351c wont start, help
#1
I have a 1970 351c mach 1 body was just all redone, set engine out to machine shop ,reinstalled got car to a running state, started right up, little valve rattle, red is valves 2 times, hooked up vac. Lines tried starting again ran then shut off after not even a minute. Now wont restart, took the cap and distributor out to make sure it was install right, now I cant get it back in seems to be hitting the oil pump rod. Coil has power to it. I'm at point I dont know what to do anymore,feeling lost.  New
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#2
Welcome to the Forum. Sucks that you're having a problem. Fords can be kind of a pain to get the distributor seated sometimes. Make sure the roll pin holding the distributor gear, to the shaft hasn't broken. Thus letting the gear slip on the distributor shaft. Make sure you're in the right spot for the timing. Then hold slight pressure down on the distributor, while someone bumps the engine over. Make sure to hold light pressure downward, but not shoving down with all your weight. After a couple bumps over the oil pump shaft should line up, and slip into the distributor shaft. You'll know when it does cause the distributor with slide all the way down into the block. Put the clamp on, and check that it's still in time, and you're all set. Once you get to that point. If it won't start give us some more symptoms, and we'll see if we can help. Again Welcome, hope it helps. 

JTS
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#3
What I do when installing a Ford distributor, if there is an issue getting the oil pump drive to mesh into the dist. shaft, I use a socket that fits the oil pump drive and an extension and simply rotate the oil pump drive shaft a little.  The residual oil pressure rotated the pump gears and drive a little after the distributor is removed.  Depending on the motor, Ford used 1/4" hex or 5/16" hex for the drive.  FYI:  tape the socket to the extension to prevent it from accidentally falling off and into the motor.

Like JTS mentioned, more symptoms will help, I.E. spark or no spark, fuel in the carb?
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#4
I had the same symptoms with my car.  It would start then stall out and ultimately it would not start.  The problem ended up being with the distributor.  When you say you took the cap and distributor out to check the installation I assume you pulled the distributor because you where going to re-verify that the number 1 piston is set at TDC?  If not you should do this step and then verify your spark plug wires are installed according to the firing order for your engine.  As JTS mentioned, just bump the engine the distributor should drop right in. If you are still having problems with the distributor seating follow Mike's (1969 Mach 1) method.

You also mentioned you were getting power to the coil but did you check to see if you were getting spark to the plugs?  Like the others have indicated, if your ignition system is working properly it is possible you could have a fuel problem.  You should see if fuel is squirting in your carburetor when you pump the accelerator linkage?  I assume you are getting fuel since you had it running at one point but you need to rule this out as well. Check all of this and let us know if you can get the car started.

Like I mentioned, I just experienced the same problem with my car recently and went through all thes steps to rule out what was working and what was not. Ultimately it was a bad distributor.

Mike
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#5
The distributor is new from CJ pony and is a single vac advance, now i was reading that if the tach is not working factory one, that this will cause a no start as well, bc the tach was working when I first started the car, then it just stopped reading rpm and then the car felt like it ran out voltage bc I then had to charge the battery back up. The battery is new and the voltage regulator is new all plugs and wires new alternator is new, engine does have gas getting to it bc I'm on my 2nd plugs bc u took them out and they where went and black and smelled like gas, well like bad gas, drained tank, installed new 93 gas took carb bowls off to check if anything was stuck or gum up, all looked good. I have a 750 double pumper holley on it, eninge has a comp cam 516 lift and 60 over and it is a 4speed
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#6
Get the distributor in all the way, and make sure you have spark at the plugs. Then after you run it awhile you'll need to pull the (new) plugs, and see what color they are. Black and smelling like gas, is indicative of fouling. Now whether that is due to just being flooded, or because the carb jets are to big, will have to be determined later.  I have seen plugs fouled so bad it wouldn't start. So first order of business is to get spark to the plugs, and at the right time. Then we'll address the carb issues. Hope it helps. 

JTS
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#7
You are right about the factory tach on 69 and 70 Mustangs.  When it stops working, most often it's in a manner that the engine will have no power to the coil.  To bypass the tach you need to get to two terminal tach connector under the dash and make a jumper wire to bypass it.  Did I miss something, what kind of distributor is it?

Even with a bad tach I'm not certain, but I think you would still have spark while cranking.  During crank, 12V from the "I" terminal on the fender mounted starter relay bypasses the resister wire to get full 12V during cranking.  That wire starts at the "I" terminal and ends near the connector near the back of the left valve cover in the engine compartment.  If you unwrap the wires at that connector you should find one terminal with two wires in it.  One is the wire from the "I" terminal and the other is the end of the resistor wire for about 9V to the coil while the engine is running. 

Weak ignition (spark) will also mimic a rich running condition so get the ignition sorted out first.  Also, get the timing curve sorted out before doing a lot of carb changes.

As JTS mentioned, you might need some rejetting a size or two.  I wouldn't go more than two sizes unless you are at some high elevation location.  750 CFM Holley DP carbs tend to be calibrated for big block motors out of the box.  You might need some additional carb tuning later on.  Mainly the accelerator pump circuits.  We can help you with that as well if you need it.

Geez, I think I restated most of what JTS mentioned, sorry about that.
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#8
I forgot to tell him about the Tach. And I think you might be right on the full 12v juice when cranking as that would make sense. 

JTS
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#9
(11-23-2018, 03:00 PM)JTS71 Mach1 Wrote: I forgot to tell him about the Tach. And I think you might be right on the full 12v juice when cranking as that would make sense. 

JTS

So I bought new cab, no luck there,plugs still fouling out,i think i have a spark issue, installed new coil same issue, I feel like there is no spark causing the fouling of the plugs, any ideas
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#10
So is it possible to have a bad distruber when it is new out of the box? If so what goes bad on them? Condenser? The points look great rotor is kind of worn, took wire off and I stalled spark plug turned engine over I had a white spark not blue from it, all plugs fouling out, do u think the condenser went bad or the rotor button. Will I need new plugs too, this is my second set? I did test the coil with a brand new one and still the same issue, trys to start almost does then nothing just turns over.
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