I have a 1965 F100 with a 390 police interceptor motor out of a Galaxie (per engine id#). I have just started restoring it and can't get it to start. I have replaced the coil, condensor, dist. cap, rotor, plugs, and wires. I get a good spark from the coil when I open & close the points manually, but when I use the starter I get no spark. The starter turns the motor okay, but a little slowly, but I think that is just a weak battery. Any idea what's wrong? Bad ignition switch maybe? It's been sitting for years, but all the electrical items work when the key is on, so I don't think it is shorted anywhere. Also, it has always been titled as a 1964, but has the I-beam suspension, so it has to be a 1965, right? Maybe an early model? My grandfather was the second owner, and I learned to drive in it, so I would really like to do a thorough restoration, any advice on vendors? The engine is a solid lifter motor with a Holley carb, it used to really move, I can remember surprising more than a few people with it back in my high school days. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

A good spark is one that is blue, about 3/8th inch long and snaps audibly! A good spark will make you nervous and make your friends step back from the truck, Do you really have a good spark? I'd charge the battery, remove the plugs, spin it over, look for gas in the carb when you work the linkage. Check the point gap, install the plugs, run a jumper wire from the positive post on the battery to the positive post on the coil, fire it up!

 

Same problem here... William, you said to run a jumper from the battery to the coil... what does this do? How do I know which one is + on the coil?? Um... oh yeah, should I see gas squirting in the carb when I work the likage? It sort of smells gassy, but I don't see an obvious *squirt* or anything. Also, is there a filter between the gas intake and the... part... that, uh, squirts? Or something? On a Holley? On a 1965 Camper Special with an old 391?

Thanks!

 

Don't assume anything. Pull center wire out of cap and place it 1/8 to 1/4 inch from block. Turn fan by hand, pushing in belt for friction. Should get spark at timing mark, or the other three quadrants. If spark, then try to get it through proper wire. Otherwise, distributor may be one tooth off. Resistance through points should be very close to zero ohms, fine-stone oxide off points to clean, or replace. You may have to check exhaust-intake valve cross-over to confirm which cylinder is firing, then get wires in proper firing order. Don't just replace parts without having an idea of problem/direction.

 

A jumper from the positive post on the battery to the positive post on the coil eliminates all switches, connections and other drains on the voltage. This is just for testing purposes. You cannot run points type non resisted coils with 12 volts on all the time, they get really hot and break down. Most coils are internally resisted, so you hook up 12 volts and drive on with no problem. Some coils have an external resistor (ballast) Mallory uses these on their high voltage coils, that does the same thing. Ford used a resistor wire in the run position (pink) and a jumper from the starter solinoid (brown)to provide 12 volts for starting and 3-5 volts for running. When you install Pertronix on a Ford you need to eliminate the resistor wire to provide 12 volts to the Pertronix but insure your coil is internally resisted or it will overheat on 12 volts in the run position. I run Pertronix on resisted voltage and use the jumper from the starter solinoid to start it with 12 volts. It runs fine on six or so volts. When I have time I'll run 12v to the Pertronix, install a ballast on the coil and eliminate the jumper from the starter solinoid. If after running 10-15minutes the coil gets very hot you need to lower the run voltage to around six volts or get a coil with an internal resistance. Of course the easy answer is use Pertronix Ignitor and their Blaster coil and 12 volts all the time. The positive post on the coil is marked with a + symbol.