Hello - First Mustang - First Problem - Hoping someone can help.

I'm 17 - just bought a 94 GT with a 5.0 (327). Though a mustang lover, I know I have a lot to learn. Here is my problem.

Two times in the last 2 days, my car has just died rolling up to a stop sign. It's like someone has just turned the ignition off. After this happens, the car will crank but will not start. The first time, I let it sit for about 3 hours, poked and pulled every wire I could find and it eventually fired again. Tonight, it died again and I just can't seem to get it going. My dad did pull off a plug and check the spark. He said it sparked once or twice and that was it.

Any ideas? I'm dead in the water right now with my car sitting on the side of the road tonight.

Thanks - Luke

 

The 5.0 is a 302. Also, your problem could be so many things. But before you start buying parts, I'd take it to Autozone/auto-parts store and get them to run codes on the car(Note: The check engine light does not always have to be on). Run the codes while the car is running. Just having to throw guesses, it sounds like you have a bad TFI module. It's located in the passanger fender and in a grey looking box. Take it to autozone and they will test it for free. Good luck!

 

Sorry - I meant it was a stroked 347 - I wrote 327

It definately won't start this time. Had it towed back to the house this morning. Cranks well and there is fuel pressure (there is a fuel pressure gauge on the incoming line). There is an autozone very close to my house - close enough to tow it there but if it has to be running, I may be in trouble. Guess I'll start by replacing the coil? I know all the ignition parts are new - the previous owner did have ignition problems as well and changed all parts to MSD - coil - distributor - new points - etc. Is it possible that something is killing coils? Can autozone check to see if the coil is good or bad if I remove and take it in?

Thanks for the reply.

 

Thanks NoGo95GT

I did some poking around on that TFI and you are right - that looks like a promising possibility. I will have to check and see if it is still all wired up tonight. The engine was built to the 347 within the last year - it was professionally done and I have the shops name. I'll have to figure out if they left that in the system

 

Hopefully you got your car running again. Yeah, deff, take the TFi module to Autozone(if it hasn't been done yet) and get it tested. As for codes, the car does not have to be on. But when the car is on, I have experienced that it read the codes much more clearly. Since you see that the car has fuel pressure, I am assuming that you can here your fuel pump prime, prior to starting?

 

I have located a new TFI module at my local Autozone and will buy tonight - didn't even have it checked - just decided to try a new one. I will install tonight and let you know. Funny you ask about the fuel pump because I cannot hear it prime and I listened for it last night - though I do have pressure and the gauge appears to be working because it is at 0 after sitting for a while but does show pressure when trying to start. Should I get fuel pressure the minute the ignition is turned on? Seems like I didn't get it until someone cranked the engine last night but I'll verify more closely and listen right at the tank tonight. Hate to have a new car sitting in the driveway - without being able to play. My dad went and picked it up for me because I was working and I only was able to drive it about an hour before I started having problems. He drove it 350 miles home without it missing a beat - go figure. Previous owner did say he had ignition issues though.

 

Thought I had it.... put in new TFI and car started right away. Drove 1 mile and the car died suddenly again. No sputtering - no coughing - just dies like the ignition is turned off. Once again - couldn't restart

 

I am sorry you are still having these crappy problems. If you did not hear the fuel pump prime, then that could be your culprit. But before you go off and buy a new one, take the pump out and try to get a volt meter out and see if you get a reading. A failing pump symptom includes the car running perfect, then randomly dieing. It may not even start for a while. This sounds similar to what you have. Another cause could be a bad Hall-Effects sensor inside your distributor. It can be replaced. But it is usually better to just replace the entire dizzy. Don't give up on your car yet. Good luck!
-Aaron

 

Found that if someone put pressure on the boot that goes through the distributor wall - we could make the car start every time.

Checked on new distributor but it wasn't available at 8:30 last night but Autozone did have the PIP, magnetic pickup, hall effect sensor (assume these are all the same thing) to rebuild the distributor with a new pickup. We therefore did that last night until we ran out of time. I should know by tomorrow if it fixed the problem.

I'll post if I fix it so others facing dying problem can learn.

 

Awesome. Let us know how it turns out.