hey the other day when it was raining my car started to hesitate and sputter when i would drive it ... then it would idle high and go mad slow with some type of sputtering clocking noise... now the thing dont wanna start at all!!!!!! .... i changed the spark plugs the wires the rotor the distributor cap the ignition coil and then ignition module on the distributor and it still dont start ... my next thing is the computer ... hopfully that will fix it .... but idk if that will fix it!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it's time to stop throwing parts at it and to try to figure it out.
Pull codes.
Check the fuel pressure.
Do you have spark?
Well said. It takes work to do it right. Guessing + Luck = wrong most of the time.
i had it hooked up to the machine and it wasnt conecting to the ECU... so now im guessin that computer is bad. but now idk if when the motor was swapped if they kept the old wiring harness for the 87 cougar and just spliced shiznit together .... cuz i have a few wires that lead to nowhere and are taped up !!!!
Turn the ignition to RUN without trying to start it.
The fuel pump should run for one or two seconds then shut off.
If this happens, the ECU (EEC) computer is running it's program.
My 87 had the same issue... If your fuel pump is original, your fuel pressure is within specs then the fuel line on the pump may be collapsing under acceleration... I made the mistake of replacing my pump with one out of a junk yard, should have replaced that 3" line to... Dropped the tank twice to learn that 50 cent lesson.
When i got start my car every 1 out of 3 times it does what he says i got a 255LPH pump and new spark plugs and wires know any reason my fuel pressure might be a little low?
my fuel pump always runs it never shuts off .... it always did that for as long as i had it. I think it might be the original pump though. is it hard to change that ?
If your fuel pump runs continuously with the ignition in run and the engine not running, your EEC is in LOS (Limited Output Strategy) Mode. Sometimes called limp-home mode.
It means the program in the EEC is not running. The EEC ignores all inputs. The Fuel pump will stay on. The ignition will stay at its base timing and the injectors will be pulsed at a fixed rate.
Could mean the voltage to the EEC is low or the EEC is shot.
Or it could mean someone has screwed around with the wireing.
yea i think i might have the old harness from when it was a v6 ... idk if that has anything to do with it...and when i spray carborator fluid in the throttle body it starts for a split sec then just dies ....
If the fuel pump runs continually with the ignition in run and the engine not running, this is the first thing you have to fix.
I have not heard you say that yes this is your condition.
But if it is;
Forget about trying to start it.
You first have to have a functioning EEC. I am sure there are some differences between the 3.8 and the 5.0 EEC, but the basic power and grounds should be the same. This is all it needs to run its program.
Trying another EEC is the easiest thing to do.
I had another thought about your why your EEC is not working.
The EEC has its' own dedicated ground wire direct from the battery negative terminal.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think when you go from a 3.8 to a 5.0 the battery moves from the right to the left side.
Anyway see if you have a small gauge wire from the negative battery going into the cable harness.
Nevermind. Missed a couple posts that would have told me it wasn't that.
yea im just waiting for vinnie bird ... ima try out his computer he has ...
Had something similar happen on my old '86. It would fire as long as the strarter was going but as soon as you let go of the key it sputtered and died. Replaced the ignition module and it ran for a day and died again. Turned out to be the timing belt.
Check the spark, if you're getting it, it's good. Check your fuel at the fuel rails, if you're getting it it's good. But you'd be well off to check that timing chain.
what do u mean by check the timing chain ? ... i loosened up the distributor and tried turning it ...it dont change anything...when the car did start ...it sounded like it had a hi performance cam in it ... but i think the idle and shiznit was messed up .. but hopfully ill get that comp and try it out ... idk ...once i fix it ...FOR SALE!
its just an idea but heres something. are the scoops on your hood open? i had to put the distributor boot back on because of water leakining through the scoops when i put the turbo hood on mine.
The timing chain is what drives your camshaft off the crankshaft. If it gets stretched or worn or your tensioners are badly worn, it can throw your timing (valve and spark) way off. If it breaks, and they can, your engine will crank all day but never fire.
Like I said, check your spark at the plug and your fuel delivery at the fuel rail. If you're getting spark and you're getting fuel, you may well have a timing chain problem.
i have spark and fuel .... and i dont have that hood anymore i have a regular hood now .... i dont think my timing chain is broke cuz it did start once but then the next day didnt start again ... im hoping its the computer ... id buy me a new 1 but then if its not the computer ... i cant return that shiznit
everyone needs to back up about 1000 yards and look back at what we are dealing with.
conversion.........
87 V6 to WHAT?
reuse of old EEC? possibly yes as well as wiring
Look,, You need to tell ALL in your initial posts.,,, Wasting time only to learn you had a motor swap is rediculous. Ok,, im done venting now.
