I love you

[Derek]

I know it will run! its been summoned by the gods! but it just won't start. It actually won't do anything.

Starting:
Key in, first turn - dash lights on. Fuel pump on, gauge turns to full. Clutch in, last turn and......nothing.... all lights gone no response.
I actually have to disconnect the battery and reconnect for the same sequence to happen all over again.
So something electrical is obviously the problem here. A wiring short or maybe something not properly grounded?

So i figured i would ask you guys, the people with the most experience )

[nitrofarm]

Make sure car is neutral for this "Home Brew" test !
With parking break on, car in neutral and key in OFF. Momentarily jump the the starter relay @ starter with a small peice of wire(+ cable to the small male spade) and see if she cranks over happily. If no you really need to look at the Battery and all its connections,if they are 100%.Look at the starter-

[Eaglefreek]

Sounds like a bad battery or bad connection to the battery. Have you checked the battery voltage? Make sure cable ends are clean and tight. Sometimes a cable goes bad inside the cable where you can't see.

[David88]

Check the main fuse block for corrosion. Its directly behind the battery on the front side of the left strut tower.

[Meepersly]

I had a problem like this Turned out my ground cable broke off then reconnected then broke off and stayed off. Try checking your ground cable on your battery.

[WmWatt]

If you think it's the ignition switch try spraying WD-40 or contact cleaner into the ignition keyhole and wiggle and turn the key in there. WD-40 will clean and also disperse any moisture. It has cleared up ignition switch problems for me. Otherwise if you have a volt meter or test light you can go over the contacts in the engine compartment. In the old days you used to be able to lay a screwdriver accross the contacts on the starter to see if it was working. That would still work on my carburetted model because I have a starter switch I use to turn over the engine for compression testing, etc, and it just has two spring clips which go on the starter contacts. Car in neutral, ignition switch set to ON, pull wire out of ignition coil.

[Bert]

First off I'd be cleaning the battery terminals and checking the integrity of the cable coming off the negative battery post to make sure it's properly attached, and not corroded through, to the body of the car.

[Icedawg]

If you have jumper cables and another car around, just try to jump start it. It sure sounds like a dead battery. The starter draw so much current it kills the battery voltage if it is a weak battery, and then when it sits a while it will recover enough to run auxiliary items but nothing else.

[harpon]

The way it comes on and then cycles off for good sounds like some kind of short in the starter circuit somewhere-

I'd look at that first- Don't know a lot about electrics,

but cleaning stuff never hurts- all the terminals- starter and fuse and any grounds to chassis you can find

wish I knew more to tell you, cause I am a real straight shooter otherwise, but hope that helps

The three fusible links under the hood in front of the driver all a typical problem area on these cars so make sure those are clean and making contact too.

Icedawg could be right too- make sure you got a good charge to start with.

[Derek]

Thank you for all the responses! So here is where I stand at the moment:

Took the battery out to make sure it had a full charge, which it did.
Hooked some jumper cables to the battery and grounded it on the frame. Ran the positive to the wired side of the starter/relay.
Took a screwdriver and connected the two bolts of the starter/relay.
Then I heard the starter kick in and turn, but it was very slow.
To make sure it wasn't my battery, i hooked to my friends truck and cranked it.
Tried the same process again. I got the same result. The speed of the starter didn't change.

Definitely an electrical problem. And the main fuse block I have retrofitted with another fuse box that takes long legged fuses.
Could be one of my connector pieces in the wiring that comes off the battery. I did see a little bit of corrosion.
I'm researching wiring diagrams and I am becoming crossed eyed. :tard:
I'm trying to just find the section of wiring responsible for starting the car. And I'm also trying to understand it.
Thinking about buying the manual; http://www.ebay.com/itm/Haynes-Ford-...fd7809&vxp=mtr

[Icedawg]

^^^ Given that either the starter is faulty; or the wiring to the starter, the battery ground or the engine to chassis ground lead is corroded or faulty; or the engine is in trouble and nearly seized. Clean (sandpaper or equivalent) the positive lead connection at battery and starter, clean the ground strap from transmission to chassis at both ends, and clean the negative ground cable leads on the battery and to the chassis. Put a wrench (19 or 21 if I recall) on the crank nose and turn it over by hand to see if it might be seized. After those tests show no solution then it sounds like the starter, though you could also disconnect the lead to the alternator (and tape it over) just in case it is drawing too much current.

[nonamekid]

Is this a festiva you have had running in the past, ran good, and now all of a sudden it is acting up, or is it something you dragged out of the woods? Is this the same car that has been overheating and running hot for 6+ months. Little history on the car would help.

You can also pull your starter and take it to your local auto parts store for testing to see if it is weak or pulling too many amps.

[Derek]

Sorry guys, yea this car definitely runs! Same one from before. The one that was overheating. I actually drove it around about 3 months ago. Parked it and it wouldn't crank back up again. But it's always been a little finicky with these old wires. I gotta just do some searching when I get the time.