5.0L Miata - Tried Starting...no go...advice?

[5.0L Miata]

Ah yes, it is still no the distributor and worked fine the last time the car was run before I pulled the motor. I'm not sure if it is actually working now though, not sure how to check.

I hope that if I can find out why I have no power at my coil, then the rest will fall into place. Knowing my luck though, that's pretty optimistic!

 

[8950HO]

off topic-I was just wondering why you went with a 5.0L Miata conversion?
I`ve heard of it being done before,but it`s rare.Man,that car is going to be a ripper at 2500lbs,even with a stock 5.0L motor.
Wait?Did I just answer my own question?

 

[Swarzkopf]

Sounds like a very cool car.

I hope you have quiet mufflers on it. Most folks would not expect V8 power and torque in a Miata.

 

[Michael Yount]

They're fairly common guys -- http://www.highwayone.com/Classifieds/Mazda/01aaai.html

Good luck trouble shooting - I have a personal interest and appreciation for well done conversions.

 

[5.0L Miata]

off topic-I was just wondering why you went with a 5.0L Miata conversion?
I`ve heard of it being done before,but it`s rare.Man,that car is going to be a ripper at 2500lbs,even with a stock 5.0L motor.
Wait?Did I just answer my own question?

Yes you did! The plan will be to make this car about 300hp NA and keep it stock looking. I have thought about keeping the car real quiet...but damn it I need to hear that V8!

Don't get me wrong, I really like Mustangs...but there is something about a small, nimble, two place sports car that just works for me. The car is still going to be very balanced and keeps all of the great Miata suspension. It should be a blast...if I could get it to run! :damnit:

 

[5.0L Miata]

They're fairly common guys -- http://www.highwayone.com/Classifieds/Mazda/01aaai.html

Good luck trouble shooting - I have a personal interest and appreciation for well done conversions.

Thanks, I'll have to check out your Volvo conversion, sounds pretty cool as well! They are common I guess...there have been about 300 5.0L V8 conversions and about 700,000 Miata's sold since 1990. So your chances of coming upon a converted Miata are still pretty rare, about .04% chance actually.

 

[5.0L Miata]

I did find a few things last night that I fixed. One...ah slight problem was that...well I may have forgotten to plug the computer in. Yea that was dumb. I also found that the cable that goes from the distributor to the coil was very rusty inside the coil connection.

After plugging in the computer and filing the rust off the connector I tested for power at the coil, and still have nothing.

So if I have no power at the coil using the red and green wires, where in the wiring harness should I be looking to fix the problem? Any ideas of places to start that would be obvious? I also tried running a wire directly from the battery to the coil again, and even with power there when I did this the car would not start.

I'll get working on it again tonight, but any help is great!

 

[jrichker]

I did find a few things last night that I fixed. One...ah slight problem was that...well I may have forgotten to plug the computer in. Yea that was dumb. I also found that the cable that goes from the distributor to the coil was very rusty inside the coil connection.

After plugging in the computer and filing the rust off the connector I tested for power at the coil, and still have nothing.

So if I have no power at the coil using the red and green wires, where in the wiring harness should I be looking to fix the problem? Any ideas of places to start that would be obvious? I also tried running a wire directly from the battery to the coil again, and even with power there when I did this the car would not start.

I'll get working on it again tonight, but any help is great!

On a Mustang, the red/green wires pick up power from the ignition switch and feed it to a 20 gauge dark blue fuse link. See the diagram courtsey of Tmoss & Stang&2birds.

See http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/ for more help.