no start, NO fuel Pump or Spark

[Raginstang]

I just finished hiding my wires under the fenderwell on the driverside, and now the car wont start, it cranks, but the fuel pump doesn't come on and there is no spark? checked the grounds and seems like everything has power. I just moved it all, seems weird.. any ideas? oh, and when I try to ground the fuel pump test lead, nothing happens.. but it says the lead is a ground... with a test light... maybe no power to eec? thanks for any help

 

[TC93]

Sounds like a wire or wires aren't connected correctly. Need to double check everything that you just moved.

 

[ty-rone]

ok do the easy things first. Check the fuses. Check if there is power getting to the fuses.

 

[HISSIN50]

are all the fusible links back on the solenoid? motor grounds connected?

good luck.

 

[Raginstang]

first off, thanks for the replies, second , yes I feel I have everything connected, just maybe not to the right places third, yes I have ll the fuse links connected to the battery side of the solenoid, and I think I have all of the grounds hooked up.. seems like the ecu doesn't have power now or something, I mean no fuel pump or ignition, but it cranks. thanks.

 

[TC93]

Did you see the ground that was hooked by the starer relay that had a plug about 6" up?? If I remember correctly it was gronded to the apron and one lead went to the battery ground side. If that ground isn't hooked up the FP won't kick on when the key is turnd on...

 

[darthcual]

Uh how bout the wires are to close together? Making an electrical jump? Just a guess.

DC

 

[Raginstang]

I do have the gound wire that has a disconnet in it hooked to ground

 

[Raginstang]

also, I can hear the ecu relay click when I turn the key to the run position, and I can also hear the coil make weird noses when I hook and unhook the grounds. still no power or something , fuel pump still wont turn on or no spark. gettin mad here, looks like all is hooked up, and all fuses are good.. bout ready to drive it off a cliff

 

[jrichker]

Cranks OK, but No Start Checklist for Fuel Injected Mustangs

1.) Remove push on connector from starter solenoid and turn ignition switch on. Place car in neutral or Park and set emergency brake. Remove coil wire from distributor & and hold 3/8” away from engine block. Jumper the screw to the big bolt on the starter solenoid that has the battery wire connected to it. You should get a nice fat blue spark.
Most of the items are electrical in nature, so a test light, or even better, a voltmeter, is helpful to be sure they have power to them.
No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) MSD or Crane ignition box if present.
B.) Coil
C.) TFI module
D.) PIP sensor in distributor
E.) ECC relay next to computer - look for 12 volts at the fuel injector red wires
F.) Fuse links in wiring harness - look for 12 volts at the fuel injector red wires
G.) Ignition switch - look for 12 volts at the ignition coil red/lt green wire.
H.) Computer

2.) Spark at coil wire, pull #1 plug wire off at the spark plug and check to see spark. No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Moisture inside distributor – remove cap, dry off & spray with WD40
B.) Distributor cap
C.) Rotor
D.) Spark Plug wires
E.) Coil weak or intermittent - you should see 3/8" fat blue spark with a good coil

3.) Spark at spark plug, but no start.
Next, get a can of starting fluid (ether) from your local auto parts store: costs a $1.30 or so. Then pull the air duct off at the throttle body elbow, open the throttle, and spray the ether in it. Reconnect the air duct and try to start the car. Do not try to start the car without reconnecting the air duct.
Two reasons:
1.) If it backfires, the chance for a serious fire is increased.
2.) On Mass Air cars, the computer needs to measure the MAF flow once the engine starts.
If it starts then, you have a fuel management issue. Continue the checklist with emphasis of fuel related items that follow. If it doesn’t, then it is a computer or timing issue: see Step 4.

Clue – listen for the fuel pump to prime when you first turn the ignition switch on. It should run for 5-20 seconds and shut off. To trick the fuel pump into running, find the ECC test connector and jump the connector in the lower RH corner to ground. See http://www.mustangworks.com/articles/electronics/eec-iv_codes.html for a description of the test connector. If the relay & inertia switch are OK, you will have power to the pump. Check fuel pressure – remove the cap from the schrader valve behind the alternator and depress the core. Fuel should squirt out, catch it in a rag. Beware of fire hazard when you do this. In pinch you can use a tire pressure gauge to measure the fuel pressure. It may not be completely accurate, but you will have some clue as to how much pressure you have.

