[mcasshl247]

I have a 1966 Mustang Coupe with a 289. I havent driven it for over a month because of the heat and having no a/c. The short of the story is that I went on a night run and after about 10-12miles my car started sputtering. I would gas it and it would sputter, sputter, then go. Shortly after coming to a red light it would sputter more... then died at the light. luckily it started right up after a few turns of the key, and it purrs like a cougar in park, but once it is in drive it sputters. The battery is new, but for some reason wont keep a charge. I pulled out the alternator and had it tested and it was good. The carb is only a year old (elberbock). The next thing that comes to mind is either the fuel pump or ingnition coil...
Please help.

I am a beginer at this so please be very detailed
Thanks guys

 

[1975mustang]

ok turn it on, and get a can of carburator cleaner or gas (but make sure u can squirt it) i put it in a water bottle, and pour it in. um when u open our throttle squirt more gas, if it sounds with less sputtering could b ure pump. or u can try Borowing someones carb on a car that works fine, and see what it duz or if not take off the outlet of the fuel line to the fuel pump, and get an electric one to see if that will make it sound gud again, then just replace your pump.

 

[mcasshl247]

Ok pour it right intob the open valve? Now i can max rev in park with out any problem thats why i dont think its the carb. But i will try that and see what happens. Also i dont any one that has a carb that would work on my car

 

[mustangkilgore]

How long was the gas in the tank before you drove it? Check your plug and clean. Put new gas in tank. Check distributor cap and rotor for wear.

 

[mustangkilgore]

How long was the gas in the tank before you drove it? Check your plug and clean. Put new gas in tank. Check distributor cap and rotor for wear.

 

[mcasshl247]

I just filled the tank, maybe a .25 was sitting for a month then i filled it up. Ill check those as well

 

[Richard_97222]

Check your distibuter cap for moister?....Gap adjustment?Make sure your alternator is hooked up correct. I had one wire backwards and my car and it acted like yours by the sound of it....it would run ok then it would start to studder and miss....then die. My battery wouldn't charge and I would have to charged over night just to go through the same thing the next time I tried to take it out for a drive. In my case I had replaced everything under the hood when I rebuild my engine and trans.....so it took me awhile to narrow the problem to my alternator.

 

[mcasshl247]

by any chance do you have a wiring diagram for the alternator?

 

[MizzouMike76]

Wirning diagrams for old Mustangs can be found here:

Vintage Mustang Wiring Diagrams

Specifically for the alternator:

http://midlife66.com/wiring/66ignit.jpg

Michael

 

[Print Dad]

I have a 1966 Mustang Coupe with a 289. I havent driven it for over a month because of the heat and having no a/c. The short of the story is that I went on a night run and after about 10-12miles my car started sputtering. I would gas it and it would sputter, sputter, then go. Shortly after coming to a red light it would sputter more... then died at the light. luckily it started right up after a few turns of the key, and it purrs like a cougar in park, but once it is in drive it sputters. The battery is new, but for some reason wont keep a charge. I pulled out the alternator and had it tested and it was good. The carb is only a year old (elberbock). The next thing that comes to mind is either the fuel pump or ingnition coil...
Please help.

I am a beginer at this so please be very detailed
Thanks guys

Hello mcasshl247,
First a word of advice form an old guy
1. - Go slow - - do not start changing things like th coil. pump etc. You will most likely
still have the issue. I know you want the car right but think of it logically.

The first signal of trouble is that the new battery won't hold a charge. The car will run off the battery poser for a bit and then die. This could be result of the alternator not hooked up right. Double check the wires.
It could also be na indication of a faulty regulator. (Probably a small blue box on the pass inner fender) if it is stock.

Now the next issue that could cause the trouble is the gas. Today's gas has a short shelf life. I would put a can of dry gas or "stabille" in the tank.

There are other possible causes for the problem perhaps - - bad plugs or plug wires or
plugs not gapped correct.

There could be a number of simle things.

I recommend - - start simple and cheap.
Check out the alternator
Add a fuel additive and see what happens.

Then try to remember if here was anything else you recently did to the motor.
Perhaps the points are pitted or not gapped right.

Have you done anything recently??/


I WOULD NOT start replacing things without a pretty solid idea that you know the cause.

Just some opinions - - Print Dad

 

[mcasshl247]

Hello mcasshl247,
First a word of advice form an old guy
1. - Go slow - - do not start changing things like th coil. pump etc. You will most likely
still have the issue. I know you want the car right but think of it logically.

The first signal of trouble is that the new battery won't hold a charge. The car will run off the battery poser for a bit and then die. This could be result of the alternator not hooked up right. Double check the wires.
It could also be na indication of a faulty regulator. (Probably a small blue box on the pass inner fender) if it is stock.

Now the next issue that could cause the trouble is the gas. Today's gas has a short shelf life. I would put a can of dry gas or "stabille" in the tank.

