'65 5.0 efi no start problem

[helrazr]

Hey there, I bought a '65 mustang with a '95 5.0 efi and t-5 in february and drove it the 500 miles home with no issues getting 22mpg. Then on the drive to the farm garage (25 miles) the car stumbled for awhile then stalled completely. So upon inspection I see the metal on the distributer rotor is burnt-off and some of the plastic melted away. I tried a different cap & rotor and coil but the car wont start but it does almost start sputtering while cranking. What kind of electrical tests would find the problem?

 

[golf4283]

I would start by removing the distributor to make sure all of the teeth on the gear aren't chewed up. Just make a mark with chalk or a sharpie between the block and distributor of where the timing is set. If all is good there reinstall the distributor and check the timing. I know with the EFI the computer controls the timing based on driving style so if the previous owner manually messed with the timing that might be why you're thrown off.

This just made me think of another possibility could be that the distributor has been turned and the timing is way off. That's actually the most likely thing. Just google what you should set your timing at and re-time the engine.

 

[MustangB]

We have very similar cars. I've got a 95 motor in my 65 convertible. I did the swap myself though.

Step one is to pull codes from the computer. There will be threads in the 5.0 Fox section on how to do this. This step may not tell you the problem, but it will let you know what is NOT the problem. For example, if your TPS (often a problem, but unlikely in your situation) shows no faults, then you don't have to mess with that.

Buy a REAL shop manual for the 1995 Mustang. This is filled with very valuable info about your motor and will help you narrow down the possiblities. During my install/troubleshooting it was never far from me.

 

[helrazr]

Thanks for the info I'll be checking it out tomorrow. MustangB; did you use an aftermarket harness or cut up the factory one like mine?

 

[Rusty67]

Hmm, your TFI module on the dizzy might have gone out.

 

[MustangB]

Thanks for the info I'll be checking it out tomorrow. MustangB; did you use an aftermarket harness or cut up the factory one like mine?

I used the factory/donor harness. I kept it largely intact. I did cut out the EGR stuff though. I figured that the less I cut on that harness, the less likely I'd be to cut something that would cause problems later. The EGR shared the return signal path with the TPS so after I cut out the EGR, my car ran poorly. After that, I decided to leave well enough alone.

Did you keep the A/C? I ended up moving the compressor to where the smog pump was. Also, is your Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) plugged into the tranny? I've had mine plugged in and not, and cannot tell a difference.

 

[helrazr]

No a/c but I might add an aftermarket setup later as well as p/s. I don't think the speed sensor is hooked up but the car ran great on the drive home with no surgeing at idle like alot of 5.0's including my '88

 

[MustangB]

No p/s? Does yours have the serpentine belt setup?

 

[helrazr]

yea, still has the bracket with the coil mounted to it

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Have you checked that there is in fact strong spark? Fuel? If the TPS is set correctly, you should be able to floor the throttle and then crank the engine without starting it. This invokes flood-clear mode and no fuel is injected. I'm pretty sure the post-'93 5.0 HOs are like that, anyway. I know my '89 GT was and many other cars are, too. Does the fuel pump prime when the key is turned on?

Base timing should be 10° BTDC with the SPOUT jumper unplugged, BTW.