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1994 GT sat in garage all winter/ wont start

Discussion in '94-95 5.0 - Specific' started by 1BAD94GT, Apr 28, 2015.

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  1. Apr 28, 2015 #1
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    Hey Guys, I have a 1994 GT that has been sitting in the garage all winter and now it wont start. I replaced the battery thinking that was my issue, but still no luck. I cleaned both terminals as well. it rolls over slow and the positive terminal sparks and the wire gets hot. the battery dies fast like it draws a lot ( lights flicker and door buzzer fades in and out) . sometimes I can even hear what sounds like one of the stock amps in the trunk clicking repeatedly. I'm pretty sure its a bad ground or a bad positive wire, I was just hoping to get some input before I started tearing into it more. anybody have a similar issue before?
     
  2. Apr 28, 2015 #2
    rw95gt

    rw95gt Member

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    Definitely sounds like a short somewhere. I would start by checking the fuses. You might mess up your new battery. Is it sparking at the battery?

    Sent from my RM-877_nam_att_205 using Tapatalk
     
  3. Apr 28, 2015 #3
    JKady

    JKady Active Member

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    If the positive terminal is sparking your connection isn't good, tighten or replace the cable end first. The clicking in the back is from the poor connection, the hot cable may be as well.

    The only reliable way to check either cable is with a multimeter. If you have one, set it to DC volts and put on lead at the postive post and the other at the starter while someone cranks the car. You should see less than 1/2 a volt on the screen, do the same for the ground side (negative post to the block or intake will be enough to check), same thing, you should see less than half a volt. If you see more than that you have a bad connection or a bad cable.

    If all is well there and it doesn't start with a well charged battery and good connection at the battery, you have a starter problem or a mechanical problem preventing the engine from rolling over freely.
     
  4. Apr 28, 2015 #4
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    Thanks for the quick replies. It sparks right between the cable end and the post. the wiring around my battery and msd ignition doesnt look very good. I bought it the way it is and it ran fine before. id post a picture but I haven't figured out how yet. there are a lot of taped wires and unhooked wires hanging.
     
  5. Apr 28, 2015 #5
    lutter94

    lutter94 Well-Known Member

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    Have you uploaded any to photobucket yet? even FB works. Just need the link .jpg to the pic.
     
  6. Apr 28, 2015 #6
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    [​IMG][/URL]
     
  7. Apr 28, 2015 #7
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    [​IMG][/URL][/IMG]
     
  8. Apr 28, 2015 #8
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    [​IMG][/URL][/IMG]
     
  9. Apr 28, 2015 #9
    lutter94

    lutter94 Well-Known Member

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    SO MANY RED WIRES!!! wtf? you should change those out, make sure thats not a short, where ever they're going.....
     
  10. Apr 28, 2015 #10
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    The fat red wire on the negative side just grounds right to the core support, the smaller red wire under that runs to were the anti-lock test box grounds on top of the core support near the battery. the 2 other wires with the yellow ends run right into the side of the msd.
     
  11. Apr 28, 2015 #11
    lutter94

    lutter94 Well-Known Member

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    The MSD has red wires that come from it to ground? That doesn't sound right. Or was a red wire soldered to a wire coming from the MSD box.

    Is this your wiring diagram?

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Apr 28, 2015 #12
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    the msd has 2 red wires. one runs to the positive terminal, the other red wire goes to the negative terminal.
     
  13. Apr 28, 2015 #13
    lutter94

    lutter94 Well-Known Member

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    was it that way when you got it?
     
  14. Apr 28, 2015 #14
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    yea. I haven't messed with any of the wiring. not my area of expertise. somebody had their way with the wiring harness. there is probably a good 2 rolls of electrical tape in there, I wish I was kidding.
     
  15. Apr 28, 2015 #15
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    [​IMG][/URL][/IMG] here is a pic of the car.
     
  16. Apr 28, 2015 #16
    evilcw311

    evilcw311 Most Evil Member! SN95 Supporter

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    Good looking 4x4.....I mean stang!!!

    I kid I kid!! :)


    This message courtesy of crapatalk!
     
  17. Apr 29, 2015 #17
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    Ok here is my latest progress. it no longer sparks on the pos terminal and the wires aren't getting hot. its got a brand new battery, but it will only crank normal for about 4 seconds before it slows way down, and then after that it rolls slow like the battery is dying. I can hear the engine spit a little in the engine bay area. The only thing I did to the car over the winter was install new MSD wires and I double checked the firing order like 3 times. http://www.muscularmustangs.com/2005/firingorder.php this is the diagram I used. I have heard of starters rolling slow when the car is warm but I cant even get the car started cold.
     
  18. Apr 29, 2015 #18
    lutter94

    lutter94 Well-Known Member

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    Firing order won't make the engine spin over strange. Try disconnecting all ignition stuff, MSD box included, it should spin all day long, just trying to help determine the short. Don't overheat the starter though....Bad starter perhaps?

    Also, this is your firing order for your 5.0 HO Engine.

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Apr 29, 2015 #19
    1BAD94GT

    1BAD94GT New Member

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    I think the starter is my next move. is it better to go with oem size starter or a mini starter? i've heard mixed reviews.
     
  20. Apr 29, 2015 #20
    lutter94

    lutter94 Well-Known Member

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    I was under the assumption the 94/95 had a high torque mini starter from factory, the older foxes had a big ol brute.
     
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