You need to look at my DIY link for lots of tips on doing stuff. Next you need to go to electrical tech and look up every single post myself and softtouch have posted. There are a ton of electrical diagrams on there. Just sort through the ones that say 3.8L v6 so your looking at the correct wiring harness.
Your engine must be a V8 but,, the only way the thing would have been slightly normal after the conversion was if you were converted to a V8 CFI system. There was no CFI v8 available in 87 so at best you have an older V8 cfi or a newer SEFI V8. I feel your PAIN BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You used a tecnical term "THOTTLE BODY" earlier. Did you really mean that or did you mean CFI.
If you have multiport fuel injection, someone has done some serious rigging to get this thing to run. They've probably been half assing the fuel pump relay trying to short out the pump to make it run during the swap as well. Now your eec runs in limp mode and always has since you have known. Its probably always gotten decent but not so great gas milage to. Rich condition.
There is no way to correctly swap an 87 v6 to a SEFI V8 and reuse the old harness and eec and have things work great.
So,, fess up........
more info needed.
tell us what motor is in there.
ignore pulling codes,, you wont get past code 11 at best.
Now for suggestions..........................
1
You need 40psi at the fuel pump test connector. A guestimation without a tester would be to turn on the key and press the little needle in. If fuel sprays every where, then your getting plenty of fuel.
2
check spark while its a little dark outside. You need nice blue spark.
It is possible to have spark and fuel and no start if*********** THE PICKUP ASSEMBLY down in the distributor is BAD********* Been there, done that. the pick up moduel or "stator assmebly" is what your TFI plugs into.
take the cap off the dizzy and rotor button off. now take off the two screws that hold down the 8 bladed little fin thingamabob. Mark it so you put it back on the same way it came off. Now look down in there and you can see a little tiny magnet where the thingamabob you just took off passes in front of. If you see any debris stuck to it , use a stronger magnet to retrieve the debris and reassemble everything back together.
There will be three little wires down in there. black red and green. These wires lead into the pick up assembly in a sort of half round do hicky mounted with two screws. Jumper the little black wire to one of the mounting screws and then reassemble and see if it starts. If it does, that black wire is soldered to the metal backing plate which is ground and you just fixed the "unfixable" stator assembly.
3
check for even compression and accept no less than 120 psi. You can settle for even compression with no less than 10 -15 psi difference although this is rather optimistic.
4
remove distributor cap and make sure the rotor is turning
5
borrow a small light bulb / socket from your parts bin or from the car. Unhook a fuel injector and connect the light bulb wiring to the two leads. turn on your key -bulb should light up. Crank engine and bulb should blink off and on. Power is always applied to the injector via a big ass splice in your harness if you trace it back. The ground is removed and replaced via the electronics in your computer. If the car passes the "BLINK" test for each injector , then move on.
*****BTW<<< how many injectors do you have????????????
6
if you happen to have an SEFI V8
unhook the vac line going to your fuel pres regulator. If you smell gas in the hose, then you'll likely find there is gas in just about all vac lines up near the vaccuum tree and power booster.
replace FPR and get on down the road.
If you have a CFI system, the fuel presure regulator test is only verifiable by using an actual tester. If its broken, you will find that you have MAX PSI at the test connector. To verify it does opperate, drill out the little tiny freeze plug in the top of the round gold regulator. Pop out the freeze plug and you will have an allen screw to mess with. 1 turn clockwise = about 2psi increase in presure. Here is where you can dial in fuel presure but if the presure does not change when you turn off the key and turn it back on,, the reg is bad. Also you will have either MAX presure or No/not enough.
**************IF YOUR REGULATOR HAS A PLASTIC pug in the top of it, then its been changed by someone and there is no adjustment.
7
If you Have a CFI,,,,, go to my DIY link and replace the CFI gaskets and inspect the four corners of your cfi mounting ears and make sure none are broken due to over tightening.
8
Check your map sensor out. make sure the vac line going to the map is not broken anywhere and such. Also make sure to swap in another one if you have a spare. There are tips in my diy link for measuring voltage on it if you know how many feet above sea level you are. You can simulate altitude changes with a vac guage but thats a little complicated for this post.
9
clean off ****Carefully**** your air charge temp sending unit. Also clean off your coolant temp sending unit. Use carb cleaner. The v6 will not start if the air charge temp sending unit is defective. Throw in the variable of your harness being a V6 and uknown enigne type and your just confussing the hell out of me.
10
REPLY BACK with answers.
OR<<<<<<<<<<<
ignore everying ive said and sell me the car as is for 50 dollars.
i have a 1993 mustang gt 5.0 HO motor in it .... im having it looked at thursday so ill let u kno what happens ....thanks