LONG cranks....now problem.

[casper98gt]

Ever since i bought my car and started modding it i noticed a long crank. Sometimes it would crank longer than other times. Well yesterday i went grocery shopping. Came out got in and turned the key and it cranked and cranked and cranked...then started. I was worried it might not start. Not a slow crank, but a normal sounding crank but extended ALOT.

Not thinking much i drove home...while driving i thought i might have seen a slight puff of smoke come out the heater vent. But it might have been my imagination. I then start smelling a burning smell. Drove fine and no lights and everything worked fine. Got out and it smells like an elect. fire. Looked under hood and under dash no problems i could see.

Any ideas. Possible ignition module? Would it cause a long crank before it starts to go, or did it smell like burning because it cranked for so long. I havent tried to start it again yet. Possible starter wire burning? starter solinoid going?

Also im getting horrible gas milage, i couldnt really do much when i first started modding it because i kept taking off fuel lines for diff things. But now i have been through a entire fuel tank ( almost ) and i have 120 miles on it. Im getting horrible gas milage as well. Possible lazy 02 sensors, but i did a KOEO test with no codes. Its got bumped timing, adj. fuel regulator,CAI, elect. fan, with TB/EGR, trickflow intake.

 

[bullitstang1313]

Its almost sounds like maybe you have a leaking injector causing the the engine to flood. It takes it longer to crank over and start because it lost fuel pressure plus the cylinder is flooded with fuel. I don't know just something that popped in my head while reading. I would check fuel pressure and spark for sure. Pull the plugs as well and check them out. You should be able to tell if it is running really rich or not. As far as the electrical burning smell, I would check the wiring to the starter, the starter and the ignition switch.

 

[casper98gt]

I guess that makes sence. If a injector is leaking down it would cause a long hard start after sitting. I should try to start and then shut it down and see if it starts better right after. It should start better after getting pressure. Also it would give me ****ty fuel milage and also lead to a burned out 02 sensor. Must not be a bad leak because im not getting any driving hesitations. I guess i'll drive it tmrw and put a gauge on it here at work. Check out my burning smell as well. I had a ignition module burn up on my 91 GT. No fun.

 

[rd]

My old Windstar had this. It was fuel related.

Best way to check the fuel system is to put a fuel pressure gage on the fuel rail. It should hold pressure when the engine is off. If it drops when shut off, either the regulator is failing to hold pressure, or the check valve in the fuel pump has failed. Country boy method is to see how much fuel spurts out the little test port valve when off, when you depress the plunger, compared to when running.

In my case, it was the fuel pump internal check valve. Replaced it and fixed it.

A leaking fuel pressure regulator, leaking injector, or this fuel pump check valve will cause what Ford calls an " extended crank."

 

[casper98gt]

Well i got further with my diag. Put a fuel gauge on and its still where i adjusted it at around 40 with vaccum off and plugged. So i turned it off and down went the gauge. It bleeds off and not slow either. I have high doubts its the regulator. Just put it on. So i either have bad injector (s) or the fuel pump is bad. I just have to find a block off line for my return line so i can rule out my pump or not. If it doesnt hold up when i do that i can be sure its an injector. I'll just put my rail in a bag and turn the key and off to see which injector is bleeding off.

 

[bluevenom867]

Believe it or not,this will help me with my fathers 99' Trans Am,its doing just what you described. Except no buring smell,but hey if I find something out Ill let you know

 

[jrichker]

Fuel pressure OK, the injectors are not firing, OR one or more injectors stuck
open

Do a cylinder balance test: Warm the car's engine up to normal operating
temperature. With the Engine Off, Key OFF, use a jumper wire or paper clip to
put the computer into test mode. Start the engine and let it go through the
normal diagnostic tests, then quickly press the throttle to the floor. The
engine RPM should exceed 2500 RPM's for a brief second. The engine will shut
off power to each injector, one at a time. When it has sequenced through all
8 injectors, it will flash 99 or the number of the failing cylinder such as 22 for
cylinder #2. Quickly pressing the throttle again up to 2500 RPM’s will cause
the test to re-run with smaller qualifying figures. Do it a third time, and if the
same cylinder shows up, the cylinder is weak and isn’t putting out power like
it should. See the Chilton’s Shop manual for the complete test procedure

The red wire on each injector is powered up whenever the ignition switch is
in the Run position. The computer provides a ground to complete the circuit
and fire the injector. The injector must have a ground to squirt fuel on
command. A short to ground in the injector return wiring can cause one or
more injectors to be continually open or triggered

A.) A Noid light available from Autozone, is one way to test
the injector wiring. If the light stays on constantly, either the wiring has a
short to ground or the computer has failed

B.) I like to use an old injector with compressed air applied to the
injector where the fuel rail would normally connect. I hook the whole thing
up, apply compressed air to the injector and stick it in a paper cup of soapy
water. When the engine cranks with the ignition switch on, if the injector
fires, it makes bubbles An injector stuck open will release a continual stream
of bubbles. Cheap if you have the stuff laying around, and works good too.
The same trick works great to find leaking injectors too.​

The wiring for the injectors may have some bare spots in it causing the
injector to computer control wire to ground out. This would cause the
injector to remain on anytime the key was in the Run position. Remove the
injector wiring connectors from the injector. Note that each injector has one
red wire for power and a non red wire (wire some color other than red) for
computer controlled ground. With the key off, disconnect the computer
connector from the computer. Use an Ohmmeter between the non red wire
and ground. You should see more than 100000 (100K) ohms resistance.


See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) &
Stang&2Birds (website host) for help wiring http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/

Diagram courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds

Using the above diagram, check the resistance between the injector and the
computer. Clean and check the 10 pin connectors since they are a potential
trouble source. Any resistance greater than 1 ohm between the injector to
computer wire and the matching pin on the computer connector is a problem.

See http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=6 for more help

Here's the link to dump the computer codes with only a jumper wire or paper
clip and the check engine light, or test light or voltmeter. You’ll need it to do
the cylinder balance test

See http://www.troublecodes.net/Ford/

IF your car is an 86-88 stang, you'll have to use the test lamp or voltmeter method. There is no functional check engine light on the 86-88's except possibly the Cali Mass Air cars.

89 through 95 cars have a working Check Engine light. Watch it instead of using a test lamp.

Injectors all test good: replace the ECT, since it has the greatest effect on cold engine fuel useage.

The other thing to check is to make sure the red/blue wire on the TFI module has 12 volts when you crank the engine. No 12 volts and the ignition switch or wiring is bad.

Try starting the car with the SPOUt removed. If it fires up much quicker, replace the PIP.

 

[casper98gt]

Thanks for the quick info. I have all wiring diagrams at my disposal. You mention everything posative about being a bad injector but it could still very well be a bad fuel pump leaking down pressure because it has a return line. So being that i still have good fuel pressure it could be injector or pump. But i will do the tests that you suggested and see what number it pumps out if any at all. Thanks jrichker I have a set of noid lights and i will check but dont you think if i had a injector that wqas spraying all the time if i let the key on and let it sit for a minute or so the cylinder would be full of fuel and possibly cause hydrolock.

 

[jrichker]

The Ford design turns the fuel pump on for a few seconds and then shuts off. This is to
prevent the engine from flooding and possiblly dumping raw fuel in the cylinders and
diluting the oil. With this in mind, it is possible that your pump is not providing pressure
due to a bad check valve, leaking injector, or bad fuel pressure regulator.