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1989 GT cranks but won't start

  • Thread starter Thread starter Vince305
  • Start date Start date Jun 14, 2022
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    1989 foxbody 1989 gt help needed won't start
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Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
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United States
Jun 14, 2022
#1
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #1
Hello, this is my first forum post but I'm having some problems with my 1989 Ford Mustang GT. About two weeks ago I had tried to start it up in the morning and it wouldn't start at all just crank and that's it. I had drove it the previous day and it started and drove fine, nothing out of the ordinary. I've went ahead and had the TFI Module, Ignition Coil, and Distributor all done since it wasn't getting spark. Now that it's getting spark it still hasn't started, so I had the fuel filter replaced and still no luck. The fuel pump is working like it should and we're getting fuel now (tested it via the valve near where you put the oil in) but still no luck.

I'm no mechanic nor do I know a whole lot about cars in general. Here's some background of the car, it's been my daily driver for 2 years now, it's entirely stock and it had sat in a yard for 20+ years before the guy I had bought it from had it. (bought it in 2020) So majority of all the parts are original.​
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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#2
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #2
Are you working on this or is someone doing this for you?
Tried a shot of starting fluid?

Cranks OK, but No Start Checklist for Fuel Injected Mustangs

Cranks OK, but No Start Checklist for Fuel Injected 5.0 Mustangs model years 1986-1995 A word about this checklist before you start: it is arranged in a specific order to put the most likely failure items first. That will save you time, energy and money. Start at the top of the list and work...
www.stangnet.com
 
Reactions: Vince305 and rotorhead22

Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
19
3
13
United States
Jun 14, 2022
#3
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #3
General karthief said:
Are you working on this or is someone doing this for you?
Tried a shot of starting fluid?

Cranks OK, but No Start Checklist for Fuel Injected Mustangs

Cranks OK, but No Start Checklist for Fuel Injected 5.0 Mustangs model years 1986-1995 A word about this checklist before you start: it is arranged in a specific order to put the most likely failure items first. That will save you time, energy and money. Start at the top of the list and work...
www.stangnet.com
Click to expand...

Been having someone else work on it since I don't have the tools and I'm not a mechanic. That's the next thing I was gonna try is some starting fluid, see if it fires off and if it does I'm guessing that would indicate the injectors aren't getting fuel or are clogged?
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
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Jun 14, 2022
#4
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #4
Or not receiving the signal to fire.
have you checked for codes?
 
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Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
19
3
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United States
Jun 14, 2022
#5
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #5
General karthief said:
Or not receiving the signal to fire.
have you checked for codes?
Click to expand...

I have not yet, but I'm gonna let my mechanic know to check for that as well. Probably would of been wise of me to have had it checked for codes already. It honestly might be that it's not receiving the signal to fire because it was running great just the day before it wouldn't start up.
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
27,926
10,572
203
polk county florida
Jun 14, 2022
#6
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #6
You should not have to tell your mechanic what to check.
 
Reactions: jrichker, manicmechanic007, Vince305 and 1 other person

Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
19
3
13
United States
Jun 14, 2022
#7
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #7
General karthief said:
You should not have to tell your mechanic what to check.
Click to expand...
Well it's not that, we were both kind of stumped on what it could be after he changed out the fuel filter and we were both certain that was the cause in which it didn't fix it.
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
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Jun 14, 2022
#8
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #8
Give him the checklist, it works.
 
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Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
19
3
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Jun 14, 2022
#9
  • Jun 14, 2022
  • #9
General karthief said:
Give him the checklist, it works.
Click to expand...
Will do! I'll let ya know how it goes! Thanks for the information and help!
 

rotorhead22

Active Member
Dec 17, 2020
175
89
38
Wesley Chapel, Florida
Jun 18, 2022
#10
  • Jun 18, 2022
  • #10
Timing? Firing order?
 
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Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
19
3
13
United States
Jun 18, 2022
#11
  • Jun 18, 2022
  • #11
rotorhead22 said:
Timing? Firing order?
Click to expand...

Could be, I'm having a guy who works on older Mustang's such as mine work on it this week and see what is causing the problem. I'll definitely keep ya'll updated on what's going on. Thanks for the reply!
 

manicmechanic007

5 Year Member
Sep 26, 2017
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714
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Roy, Utah
Jun 19, 2022
#12
  • Jun 19, 2022
  • #12
Fuel pump or TFI module
Check fuel pressure
Check blinking light on negative side of the coil while it cranks over
Noid light on injector (look it up if needed) just a light to blink showing the processor is trying to fire the injector
 

manicmechanic007

5 Year Member
Sep 26, 2017
2,534
714
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Roy, Utah
Jun 19, 2022
#13
  • Jun 19, 2022
  • #13
Odds are 50 / 50 or better you plug one of these in and it starts right up
 
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rotorhead22

Active Member
Dec 17, 2020
175
89
38
Wesley Chapel, Florida
Jun 22, 2022
#14
  • Jun 22, 2022
  • #14
I was going to suggest that also. The guy I bought mine from just installed a new one and the car quit and wouldn’t start so he got pissed and sold it to me. After several days of troubleshooting I replaced it and the car started right up. I relocated mine to up front with a heat sink and diy harness
 

manicmechanic007

5 Year Member
Sep 26, 2017
2,534
714
143
Roy, Utah
Jun 22, 2022
#15
  • Jun 22, 2022
  • #15
That was one of the things Ford did right
Get the TFI off the distributor
rotorhead22,
Did you use the newer stator or use spade connectors on your stator?
 

rotorhead22

Active Member
Dec 17, 2020
175
89
38
Wesley Chapel, Florida
Jun 22, 2022
#16
  • Jun 22, 2022
  • #16
manicmechanic007 said:
That was one of the things Ford did right
Get the TFI off the distributor
rotorhead22,
Did you use the newer stator or use spade connectors on your stator?
Click to expand...
I used spade connectors and applied RTV and secured harness to side of distributed with a plastic wire loom holder. If I remember right my harness was about 9ft long?
 

Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
19
3
13
United States
Jun 27, 2022
#17
  • Jun 27, 2022
  • #17
manicmechanic007 said:
Odds are 50 / 50 or better you plug one of these in and it starts right up
Click to expand...

Those are the TFI Modules correct? So, we replaced the TFI Module, Ignition Coil, and Distributor Pip and we're getting spark, but still doesn't start. So we replaced the fuel filter, still no luck. Before starting I can hear the fuel pump prime, and we checked the valve that's near the oil cap for fuel and it sprayed fuel out. I'm guessing if the fuel pump was no good it wouldn't prime? Sorry for the late response, didn't get any notification that you had replied!
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
27,926
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203
polk county florida
Jun 27, 2022
#18
  • Jun 27, 2022
  • #18
Did your mechanic do the checklist?
 

Vince305

Member
Sep 25, 2021
19
3
13
United States
Jun 27, 2022
#19
  • Jun 27, 2022
  • #19
General karthief said:
Did your mechanic do the checklist?
Click to expand...

Not yet, I haven't had the money to have him do it yet.
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
27,926
10,572
203
polk county florida
Jun 27, 2022
#20
  • Jun 27, 2022
  • #20
You could do it yourself
 
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