1968 Starting issues, or lack thereof.

[aemoo28]

Ok. I thought it was the battery, but apparently it's not.

Last time I drove her the dash lights would go on and off hickory dickory. The headlights would dim with brakes on.

We were last running over in Steve's (mechanicalguy) GREAT garage and Mustang "farm" (he has 3 Mustangs). We did a lot of banging to loosen the p/s control valve (go Rob!) and may have loosened a connection somewhere because...

I went to start her today to prepare for "attack Satan day 4" at Steve's house. Nothing happened. So I dropped in a new battery. This is now what happens:

No clicking when turning the key. No turning over at all.

Head lights will work, dash lights come on.

Gauges do not work, do not register.

Brand new motorcraft 24F battery, newly rebuilt alternator.

Everything is perfect, by the way, except minor p/s issues that my superstar friends are helping me with.

Is it the starter? I will remove it as soon as I get my hands on the tools to do so, and have it tested at Shucks.

Is it the cylenoid or whatever it's called?

Ideas?

 

[390cs68rcode]

check the connections on the voltage regulator. sometimes mine will work lose.

right side of radiator (almost touching) looking from front kinda near washer bottle.

 

[J.Bart]

how old is your key switch? the electrical part of it.

 

[Mosesatm]

how old is your key switch? the electrical part of it.

Make sure one of the wires on the front of the solenoid didn't fall off or get knocked loose.

 

[CougarCJ]

The neutral safety switch may be the problem?

 

[aemoo28]

I'm so embarrassed, I don't even want to tell you guys.

I went to do the 'take it out of park and put it back' safety switch idea, and um, discovered the car was not in park. (At least the brake was set.) Somehow I didn't push the gearshift up all the way and it didn't lock when I put her away in the garage last time.

I get the dummy award, I know.

Thank you for your suggestions. At least I have the correct MCA battery. Of course she starts right up beautifully with her new battery.

I'm gonna go hide now.

 

[mechanicalguy48]

Well take heart Amy, if you were a guy you would probably have said ,,,"Well I fixed the problem with a new solenoid ,,,yeah bad solenoid" he he he ,,,,,,, honesty is a good quality Amy. Even if its embarrasing,,,,,,,,lol.

 

[Mosesatm]

I'm so embarrassed, I don't even want to tell you guys.

I went to do the 'take it out of park and put it back' safety switch idea, and um, discovered the car was not in park. (At least the brake was set.) Somehow I didn't push the gearshift up all the way and it didn't lock when I put her away in the garage last time.

I get the dummy award, I know.

Thank you for your suggestions. At least I have the correct MCA battery. Of course she starts right up beautifully with her new battery.

I'm gonna go hide now.

Heck, that doesn't even rate among the top ten of stupid things I've done. You're going to need to try a lot harder than that if you want to make it to the big leagues!:wink:

 

[390cs68rcode]

I've done the same thing more than once. Usually takes me a few seconds to run through my head and BINGO.

 

[hookedtrout]

At least it has a safety, I had a 53 F100 with an automatic when I was a kid. Came rolling in home one night much later than I should have been so I killed the engine and rolled in so I didn't wake the grizzly bear "Dad". The next day grizz decided he needed to move the pickup for some reason and when he turned the key over, the truck took off forward and the stereo came on and the old grizz couldn't think fast enough and almost put it through the shed before he came to his senses and shut it down. No safety, you start it in gear it went what ever direction you left it in gear.

Glad to hear your issue was easily resolved, always nice when it's easy.

 

[J.Bart]

I'm so embarrassed, I don't even want to tell you guys.

I went to do the 'take it out of park and put it back' safety switch idea, and um, discovered the car was not in park. (At least the brake was set.) Somehow I didn't push the gearshift up all the way and it didn't lock when I put her away in the garage last time.

I get the dummy award, I know.

Thank you for your suggestions. At least I have the correct MCA battery. Of course she starts right up beautifully with her new battery.

I'm gonna go hide now.

it's ok amy,
most everybody has done something similar, try walking to the gas station, because you didn't think that the other tank had gas in it.( my pickup) i felt real smart

 

[robert campbell]

One time exhausted in the garage I was looking for a wrench. All over the garage.. looking looking looking. spent about 15 minutes.

