Starting/Ignition/Electrical problem.......NEED HELP

[Jesse Lewanski]

ok, so here's the deal. First-off it's a 95 GT 5.0, the car has about 150,000 miles, but new motor and trans. Last week I wired in some new gauges and took it to the track. When doing a burnout, the car's lights and gauges starting going crazy. Now, at randome times when I try to start the car, I won't get any electrical power. I mean the dome light won't even come on. No door chime, no gauges lights, no nothing. I have to randomely open/shut the door, turn the headlights on/off, and turn the ignition off/on over and over and eventually i can get it to fire. I've checked fuses, battery, ground cable and hot cable, engine ground, chassis ground, and looked behind the gauges cluster for loose wires and could not isolate or get rid of the problem. I'm thinking replacing the ignition switch and lock cylinder should do it, but I want to see if anyone has had the same problem before. Any information or help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Mine used to do that. Turned out that even though the connections looked good at the battery, they were too corroded inside the insulation. I replaced the terminals on the wiring and all was well for a while. Mine ended up with more corrosion down in the cables, so when I had my engine out, I replaced them entirely with all new cable + relocated the battery to the trunk.

 

[HISSIN50]

If nothing on the car works, changing the ignition switch or lock cylinder isn't going to help.

Matt gave good advice. Your cables have probably seen better days (they rot from the inside out).

Good luck.

 

[Jesse Lewanski]

OK thanks fellas, Ill try doing a relocation kit, since I was gonna do that anyway, and replace all the battery cables. I'll let you know how it goes. Once again, thanks for the suggestions.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

If you're just looking to do it on the cheap for now, some 2 or 4 gauge welding cable works quite well to make cables with, and it's a lot cheaper than a battery relocation kit. I think my Taylor aluminum one set me back about $60 at a local performance parts shop. You can also pick up some of the pre-made cables at most auto parts stores. Just keep in mind that the engine ground is part of the harness with the O2 sensors, so you'll either have to open up the harness to replace it, or just abandon it in place and cut it off. You'll see what I mean when you start looking around down there. Good luck!

 

[Jesse Lewanski]

Thanks stangGT, I think I can wait for the relocation kit though, it's just the weekend car. I'll keep that in mind though, and now that you mention it, I think i'll crawl under there and see what I'm about to get myself into. Is it alright if i PM you if i get in too deep for some advice? I hope so. Thanks anyway.

 

[jrichker]

Rear mounted battery ground wiring. Follow this plan and you will have zero
ground problems.

One 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from battery negative post to a clean shiny spot
on the chassis near the battery. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt it down to make the
rear ground. Use a 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from the rear ground bolt to a clean
shiny spot on the block.

One 4 gauge wire from the block where you connected the battery ground wire to
the chassis ground where the battery was mounted up front. Use a 5/16” bolt
and bolt down the 4 gauge engine to chassis ground, make sure that it the metal
around the bolt is clean & shiny. This is the alternator power ground.

The computer has a dedicated power ground wire with a cylindrical quick connect
(about 2 ½”long by 1” diameter. It comes out of the wiring harness near the
ignition coil & starter solenoid (or relay). Be sure to bolt it to the chassis ground
in the same place as you bolted the alternator power ground. This is an
absolute don’t overlook it item for EFI cars
Note: The quick disconnect may have fallen victim to damage or removal by
a previous owner. However, it is still of utmost importance that the black/green
wires have a high quality ground..

Picture courtesy timewarped1972

Crimp or even better, solder the lugs on the all the wire. The local auto stereo
shop will have them if the auto parts store doesn't. Use some heat shrink tubing
to cover the lugs and make things look nice.

For a battery cut off switch, see http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?catcode=42225
is the switch http://www.moroso.com/catalog/images/74102_inst.pdf is the installation instructions.
Use the super duty switch and the following tech note to wire it and you will
be good to go.

Use the Moroso plan for the alternator wiring and you risk a fire. The 10
gauge wire they recommend is even less adequate that the stock Mustang
wiring.

There is a solution, but it will require about 40' of 18 gauge green wire.

Wire the battery to the two 1/2" posts as shown in the diagram.

The alternator requires a different approach. On the small alternator plug
there is a green wire. It is the sense lead that turns the regulator on when
the ignition switch is in the run position. Cut the green wire and solder the
40' of green wire between the two pieces. Use some heat shrink to cover the
splices. See http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=7 for some excellent
help on soldering & using heat shrink tubing.

Run the green wire back to the Moroso switch and cut off the excess wire.
Try to run the green wire inside the car and protect it from getting cut or
chaffed. Crimp a 18 gauge ring terminal (red is 18 gauge color code for the crimp
on terminals) on each wire. Bolt one ring terminal to each of the 3/16" studs.
Do not add the jumper between the 1/2" stud and the 3/16" stud as shown it the
Moroso diagram.

How it works:
The green wire is the ignition on sense feed to the regulator. It supplies a turn
on signal to the regulator when the ignition switch is in the Run position. Turn the
Moroso switch to off, and the sense voltage goes away, the voltage
regulator shuts off and the alternator quits making power.

The fuse & wiring in the following diagram are for a 3G alternator. The stock alternator uses a dark green fuse link wire that connects to 2 black/orange wires. Always leave them connected to the starter solenoid even if you have a 3G alternator.

See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer)
& Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/ Everyone should bookmark this site.

Ignition switch wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif

Fuel, alternator, A/C and ignition wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-91 Mass Air Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif

Vacuum diagram 89-93 Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxFordVacuumDiagram.jpg

 

[71swing]

I personnaly would fix the problem before you create a bunch of new one, than it will help you locate the problem eazier.

My brother in-law had the same problem as you with his 95', It took him awhile to trace it down, but turned out to be a bad chassis ground or fuse link. Something for the fuse box upfront located by the battery.