It's the wife's fault! HELP!
#1
It's the wife's fault! HELP!
Ok...So the wife is heading to work yesterday in her stock 3.8 Mustang. Plugs her GPS into the socket in the glove box while going down the road, and the car dies. I fiddle with it and eventually get it to crank and get back around the corner where pig sputters, dies and I coast back into her parking spot. It never cranks again without starter fluid.
No fuses are bad in the interior fuse box (aside from cig lighter fuse) or engine bay fuse box. The car will come to life momentarily with the aid of starter fluid. Am I correct in assuming that because it will crank with starter fluid, that it is not the ECU?
Also, I could pull codes off of the ECU if there were any to retrieve. My scanner communicates with the ECU as it should.
When I turn the key on and press the Schrader Vavle on the fuel rail, I get nothing, but it sounds like I hear the fuel pump relay clicking when i turn the key on.
Any help would be great!
No fuses are bad in the interior fuse box (aside from cig lighter fuse) or engine bay fuse box. The car will come to life momentarily with the aid of starter fluid. Am I correct in assuming that because it will crank with starter fluid, that it is not the ECU?
Also, I could pull codes off of the ECU if there were any to retrieve. My scanner communicates with the ECU as it should.
When I turn the key on and press the Schrader Vavle on the fuel rail, I get nothing, but it sounds like I hear the fuel pump relay clicking when i turn the key on.
Any help would be great!
#3
My guess is the Momentary velocity fuel cut off switch has tripped. It trips in the event of a car crash to turn off the fuel pump. Location should be in owners manual. See if it has tripped.
If it has tripped when key is turned on you should NOT be able to hear the in tank fuel pump running. If it does run it's something else. It only runs for 30 secs or so after key is on so check it quick after key on.
If it has tripped when key is turned on you should NOT be able to hear the in tank fuel pump running. If it does run it's something else. It only runs for 30 secs or so after key is on so check it quick after key on.
Last edited by BlindGUYnAR; 07-30-2014 at 05:17 PM.
#5
I just went outside with my multimeter and tested the hot wire (Brown / Pink) with key turned on...showed just under 12v (Due to me running the battery down trying to turn it over repeatedly)...That should mean that the fuel pump is my problem?
It is getting power, but I am not getting pressure on the fuel rail.
It is getting power, but I am not getting pressure on the fuel rail.
#7
If you sit in the car with door open and hang your head out the door then turn key to on position just before cranking it you should hear the pump whine. If not either the pump has died or is not getting power. I'm not sure which wire to test but the pump runs long enough to prime the fuel pressure the shuts off when the car senses no oil pressure, that way there is fuel in rail to start motor and cuts back on when pressure builds from starting.
Last edited by BabyGT; 07-30-2014 at 09:10 PM.
#8
If you've got a wiring diagram, you can check for fuel pump power in a couple of places. I would go to the harness going to the top of the tank (rather than the inertia switch). I believe you can access the harness connector under the car at the rear of the tank. Back probe the correct wire and have someone turn the key on to check for power. If you've got power, next check the ground. Back probe the ground wire and use a voltmeter on DC volts to a good ground - a good ground should read less than .1v when the key is on. If you have never replaced the fuel pump, chances are it is need of replacing now.
Sometimes this works - take a rubber mallet and beat on the center of the tank while someone tries to start the car. A lot of times the pump motor gets dead spots on the armatures and whacking the tank moves the armature off the dead spot. If the pump comes alive and the car starts, replace the pump soon because it will leave you stranded again.
Good Luck,
Corky
Sometimes this works - take a rubber mallet and beat on the center of the tank while someone tries to start the car. A lot of times the pump motor gets dead spots on the armatures and whacking the tank moves the armature off the dead spot. If the pump comes alive and the car starts, replace the pump soon because it will leave you stranded again.
Good Luck,
Corky