Used Jricher's checklist and still cranks but no start!

[mooktank]

I had my car garaged all winter while I built my turbo kit for it. First time I went to fire it up it ran but then died. It's an 86 with 91 engine and 89 mass air computer. 42lb injectors 255lph pump ATI blowthru MAF. I have an Anderson PMS which didn't cure the problem either. Basically the car only runs sometimes. I have spark, fuel pressure, and the injectors are flashing. I have all new parts inside the dist. I have tried 2 different a9l computers. I have tried a bunch of TFI modules. I noticed I would get a clicking sound (electronic sounding) when i had the key on and turned the dist one way or the other. Before it started if I turned it one way but not the other no matter what timing it was. I pulled the plugs and they are tan. The other day I was driving around fine in boost and all and then yesterday it backfired and died. The PMS said it was at -55* timing when it died. I got it towed home and it started when i got it here. Now it won't start again. I tried with part throttle full throttle you name it. I have tried taking off all the grounds and sanding them down. I have a ground to the body to the block. Heads to the firewall. Intake to firewall. Bellhousing to firewall. I tried replacing the TFI plug. Ive tried starting with spout in and out. I just don't know where to go with this. I've tried turning the start fuel down in the PMS to no avail. This is just getting rediculous. Oh and another clue, my tach is not working since I have put the MSD box in. It still has spark though. What's the deal????

 

[jrichker]

You may not have enough spark to do the job. I spent lots of time & $$$ chasing a no start condition due to a bad coil. In your case, I would put a stock coil & no MSD box and give it a try.

 

[mooktank]

well i just got it started again. This time it was with no MSD box. The tach was working fine. Still wouldnt start on the first try though no matter how long I cranked it. I had to crank it at least 2 or 3 times sometimes 4 for it to start. Usually i need to give it a little kick of the throttle to get it idling. I hooked up the MSD box and it started the same way if not a little better. Tach not working again though. This is getting crazy. I think I'm going to swap out my IAC to see if that makes a difference since I have one lying around.

 

[ss93cobra]

The clicking you'd heard while moving the distributor around was the distributor acting as a ground to the block. Makes me wonder if you've got lots of oil/sludge sitting there preventing the grounding...

 

[bcd]

my problem ended up being a bad fuse link when i went through this about a month ago. get a wiring diagram and a meter and check for continuity on all the wires that run to or from the tfi module

 

[mooktank]

I just took the car out for a drive. Drove fine except for a miss in the low RPM range. Still doesn't start unless I crank it over 3 or 4 times though. on the 2nd and sometimes 3rd time it will sputter but not start and on the 4th it will start if i gas it a little.

 

[TheUser]

well i just got it started again. This time it was with no MSD box. The tach was working fine. Still wouldnt start on the first try though no matter how long I cranked it. I had to crank it at least 2 or 3 times sometimes 4 for it to start. Usually i need to give it a little kick of the throttle to get it idling. I hooked up the MSD box and it started the same way if not a little better. Tach not working again though. This is getting crazy. I think I'm going to swap out my IAC to see if that makes a difference since I have one lying around.

I don't think the IAC will do much to cause this problem since it's not used in closed loop (until the car heats up) anyway.

I wonder why your timing would be -55? It would have to be the computer doing that wouldn't it? I really think you should pull the distributer, get the motor to TDC and restab it.

I also think you should check the resistance of the wires to and from the TFI module and the coil.

You said you have fuel pressure, but do you know how much fuel pressure you have?

Also, check your fusible links on the solonoid.

Sorry, I'm not real familiar w/ an MSD box or how it works or anything to do w/ it really. Although, since it starts with and without it, it seems to be some other variable.

 

[mooktank]

Yeah I have a feeling it's a fusible link somewhere. I just drove around a little and it was missing under low load at low rpms. I shut the car down for a while, started back up as usual. now im at my house and it won't start back up. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

 

[mooktank]

Just figured I'd update this for future people. It was the fuel pump! It didn't have a one way valve on it and the wiring to it was from the acc. panel (jackass who owned it before me) so it would lose all fuel pressure while trying to start. I just wired up the relay to run it while cranking so now it's golden. I'm gonna take that stupid pump out of there before I sell her though. I'm actually having more trouble after I just put a head gasket in. I'm getting no power to the injectors. The ECU relay is clicking. I don't get it.

 

[jrichker]

Go back the the Cranks OK but no start checklist. You will find the problem.

For the fuel pump wiring:
See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91eecPinout.gif

Diagram courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds

 

[mooktank]

I got it! one of the wires going to the positive side of the solenoid somehow got pulled out. Now shes running but the copper line for my mechanical oil pressure gage died. I can't wait til this thing is done. I'm putting a cummins 4 cyl in my ranger with 1 ton axles. Yay. No more EFI.