporary anyway. I know this is probably blasphemy around here, but I bought the car to pull the 2.3 out of it and replace it with a twin turbo 351W haha. I just wanna be able to drive it while I finish my build.
i've heard of the eec 3, didn't last long, computer controlled carb'd system. should be real easy to get rid of the carb and swap to full efi. it would bump up power output and throttle response. the hardest part would be adding a fuel pump and the high pressure lines at the front.
i've heard of the eec 3, didn't last long, computer controlled carb'd system. should be real easy to get rid of the carb and swap to full efi. it would bump up power output and throttle response. the hardest part would be adding a fuel pump and the high pressure lines at the front.
When I do the swap to the 351, I'm doing Megasquirt anyway. Already built my EMS unit and my wiring harness. I'm doing full SS braided fuel lines and twin pumps. I'm gonna assume since I wanna run one of my pumps in-tank that I'll have to replace the tank with an EFI one?
I'm gonna assume since I wanna run one of my pumps in-tank that I'll have to replace the tank with an EFI one?
Well, you don't have to, but it would be the best way to go. It is set up for the in-tank pump already. You can get them in Parts stores. The EVI tank is Part # F12B and is about $100. They fit Mustangs up to....1995 I think. I thought the design would stop with the Fox body cars, but they continue on into the SN95 era.
For the pump supply and return bracket you can snag off of a '86 and up Mustang. It will have the smaller bracket that will hold modern pump sizes. Just have the AN fittings welded to the supply and return tubes and then you can attach the SS lines.
I would think you would only need a single pump though. A 255+ LPH should work.
1986 Mustang 2.3L no-start ; Ignition? 
