*TL;DR at the end*
So first off, I bought my first mustang, a 91 LX (4 cyl) convertible yesterday I attached a picture so you can see what I'm working with here. So far I'm having a blast with working on it. I'm no strangers to wrenching on cars at all as I have been through 4 VWs (2 buses, a thing, and a beetle), a jeep, helped my dad on his 1950 chevy truck, and a 1978 AMC AMX and a 1973 Plymouth Duster, and a few new cars that I just drove without working on them. I swear, I am no stranger to the "search" button in forums as well. I've always been the one where I prefer to learn hands on from a guru. I had a VW buddy teach me everything about the VWs and same thing about the jeep. Haven't met a mustang buddy yet. Though... I'm in Dallas, so I'm sure I will soon.
So a little about the backstory on this mustang. It was only driven a few days a week for the first 10 years or so of its life. It was then sold to the second owner, who I bought it from. He lived, worked and played within 1 mile of his apartment. He told me that he did quite a bit of work on it over the years for maintenance and preventative stuff. He then bought a new car when he had a kid, and loaned the car to his niece. She drove it for a while, then the transmission "quit working". I asked him what that meant, and he had no idea. So I honestly have no idea if it is the transmission or what.
So It sat for about 6 years. No gas in the tank. There was a rat living in it, but he has been evicted. When I got to the mustang, there was no battery, and the positive terminal clamp was gone. So I got a battery and that cable, and hooked it up. Everything electrical worked minus the back passenger window. Not a concern at this point at all. Also the passenger headlight (it is full of water... I guess the blinker fluid thing is real!). Again, not a concern. So look over the car and there is no rust in the strut towers, the frame looks good, and the engine turns over by hand. So I put air in the tires and trailered it home.
I make sure there is no gas in the tank, throw some gas in there, replace the fuel filter, and see what happens. It cranks freely, but doesn't start. Not surprised, but hey.
So I started going down the list of "it cranks but doesn't start". Tried the ether test and it started for about a second, then turned off. I pushed down the valve and no fuel came out with pressure, but a drop or so came up out of the valve and sat in the body of the valve. Or do I need to test that with the fuel pump jumpered on? Currently at the step 4 (no fuel pressure), part B (fuel pump relay) I look under the drivers seat, and there is a green connector with a black cap on it. I pull the black cap and there is an orange tip to the connector. Is the relay actually supposed to clip in there, or is that a test socket? I have 12 volts to the pink/black wire. Is that the only thing to check there? There is sound from the rear (I assume the fuel pump) for about a second when I turn it on. I assume it is priming the pump.
TL;DR- Bought a mustang, been going through the checklist step by step. for the fuel pump relay, is that just a test socket under the drivers seat or should there be a relay plugged in? Also, does the fuel pump need to be jumpered on to test the valve?
So first off, I bought my first mustang, a 91 LX (4 cyl) convertible yesterday I attached a picture so you can see what I'm working with here. So far I'm having a blast with working on it. I'm no strangers to wrenching on cars at all as I have been through 4 VWs (2 buses, a thing, and a beetle), a jeep, helped my dad on his 1950 chevy truck, and a 1978 AMC AMX and a 1973 Plymouth Duster, and a few new cars that I just drove without working on them. I swear, I am no stranger to the "search" button in forums as well. I've always been the one where I prefer to learn hands on from a guru. I had a VW buddy teach me everything about the VWs and same thing about the jeep. Haven't met a mustang buddy yet. Though... I'm in Dallas, so I'm sure I will soon.
So a little about the backstory on this mustang. It was only driven a few days a week for the first 10 years or so of its life. It was then sold to the second owner, who I bought it from. He lived, worked and played within 1 mile of his apartment. He told me that he did quite a bit of work on it over the years for maintenance and preventative stuff. He then bought a new car when he had a kid, and loaned the car to his niece. She drove it for a while, then the transmission "quit working". I asked him what that meant, and he had no idea. So I honestly have no idea if it is the transmission or what.
So It sat for about 6 years. No gas in the tank. There was a rat living in it, but he has been evicted. When I got to the mustang, there was no battery, and the positive terminal clamp was gone. So I got a battery and that cable, and hooked it up. Everything electrical worked minus the back passenger window. Not a concern at this point at all. Also the passenger headlight (it is full of water... I guess the blinker fluid thing is real!). Again, not a concern. So look over the car and there is no rust in the strut towers, the frame looks good, and the engine turns over by hand. So I put air in the tires and trailered it home.
I make sure there is no gas in the tank, throw some gas in there, replace the fuel filter, and see what happens. It cranks freely, but doesn't start. Not surprised, but hey.
So I started going down the list of "it cranks but doesn't start". Tried the ether test and it started for about a second, then turned off. I pushed down the valve and no fuel came out with pressure, but a drop or so came up out of the valve and sat in the body of the valve. Or do I need to test that with the fuel pump jumpered on? Currently at the step 4 (no fuel pressure), part B (fuel pump relay) I look under the drivers seat, and there is a green connector with a black cap on it. I pull the black cap and there is an orange tip to the connector. Is the relay actually supposed to clip in there, or is that a test socket? I have 12 volts to the pink/black wire. Is that the only thing to check there? There is sound from the rear (I assume the fuel pump) for about a second when I turn it on. I assume it is priming the pump.
TL;DR- Bought a mustang, been going through the checklist step by step. for the fuel pump relay, is that just a test socket under the drivers seat or should there be a relay plugged in? Also, does the fuel pump need to be jumpered on to test the valve?
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