Tfreestyle

Sorry for the long post, quick sum up or you can read in depth...
car has been sitting but periodically started
last time it wouldnt start
sprayed starter fluid and it fired for a half second
couldnt hear pump priming but I just could be deaf haha, fuse isnt blown
any other way to test pump? could it be something else?

The road for my stang has been a long one. It is a 1999 Gt coupe with 46k miles on it. It was my first car and I bought it in 2001 with 16k on it. Due to many tickets, School, Work and a few other projects my mustang hasnt been driven much in the past 18 months, I took it off the road to save the insurance money and start the custom bodywork on it. I start it usually every 4-8 weeks and drive it for like a mile, keep everything working and keep the fluids topped off or change them. I went on vacation mid-august and I moved the car into the backyard.

I finally have the time and cash to start working on the car again so I went to start it about 2 weeks ago and it wouldnt start. The car will turn over but doesnt seem like any gas is getting to it. (I know I should have ran it in between there but things just didnt work out that way and I know I should have so please dont flame me for it). When I turn the key in the ignition(not to start it) the check engine light and the battery light are lit, after trying to start it the low fuel light comes on and sometimes the battery light will go off.

After it wouldnt start I tried just charging up the battery as a quick fix and it didnt change anything(optima redtop by the way). The alternator has maybe 250 miles on it also and it was already dark so I just quit for the day.

I had time over the weekend to play around with it alittle and I tried spraying some starting fluid in and the car fired for a half second so I know that the coil is firing. I then had my dad turn the key while I opened the fuel cap and listened for the fuel pump priming and I didnt hear anything, I checked the fuel pump fuse and it wasnt blown so im thinking the fuel pump might have went out or maybe a bad ground on it from sitting? of course I cant hear the fuel pump priming in my truck either

I tried to siphon out the gas and replace it to see if it was bad gas but I couldnt get the siphoning kit in there, I guess im missing something but seems like there is a blockage about 12-18" in. Since that didnt work I just dumped in the 2 1/2 gallons I had into the tank(there was maybe 2-4 gallons in the tank already) and tried to fire it again and not catching at all. I also did it twice more waiting about a minute between trying to get the fuel out of the lines and still not catching so I am thinking that either the fuel filter is completely clogged or the pump isnt going. I opened the little nozzle on the fuel rail and there is no pressure

This weekend I am going to try disconnecting(and replacing) the fuel filter and when the filter is out turn the key to see if anything happens.

Any input from you guys would be great. I really want to get the stang back on the road. I am getting access to a full body shop in a few weeks.

screamingmach

Sounds like a fuel pump issue to me. I am not to fimiliar with the mustangs fuel system but most of the time there is a relay that turns on the fuel pump when the ignition is on. The relay could be bad. I have never seen a fuel filter get so clogged that there is absolutely no pressure in the system. Check the connections to make sure they are tight and no corrosion. With the amount of time the car has been sitting with a minimal amount of gas I would drop the tank anyway and clean out the old gas. Condensation causes alot of water to be in an empty fuel tank.

Also it may be a long shot but check the inerta switch in the trunk.

Tfreestyle

whats an inerta switch?

ackuric

little red switch, driver side rear in the trunk, by the tail light.

Tfreestyle

I found it. It looks to be pressed in, I tried to push it but it doesnt move. Is that how its suppose to be?

I ordered a scanner today so I guess thats all I can wait for now. The ones they had a pepboys were really pieces of sh*t

Tfreestyle

isnt the "relay" for the fuel pump just a small 20 fuse?

Airman21

same problem with my car man... i beleive the inertia switch is supposed to be down... check to see if you have fuel pressure with the key in the on position then check the pressure when its being cranked... mine had 0 fuel pressure on both those test... i have a fuel pump on its way in the mail... good luck

Tfreestyle

what type of fuel pump did you order? if I am going to replace the pump I want to upgrade it.

Airman21

thats exactly what i did... i sent you a pm back

screamingmach

Could be.. I am not to sure. Like I said, I am not to sure about the Mustangs fuel system. I never have had to work on my Mach 1 yet. Most of my experience is with Chevrolet. I think your best bet will be to replace the Fuel pump as that is the key component to provide fuel pressure. If new fuel pump doesn't work I would start tracing the electrical system. Or if you want to check to see if the fuel pump is getting electrical power get a test light or voltage meter and test where the fuel pump connector is.