Was holding it in my left hand...... Set the wrench down and went to bed....

I have all sorts of stupid manuevers over the years....

 

[Midnight Special]

I'm so embarrassed, I don't even want to tell you guys.

I went to do the 'take it out of park and put it back' safety switch idea, and um, discovered the car was not in park. (At least the brake was set.) Somehow I didn't push the gearshift up all the way and it didn't lock when I put her away in the garage last time.

Hey Rob, are you still here? What's say we help Amy with a "rubber band" shift kit anchored to the heater select lever or somewhere?

We'll call it the "Park-O-Matic"...

...from the renown creator of "Sharper Image" mirror stabilization systems...
;-)

 

[mechanicalguy48]

I was pretty sure Rob had patented the "flexible return and mobile inertial stabilization system" also know as FRAMISS. Lot of money in that,,,,, looking good for his retirement.

 

[Mustanglvr]

Amy, I've done the same thing so don't worry about it. It's just something to make you chuckle about later in life. I enjoy reading your posts, you always make me smile, especially since I have'nt been well lately. Keep on being you Amy.:smile:

 

[Perkchiro]

Amy, Amy, Amy......don't think you are alone. I can't tell you how many foibles I've made with my car. Don't feel bad, you probably needed that new battery for future car shows anyway.

 

[hotrodgrany]

No matter what, I am proud of what you have accomplish since you bought your 68 CS, Us gals do know something about cars and I want to add. I went out test driving the 05 Mustang and you all know I drive a stick, that suprises a lot of guys, but they gave me an automatic to do this, well I am used to just leaving it in one gear and can start it, but forgetting to put it in park, wouldn't start, and told someone I was just test driving it and turned it off and know it won't start, duh, all I had to is put it in park and lol, it started. :icon_redf and:embarass: You could tell it has been a while since I drove an automatic.

 

[patty.dilabio]

Hi to all, glad to know you are human,and can admit it.I wondered if the other symptoms have been fixed-headlamps flashing is typically due to the switch-the internal circuit breaker is showing its age.Dash lamps dimming with stop lamps on is often a dirty ground,so get out the stainless steel brush,and remove every ground terminal.scrub the terminal,and the ground location then reassemble and spray on a preservative like lps #2and you should be good to go for many years.
Hope this helps!
Regards P.D.

 

[robert campbell]

Hey Rob, are you still here? What's say we help Amy with a "rubber band" shift kit anchored to the heater select lever or somewhere?

We'll call it the "Park-O-Matic"...

...from the renown creator of "Sharper Image" mirror stabilization systems...
;-)

Tim,
I am still here!! We could go underneath the tunnel and put a giant spring back to the rear end. One that will snap that baby in park.

Got to love Steve's "Framiss" description!! That rear view mirror was making me sick!!!! And driving 80 down the road you want a sharp image of the cops behind you!!!

Steve, how did Amy's exhaust attack go today?

Rob

 

[mechanicalguy48]

Well Amy and I worked on the power steering and exhaust,,, put the new power steering pump in and bingo it works fine now,,,you can turn it with one finger even at idle. So Amy was happy with that. I pulled the exhaust manifold on the drivers side and the gasket was black but not burned thru like you would expect for a leak so the gasket itself was indeterminate in my opinion,,, I gooped up a new gasket and put it in and at first we thought it worked but then we heard that same sound,,,, I dunno where the dang leak is, you cant hear it at idle. I tightened everything and still could not find it. So its still leaking exhaust with that irritating sound when you accelerate. It took sooo much time to get the old power steering pulley off we didnt have time to do any more. I was about to torch the pulley,,,,, it was on there good. Bent it up a little taking it off but just bent it back into shape and it seemed to be fine. Jammed a bolt into the old pump shaft taking it out so,,, I dunno whether they will take it back in trade or not because I didnt drill it back out, just cut it off. Gawdddd that pulley was hard to get off.
That wasnt all, I was just about to button it up after bumping up the timing when the distributor hold down bolt snapped like a twig, arggghhhhhhhhhhh. So I had to drill and use and easy out to get that out. Thats one of those cursing the mustang gods occasions,,,when your wrench slips and your saying ,,,,noooo I didnt break that did I. But its fine now.