I just bought my first classic Ford and am pretty new to all this, so bare with me please.

I'm looking to get some advice on a doozy of a "no start" issue I'm experiencing on my 78 F150.

Engine and carb are tuned to a tee (had a shop do it the first time but I will be tuning from now on). I spruced up the ignition line by putting new control module, dual battery relay, starter solenoid, battery, starter, dist. Cap and rotor, and had the timing done to top it off.

The problem im experiencing, is that with the key in ignition, when I try to start er up, I get a loud grinding sound coming from the starter(which I bench tested yesterday and is shot). Not only did I blow a new starter in less than a month, but when it doesn't turn over and I keep the key cranked, my brake lines get super super hot, to the point where the fluid smokes and the lines burn through anything they touch(my wiper fluid reservoir cap). Anyone know what might be with that? Did I just mess up and crank the ignition too long? I'm clueless.

Also, the green and black wire that connects to the dual batt solenoid relay, s terminal, was burnt by the brake cables but is still holding on enough to complete the circuit(the connector is loose but it's still kinda works). Could this also be affecting the ignition sequence?

Anything helps. Thanks very much for your patience everyone.

 

Sounds like a ground issue between the body and frame such as the circuit to ground is being completed by your brake lines. That is not good.

You should have a ground cable from the body to the engine and from frame to the body.

 

So... I cleaned batt terminals + connectors. Cleaned ground from frame, to negative terminal, also cleaned ground from body to negative batt post connector(is this a wiring hack or spec?), cleaned starter motor connection. Do I have all the main circuit grounds covered?

Also, I went to the brake sending unit attached to the frame, and just tugged on the connector wires a bit and one slipped right out of the butt connector, could this loose wire be causing the issue? Ie: loose wire is negative therefore component doesn't ground properly and uses brake line to pass current?

Thanks a million

 

that loose wire shouldn't be related. Does your negative battery cable connect directly to the engine block?

 

Negative cable connects directly to frame. Fixed the wiring issue, she fired up slow at first but it's an old starter. So I figure that's probably the problem. The brake line isn't trying to ground itself to body anymore but that's with MC off.