Recently bought a 1995 Ford Mustang 3.8L V6 as a project car for $300. Didn't start or run, and it had been sitting in a garage for 4-5 years. It needs a lot of love.
The previous owner said it stalled while driving one day and he never looked into the problem. I'm a beginner and excited to work on this car!
What I've done so far (all before trying to start the car):
- Change the oil
- Replaced the battery and one terminal that was heavily corroded (it broke off when I was removing the old battery)
- Drained the gas tank and filled it up with new fuel
- Checked the coolant (it was still good) and topped it off
- Checked and adjusted spark plug gaps and used fogging oil to lubricate the cylinders before attempting to start the car (the spark plugs are pretty difficult to access on the 3.8L V6, so this took a lot of time)
After all that, I tried starting the car. The engine turns, but the car won't actually run.
Here's what I've checked so far:
- When I turn the key to the On position, I don't hear the fuel pump priming
- I checked the fuel pump fuse and it was good
- I also went ahead and checked all the fuses in the power distribution box
- Inertia switch is pushed down
Here's the electrical system schematic from the Haynes repair manual:
View: https://imgur.com/2mLtlEC
And here's the diagram of the fuse panel from the owner's manual:
View: https://imgur.com/EeQmTFa
So I tried checking the voltage with the key in the on position, and I tried checking it immediately after turning the key as well. Either way, there was no voltage in the fuel pump slot. I also checked all the other fuses, these are the approximate voltage results I got (in the same order from the second picture I linked above)
Ign. Sw. ~0.42
Ign. Sw. ~12.2
Ign. Sw. ~0.08
Hd. Lps ~11
EEC ~12.2
Htd. Bl. 0
Fuel Pump 0
Fan 0
I appreciate any help I can get! As a beginner, I know I might just be doing something dumb and/or missing something obvious, but let me know anyway! And I apologize in advance for any terminology that I'm not familiar with - I'll probably ask for a lot of clarification.
Thank you!
Update 7/16/20:
- I've been using these wiring diagrams to figure out the issue:
View: https://imgur.com/a/If7Vlxb
- Checked CCRM harness connector and only the pins circled in red got voltage:
View: https://imgur.com/a/XrFYpEj
Someone from reddit has also been helping me and they helped me deduce this so far:
- The line that links EEC and fuel pump fuses right before power enters the individual fuses.
View: https://imgur.com/a/XMYF3XV
- Since I had power at the EEC fuse but not at fuel pump fuse, either a jumper has failed inside the fuse box, or maybe one of the crimps that the fuel pump fuse plugs into may be the problem. Might want to grab a flashlight and inspect the slots that the fuse plugs into. - Checked fuse box terminals/slots and they all looked good
- (+) power should bridge from the same feed or fusible link that supplies power to the EEC fuse back to the battery
- Ground issue would not be the problem here, need to figure out why the fuel pump fuse has no (+) connection back to the battery
- Suggested a jumper with a fuse back to the battery in place of the fuel pump fuse or one connected to the line side of the EEC fuse will get the pump operating again as a test.
- Sounds like one or more of the fusible links that bring power to the fuse box from the battery may have blown. Can anyone help me locate this? The reddit user said for older models it might be at the battery side post of the starter solenoid
(here's the thread:
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/hq6hwq/1995_ford_mustang_38l_v6_fuse_box_problem/fy1w2t3/
)
The previous owner said it stalled while driving one day and he never looked into the problem. I'm a beginner and excited to work on this car!
What I've done so far (all before trying to start the car):
- Change the oil
- Replaced the battery and one terminal that was heavily corroded (it broke off when I was removing the old battery)
- Drained the gas tank and filled it up with new fuel
- Checked the coolant (it was still good) and topped it off
- Checked and adjusted spark plug gaps and used fogging oil to lubricate the cylinders before attempting to start the car (the spark plugs are pretty difficult to access on the 3.8L V6, so this took a lot of time)
After all that, I tried starting the car. The engine turns, but the car won't actually run.
Here's what I've checked so far:
- When I turn the key to the On position, I don't hear the fuel pump priming
- I checked the fuel pump fuse and it was good
- I also went ahead and checked all the fuses in the power distribution box
- Inertia switch is pushed down
Here's the electrical system schematic from the Haynes repair manual:
View: https://imgur.com/2mLtlEC
And here's the diagram of the fuse panel from the owner's manual:
View: https://imgur.com/EeQmTFa
So I tried checking the voltage with the key in the on position, and I tried checking it immediately after turning the key as well. Either way, there was no voltage in the fuel pump slot. I also checked all the other fuses, these are the approximate voltage results I got (in the same order from the second picture I linked above)
Ign. Sw. ~0.42
Ign. Sw. ~12.2
Ign. Sw. ~0.08
Hd. Lps ~11
EEC ~12.2
Htd. Bl. 0
Fuel Pump 0
Fan 0
I appreciate any help I can get! As a beginner, I know I might just be doing something dumb and/or missing something obvious, but let me know anyway! And I apologize in advance for any terminology that I'm not familiar with - I'll probably ask for a lot of clarification.
Thank you!
Update 7/16/20:
- I've been using these wiring diagrams to figure out the issue:
View: https://imgur.com/a/If7Vlxb
- Checked CCRM harness connector and only the pins circled in red got voltage:
View: https://imgur.com/a/XrFYpEj
Someone from reddit has also been helping me and they helped me deduce this so far:
- The line that links EEC and fuel pump fuses right before power enters the individual fuses.
View: https://imgur.com/a/XMYF3XV
- Since I had power at the EEC fuse but not at fuel pump fuse, either a jumper has failed inside the fuse box, or maybe one of the crimps that the fuel pump fuse plugs into may be the problem. Might want to grab a flashlight and inspect the slots that the fuse plugs into. - Checked fuse box terminals/slots and they all looked good
- (+) power should bridge from the same feed or fusible link that supplies power to the EEC fuse back to the battery
- Ground issue would not be the problem here, need to figure out why the fuel pump fuse has no (+) connection back to the battery
- Suggested a jumper with a fuse back to the battery in place of the fuel pump fuse or one connected to the line side of the EEC fuse will get the pump operating again as a test.
- Sounds like one or more of the fusible links that bring power to the fuse box from the battery may have blown. Can anyone help me locate this? The reddit user said for older models it might be at the battery side post of the starter solenoid
(here's the thread:
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/hq6hwq/1995_ford_mustang_38l_v6_fuse_box_problem/fy1w2t3/
)
Last edited: