2.3 N/A won't start, help!

[freakintiger]

Hope you all can help me with your combined expierience.
My '93 2.3 dual plug N/A motor won't start. The battery is good as the starter cranks very strong, but the engine won't fire. Figure this is a fuel or fire situation.
I have had the car almost 4 months, it has just over 140,000 on the clock. I have replaced the radiator and the alternator and air filter. I was just getting around to my full tune-up(wires, plugs and coil packs) and oil change.
The car runs great though shifts sluggish, I am learning about the much maligned A4LD tranny
Of note: The car has refused to start on occasion, this is the fourth time it has occurred, but the other three times it started by the fifth try. Also the car emits a sweet gas/exhaust smell, never smelled this before on any car, I think its a hole in my exhaust maybe?
Hope you all can help me and my sick pony.

 

[mustang_mattie]

I would say head gasket on that one

-Mattie

 

[Stinger]

Ignition module...

Verify that it's not sparking before buying one though.

Stinger

 

[stangs4evr-roy]

sounds like dis module for sure

 

[euphbone]

ignition module is easy to change, on the driver side of the car, on the engine block, held on by 3 screws, cost bout 110 and change. Pretty simple job, if that is what is wrong, good luck

 

[JamesBaumann]

If the motor is turning over but just not firing then one other thing you could look at is the fuel pump, or even a clogged fuel filter.

 

[JamesBaumann]

One more thing relating to that that I just thought of. Turn the ignition half way on, so that power is running through the car. If you can hear a hum coming from the back of the car near the fuel tank then your fuel pump is pumping. If not, then that could very well be your problem. Don't forget, even if your fuel pump is pumping, it doesn't mean that your filter is filtering, that could still be the problem. Good luck.

 

[dwilson8]

could also be your fuel pump relay i had that problem on my 87 stang or it could be your dis module but first take it off and have it tested at an oreilly auto parts or auto****(zone)

 

[freakintiger]

Thanks for all the info guys, turns out (after a diagnosis by a friend) that it is the fuel pump. I'm replacing it next week, hooray.

 

[daysleepin]

leaving a note for others whom have this 2.3
purchased a fuel pump on line for around 50 bucks and still car would not start I tested old fuel pump on a battery and it hummed away. I than figured it was the relay. Had fun trying figure its location on a 2.3 93 Mustang.
Had My step son turn key of and on so I could hear it "click" under hood near engine. It took a bit of time but I found it in a black box with a letter on it and a BIG plug of wires going to it on the passenger side shock tower. The box appeared to be riveted shut. I got the whole box off of one of my parts cars. I suppose could broke the rivets and replaced just the relay for about 15 bucks. FYI.....