No fuel pressure, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Tripped inertia switch – Coupe & hatch cars hide it under the plastic trim covering the driver's side taillight. Use the voltmeter or test light to make sure you have power to both sides of the switch
B.) Fuel pump power relay – located under the driver’s seat in most stangs built before 92. On 92 and later model cars it is located below the Mass Air Flow meter. Look for 12 volts at the Pink/Black wire on the fuel pump relay.
C.) Clogged fuel filter
D.) Failed fuel pump
E.) Blown fuse link in wiring harness. Look for 12 volts at the Orange/Lt Blue wire on the fuel pump relay
F.) Fuel pressure regulator failed. Remove vacuum line from regulator and inspect for fuel escaping while pump is running.

Fuel pressure OK, the injectors are not firing.

A.) A Noid light available from Autozone, is one way to test the injector wiring.
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. Cheap if you have the stuff laying around, and works good too.

a.) Pull an injector wire connector off and look for 12 volts on the red wire when the ignition switch is on.
b.) No power, then look for problems with the 10 pin connecter (salt & pepper shakers at the rear of the upper manifold).
c.) No power and the 10 pin connections are good: look for broken wiring between the orange/black wire on the ECC relay and the red wire for the black 10 pin connector.


4.) Spark & fuel pressure OK.

A.) Failed IAB (no airflow to start engine). Press the throttle ¼ way down and try to start the car.
B.) Failed computer (not very likely)
C.) Engine ignition or cam timing off: only likely if the engine has been worked on recently).
D.) Firing order off: HO & 351 use a different firing order from the non HO engines.
HO & 351W 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Non HO 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

 

[Raginstang]

YO, just so ya all know, I fixed the problem, I had a wire that needed to go to the solenoid going to ground, it was purple, and I am a little color blind, "seriously" and thought it was black. well, thanks for all the replies, and im sure I will be posting again he he, just before I got it off the cliff too

 

[coates50]

What purple wire are you talking about ? Because I'm going thru the same problem. With a friend of mine's 91 GT

 

[Raginstang]

not really sure what purple wire it is, it just ran to the solenoid, and when I moved the wires under the fender, I accidently hooked it to ground. but now my check engine light is on.

 

[coates50]

Under the fender around the window washer tank? I'll check that area day.
Thanks.

 

[Raginstang]

yo, the only reason the wires were under the fender is because I put them there, yours should be under the solenoid unless you also moved them.

 

[TheUser]

bout ready to drive it off a cliff

Would have been kinda hard to do that given your situation when you posted that

Thanks for letting us know what it was

 

[Raginstang]

he he, guess your right! well, push it off a cliff, but prolly not worth the effort

 

[Pur Pony]

This is the EXACT Problem I am having after moving my solenoid to the inner fender... so far I have spent about 6 hrs trying to figure our WTF is wrong... and still have no clue. I ripped the EEC out and that is not getting power when the key is turned.... do you remeber how many wires when to ground by the starter solenoid? I have 3 wires going to ground but two of the wires... and black/green and black are coming out of the same wire look so I was wonering if maybe one of these goes to the solenoid... but then why is my eec not getting power???? and then I was wondering if the starter solenoid needs to be grounded good itself??? cause the bracket i made is out of aluminum......... the car cranks over fine...... IM about to push MY car over the cliff now!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pur Pony]

WTF!!!!!! I must be color blind also... I too had the purple wire hooked to ground. After reading this post I went out and realized it was purple..... hook it to the solenoid and the car fired right up!!! but my check engine light is on as well.....

Does anyone know what this purple wire is for??????????????????????????

 

[jrichker]

I'm coming up with lots of purple wires on the wiring diagrams. Does the wire have a second color stripe on it?

Dump the codes and see what the computer says is wrong…

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. I’ve used it for years, and it works great.

See http://www.troublecodes.net/Ford/
OR
See http://www.dalidesign.com/hbook/eectest.html for more descriptive help
OR
See http://www.mustangworks.com/articles/electronics/eec-iv_codes.html

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.

Codes have different answers if the engine is running from the answers that it has when the engine isn't running. It helps a lot to know if you had the engine running when you ran the test.

Trouble codes are either 2 digit or 3 digit, there are no cars that use both 2 digit codes and 3 digit codes.

For those who are intimidated by all the wires & connections, see http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16153 for what a typical hand scanner looks like. Normal retail price is about $30 or so at AutoZone or Walmart.

Or for a nicer scanner see http://www.midwayautosupply.com/detailedproductdescription.asp?3829 – It has a 3 digit LCD display so that you don’t have to count flashes or beeps.. Cost is $33.