There are other possible causes for the problem perhaps - - bad plugs or plug wires or
plugs not gapped correct.

There could be a number of simle things.

I recommend - - start simple and cheap.
Check out the alternator
Add a fuel additive and see what happens.

Then try to remember if here was anything else you recently did to the motor.
Perhaps the points are pitted or not gapped right.

Have you done anything recently??/


I WOULD NOT start replacing things without a pretty solid idea that you know the cause.

Just some opinions - - Print Dad

that is pretty solid advice, I havent done anything to the engine since the rebuild almost 2yrs ago. I had the transmission rebuilt about 4-5months ago but that shouldnt be a cause of whats happining. It was fine besides the battery not holding a charge (If the car sits for more than a week, the battery dies), so I automatically pulled it out and went to get it tested. I made sure to take pictures of which wires were connected to what so I would recconnect correctly. Ever since I bought it was a daily driver so it could have always had the battery problem. Since the battery is new I didnt think anything of it. And ofcourse I cleaned and tightened the Terminals and conncections.

 

[mcasshl247]

Wirning diagrams for old Mustangs can be found here:

Vintage Mustang Wiring Diagrams

Specifically for the alternator:

http://midlife66.com/wiring/66ignit.jpg

Michael

This is perfect! Now only if I can figure this out in less than an hour.

 

[mcasshl247]

It could also be na indication of a faulty regulator. (Probably a small blue box on the pass inner fender) if it is stock.

Now the next issue that could cause the trouble is the gas. Today's gas has a short shelf life. I would put a can of dry gas or "stabille" in the tank.

There are other possible causes for the problem perhaps - - bad plugs or plug wires or
plugs not gapped correct.

There could be a number of simle things.

I recommend - - start simple and cheap.
Check out the alternator
Add a fuel additive and see what happens.


Just some opinions - - Print Dad[/quote]

I found the box you are talking about, mine is a small black box (napa) on the ft. pass. fender side next to the battery. How would I test that with out buying a new one.

As far as gas, I tried an additive already also I put Permium gas to see if that would help clear the hick-ups.

Oh snaps, you know what my mechanic just changed all the plug wires because one was melting.:worship
I wanted to change out my park plugs but I cant get enough space to get in there with a socket wrench or a cresent wrench, my headers get in the way!

 

[mcasshl247]

Good news and bad news

Good News:
I put the fuel stabilizer in also I cleaned the Caburator, now my baby roars. Of course my Mustang has been sitting for a month now so the battery was dead as I would suspect. I let it charge on for about an hour with the car running. Drove it around for another 20minutes after that, it wasnt hesitating when I gassed it and would not stall out either.

Bad News:
I wanted to drive it to work so I got and it wouldnt turn on because the battery was already shot. There was enough battery to turn on the lights and radio, but not enough to turn the engine.

So it looks like I need to go back to the regulator and alternator.


I love my Ford! But Damn!

Fix
Or
Repair
Daily

 

[Print Dad]

Hello mcasshl247,
Sorry for the delayed response - -I've been busy with the Honey Do List.

The battery going dead is probably an indication of a drain on the battery.

Wgat i would do next is simple things.

1. - If possible, take the car to Auto-Zone, Advance Auto or a parts store like that.
They can hook up a gage to the battery cable that will tell you the condition of the alternator.

2. - You can check to see if you have a drain yourself. Close all doors, shut off all device that use electricity. Now take off the negative cable of the battery.

Lift the cable end - - off the batery post. Now touch the negative cable end to the battery post. You will most likely see a spark. This indicates a drain on the battery.

The you must start to trace thngs to find out where the short is.

Start simple here. Make sure all the lights go off when they are supposed to. Check simple things like the cigarette lighter - -make sure it is pulled out. Check all the simple stuff like that first.

As another note - - make sure the cables are clean and tight on the battery and the solenoid. This is on the inner fender on the pass side and the positive battery cable runs to it. A diry/bad connection could cause the batery to not charge.

Start with these little things and post back.

Your car shoud be a dependable daily driver. A good battery should be able to sit for months without a problem.



As a quick band-aid - - -you could get a battery disconnect at a parts store. Very simple to install and easy to use. What it does is disconnects the battery when you
unscrew a bolt. This is done by hand in 10 seconds.

This is not a cure - - but it will keep your battery from getting drained and it also
is a security device as well.

Print Dad

 

[mcasshl247]

Thank you for all of your advice yet again. I will get to checking all of those possiblilities. Also I will invest in a quick disconnect it sounds like a good band aid as well as there have been a few classic cars lifted off our near by streets.

 

[Joes72/65]

One note about batteries: once they have been discharged to a certain point, they will never be any good again. You may be able to charge it to 12v, but it won't be capable of outputting enough current to start an engine. Take it to an auto parts store and have it checked; they will be able to tell you if it just needs a charge or if it's shot.