roKWiz

Yep battery was stuffed. Got the train into Albury on Sunday where Autobarn had a sale on Aussie Century stuff so score $50 off, lunch at the station and train-ed (15kg)  it back.
 Fortunately the alternator is fine and charging within spec. Some wiring terminals replaced as well. Replaced the battery to Alt. earth cable as it was a bit tight.
re. the speedo needle, I've learnt something new.
Thanks everyone.
 

Falcon speedometers work by receiving a pulsed AC signal from the variable reluctance transducer in the side of the gearbox.
(generates a small AC voltage signal of varying frequency)
 
Car batteries act as a large capacitor to absorb AC ripple voltage from the vehicles alternator.
 
If the battery is not functioning correctly, it can't absorb/dampen any errant AC (ripple) voltage created by the Alternator at low revolutions.
This AC voltage is induced into the vehicle wiring, causing the Speedo to briefly display a reading.

Failing rectifier diodes inside the alternator can also cause issues,
especially on modern fuel injected vehicles with VR type Crank Angle sensors, etc.
 
I would check there are no partially shorted diodes in the alternator - this would cause an unwanted drain on the battery.

Big thick yellow wire.?  I have had fusable link wire corrode inside, (go all crusty and green) from years of heat cycling and vapours from the battrey mixed with moisture. 
 

I've seen it happen before, the Speedo needle thing that is. Never knew what caused it.

Both my XFs have a wire going straight from back of alt to battery positive to add direct charge to the battery. One of them never used to have it, and it struggled to keep the battery charged.

sorry for slow reply, yes alternator to battery. cant remember if it goes through the fusible link, if so, the issue could be due to that also(bad connection, remove and replug it several times and may come good for a while if not ok when testing.)
 
 

Yeah thanks deankdx, I did have a check of the wiring around the starter and battery terminals, under the dash, relays and fuses but can not place the charge wire your referring to.
Alternator to battery wire ?

rings a bell, pretty sure i've seen that also. not sure why. but i'd check the earths and connections just in case on the battery to earth, battery to starter and charging wire.
that charging wire i've had DIE or DEAD on arrival(bought cars that didn't charge) a few times.. a couple of cars i'd bought had additional wires fitted from alt to battery. 
so consider changing that charge wire.. just to be sure. (i never cut one open to see if it was broken, just accepted it must be stuffed.. bolt another on)

Got a futon mattress for the back of the van.

 

the circuit breaker under the hood near the battery (same as the photo Mr Polson sent)

that one sounds more like an earth.. if the one going from engine to body is off(near the left middle bell housing bolt to firewall after you forgot to undo it on engine removal.. 4 times )
could also be the earths near the headlights

Yeah simple things first. Modern alternators are soft-start, meaning they don't cut straight in, but slowly ramp up after 5 seconds or so. I've seen it many times trying to jump a Ranger at work, having to be a bit naughty and (briefly) flick the jump cart over to 24 while cranking. The engine fires, then as I quickly flick the jump pack off, it dies again. The alternator hadn't cut in yet so the computer quit with not enough battery volts to run off.

This might be what's happening here, as the battery might have enough to crank and fire, but once running, the volts might be too low for the computer to run properly until the alternator cuts in.

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UPDATE: I replaced the circuit breaker and it’s fixed, thank you all

Yes, guy reckon most over tighten the carb down, bending the base plate. Full kit was 88 bucks, rebuild 200 including fitting a good SH auto choke.
That vacuum advance might be right for yours if you are not using a EST dizzy.

This thing run so much better now too.
here some pics.
below....rebuilt

below...rebuilt installed

Below....EGR side before rebuild

Below.. Can't remember where I found this guide.

 
 

Deankdx,
I just had my 34 adm rebuilt by a place In Sydney, I took some close up pics of it while I had it off and back on the car, I'll get some pics loaded here later today.
Usual suspects of bad idling, (vacuum leak, excess fuelled jet)  flat spots on acceleration (accel. pump) 6 pumps to start (auto choke replace) also carb overtightening on the manifold causing vacuum leaks at the base.

Deankdx,
I just had my 34 adm rebuilt by a place In Sydney, I took some close up pics of it while I had it off and back on the car, I'll get some pics loaded here later today.
Usual suspects of bad idling, (vacuum leak, excess fuelled jet)  flat spots on acceleration (accel. pump) 6 pumps to start (auto choke replace) also carb overtightening on the manifold causing vacuum leaks at the base.

Fuel injector leak...?????
Bit of crap stuck in a pintel keeping it open be my guess.
Set of fuel injectors rekitted is cheap.
Or the fuel reg has a broken diaphram... or a broken vac line to it.
Making it think it's at wide open throttle
 
Try those.
 
 
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Shouldn't be too hard to bolt the coil to the shock tower area on the passenger side.

I think Ford's logic of having it on the motor was to eliminate vibration from the road.

Have you checked the timing? And when setting it there is a plug that needs two pins shorted out to tell the EST computer not to adjust the timing.

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