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  •  » Hard to start after drive

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    4/04/2026 7:46 PM  #1

    LofiObie
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    Registered: 3/12/2026
    Posts: 5

    Hard to start after drive

    Hey all! I took my 1984 Mustang 5.0 out for a few short trips today (about 15 minutes each). Every time I shut it off and tried restarting it a few minutes later, it would crank for a while before finally stumbling to life. Once it started, it ran fine, maybe just a little less smooth than when it’s cold.The ignition coil is new, but the previous owner mounted it on the intake manifold and I haven’t relocated it yet due to coil/plug wire length. I’m starting to think it might be getting heat soaked and struggling to produce a strong spark when hot. It does get quite hot in that location (I did verify fuel is good at the carb, so not a fuel issue).Where do you guys have your ignition coil mounted? And are you using any kind of heat protection for it? Also what plug wires would you recommend?

     

    4/05/2026 4:58 AM  #2

    John Ha
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    From: Mitchell, SD
    Registered: 4/02/2013
    Posts: 1,042

    Re: Hard to start after drive

    It's possible that after you shut it off, the fuel boils out of the carb into the engine and floods it, making it hard to start after it sits for a short time.

    Founding Member of the Perpetually Bewildered Society
     

    4/05/2026 10:16 AM  #3

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
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    Re: Hard to start after drive

    John Ha wrote:

    It's possible that after you shut it off, the fuel boils out of the carb into the engine and floods it, making it hard to start after it sits for a short time.

    That was my first though too.  If you are forced to run fuel with any amount of ethanol in it this problem is worse that it would be with straight gasoline.  All our fuel around here is E10, and I noticed a similar issue with my tractor when that started which wasn't there when we still had straight gas.  Unfortunately the nearest station that has straight gas is an 80 mile roundtrip from my house, so I've just learned to live with the garbage fuel they sell in DE now.  
     

     

    4/05/2026 3:22 PM  #4

    Nos681
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    From: Atlantic Mine, Michigan
    Registered: 7/14/2016
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    Re: Hard to start after drive

    What is your starting procedure after it is shutdown?

    How long has the car been in use? (Daily driver, seasonal, trailer queen)

    Just out of storage, barn find, recent purchase?

    Pictures may help too.

    Last edited by Nos681 (4/05/2026 3:27 PM)

     

    4/05/2026 4:38 PM  #5

    MS
    Forum Originator

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    From: Canyon Lake, Texas
    Registered: 1/24/2013
    Posts: 12,750

    Re: Hard to start after drive

    Coils were mounted on the intake by Ford on the 302. Had a bracket so there was 1/2” airspace between carb and intake.

    Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
     

    4/06/2026 5:36 AM  #6

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
    Registered: 4/04/2013
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    Re: Hard to start after drive

    I agree that this seems to be a fuel problem rather than an ignition coil problem.
    You may want to check your battery voltage with the engine running to verify it is not high.  Higher voltage (15+ volts) could cause the coil to get hot, but I doubt to the point of causing it to fail the way you describe. 
    Responses to the questions Nos681 asked would help diagnosing this issue. 

     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    4/06/2026 6:52 AM  #7

    LofiObie
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    Registered: 3/12/2026
    Posts: 5

    Re: Hard to start after drive

    Nos681 wrote:

    What is your starting procedure after it is shutdown?

    How long has the car been in use? (Daily driver, seasonal, trailer queen)

    Just out of storage, barn find, recent purchase?

    Pictures may help too.

    Starting procedure is crank, give it some gas. It used to fire right up just by cranking it and pushing the pedal slightly. This started happening after fuel filter replacement (Previous one was plastic) The new filter is bigger and due to that is is closer to the headers. It is also metal. So I came to the determination that the filter might be getting too hot and vapor locking the engine. I relocated it as best as I could and am going to test this theory on a nice day. Also relocated the coil for good measure.

    The car has not been driven much. I have been working on it in my garage all of previous fall/winter. Only short drives to test changes since I just purchased it last year.

    I will take pictures tonight once I am home tonight.

       •Thread Starter
     

    4/06/2026 6:11 PM  #8

    rpm
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    From: Bakersfield, Ca
    Registered: 9/17/2013
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    Re: Hard to start after drive

    When my motor has been driven and warned up, I didn't hit the throttle on a restart.

    Bob. 69 Mach 1, 5.0 GT40P heads, SMOD Toploader, Armstrong  steering, factory AC.
     

    4/07/2026 9:04 AM  #9

    jerryF
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    From: Franklin, Tn.
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 200

    Re: Hard to start after drive

    I had the hot no-start on my 5.0 with carb and Duraspark ignition.  I thought it was a fuel issue until I was on a bash trip and Glen Buzek happened to be there.  He felt the (Accel) coil and his is remark was... Damn that's hot!   I replaced the coil with a cheap Autozone replacement and never had another issue.  Yours does sound like a fuel issue, but I would say to at least feel the coil if it's not starting  
     

    jerry
     

    4/08/2026 10:37 AM  #10

    6sally6
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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
    Registered: 4/02/2013
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    Re: Hard to start after drive

    I'm betting on the fuel percolating in the carb.
    EVEN  running non-eythol fuel mine spins a few times once the engine gets hot. I patiently wait for the engine to 'catch&crank' once warmed up. DON'T pump-the-pedal like we're tempted to do. Just let it spin and it will crank (usually)!
    We could go into the discussion of ignition kill switch so the engine would spin withOUT the coil and THEN...flip the switch and cut in the coil...yada-yada-yada.
    Patience is the key-when-kranking !
    WELCOME to the forum BTW....... Great bunch of guys with LOTSA FoMoCo (and other) knowledge.
    6sally6

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    4/08/2026 10:46 AM  #11

    LofiObie
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    Registered: 3/12/2026
    Posts: 5

    Re: Hard to start after drive

    Thank you all for the advice. I will try to figure out if it is fuel percolation in the carb or not. I did relocate the coil off of the intake manifold already, and I also got the fuel filter moved away from the headers for good measure. The person that owned this car before me did a lot of not so good things to this car. And because of that I got it for a good deal which was great, but it also came with the problems I am dealing with now and I am not experienced with working on cars. but no time like the present. Grateful to be here and I am glad to be able to talk to people that know more about this kind of stuff than myself. 

       •Thread Starter
     

    4/15/2026 5:02 AM  #12

    Mark Hone
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    From: Ontario Canada
    Registered: 4/08/2013
    Posts: 39

    Re: Hard to start after drive

    I don’t know if you have found a solution yet but try a carb spacer.

     

    4/16/2026 2:28 PM  #13

    Steve69
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    From: Madison Wisconsin
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 2,814

    Re: Hard to start after drive

    What kind of carburetor do you have on it?   Not sure how much of a PIA it is to intall the plastic fuel filter back on again and see how it starts after its warmed up. If its doing the same thing or not.  

     

     

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