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Fuel 302 has stalled at idle and won't refire.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Marcel Lucien
  • Start date Start date Mar 28, 2021

Marcel Lucien

Member
Mar 22, 2021
6
5
13
Swansea, Massachusetts
Mar 28, 2021
#1
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #1
Hi guys. My 89 5.0 Mustang has sat in my garage for 10 years. I finally have the time and cash to tinker with it. It fired up pretty good so I took it for a few mile ride. When I got back I put it on ramps to find where the coolant leak was coming from. It stalled a few times while sitting on the ramps. I got it off of them and now it won't fire back up at all. I pushed it into the garage and now need some ideas on what to check. I cleaned the mass air flow sensor and cleaned the throttle body before taking it down the road.
 

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor
Admin Dude
Jan 4, 1985
43,118
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Box behind Walmart
Mar 28, 2021
#2
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #2
Did you do all of this with 10-year-old fuel?
 

Marcel Lucien

Member
Mar 22, 2021
6
5
13
Swansea, Massachusetts
Mar 28, 2021
#3
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #3
Noobz347 said:
Did you do all of this with 10-year-old fuel?
Click to expand...
Fuel with stabilizer in it, yes
 

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp
10 Year Member
Sep 1, 2010
7,387
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Kearney, NE
Mar 28, 2021
#4
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #4
Even Stabil will not keep fuel fresh for that long. Drain it, change the filter, and see what the fuel pressure reads with new gas.
 

HemiRick

I'd be looking at jacking under the house
Jun 28, 2020
723
272
73
Memphis TN
Mar 28, 2021
#5
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #5
yep big mistake not draining fuel system 1st. You probably need a pump/filter.....and hopefully you didn't glue the intake valves in the guides w the tar like stuff old fuel will deposit in the intake tract....If it sounds like its missing, its probably bent some intake pushrods.
 

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp
10 Year Member
Sep 1, 2010
7,387
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194
Kearney, NE
Mar 28, 2021
#6
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #6
If the thing ran that long, I doubt the fuel was as evil as Rick says. It’s more likely the plugs are fouled and it’s not getting good spray patterns from low pressure or clogged injectors.
 
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HemiRick

I'd be looking at jacking under the house
Jun 28, 2020
723
272
73
Memphis TN
Mar 28, 2021
#7
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #7
The valves dont stick till the engine cools after the 1st run.....
 

Potomus Pete

I'm still waiting for the fully nude shots
5 Year Member
Mar 7, 2019
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Mar 28, 2021
#8
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #8
Every month a guy comes here with a tan year sitting car, and doesn't change the gas first. What else if it ran before. UNLESS......Vermin
 

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp
10 Year Member
Sep 1, 2010
7,387
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194
Kearney, NE
Mar 28, 2021
#9
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #9
HemiRick said:
The valves dont stick till the engine cools after the 1st run.....
Click to expand...
And Marvel Mystery Oil lubes and cleans the entire engine from the inside out when added to the fuel tank.
Your theory is possible, but it’s much more likely the used oil that has been setting there for ten years and the old crud in the pan that got stirred up is at fault.
 
Reactions: General karthief

Marcel Lucien

Member
Mar 22, 2021
6
5
13
Swansea, Massachusetts
Mar 28, 2021
#10
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #10
Yes, I guess I'm a dope for chancing using the old gas in the tank. The thing is, this car has been started frequently thru the years to keep the battery up and fluids circulating.
The car ran strong on my short trip. It did skip or backfire at the end of my street. But once on the road at good throttle she was fine, as powerful as she's ever been. That's y I think the gas is serviceable.
The car didn't have a chance to cool when I got back. I put it on ramps to look for my coolant leak. It's stayed idling till it stalled. She restarted several times, till she didn't.
So, I read that if u don't hear the pump prime when u turn the key on, that it could b the fuel pump relay. I don't hear it prime now.
So I have one on the way. Hoping this works, cuz its cheap and easy.
I'll update after I install the relay.
 
Reactions: 7991LXnSHO

Marcel Lucien

Member
Mar 22, 2021
6
5
13
Swansea, Massachusetts
Mar 28, 2021
#11
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #11
And u r correct about the oil. Its black. But I plan on doing the rear main seal and oil pan gasket. So I didn't change the oil. Another dumb move. I'll invest in Mystery Oil. She ain't leaving the garage till I do my pan gasket and main seal.
 

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp
10 Year Member
Sep 1, 2010
7,387
2,745
194
Kearney, NE
Mar 28, 2021
#12
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #12
The Marvel Mystery oil comment was severe sarcasm for snake oil!!! A can of Sea Foam in the oil and idled a while before it is drained might help dissolve crud, but it might knock a bunch of crud loose if is a high mile engine.
 

Marcel Lucien

Member
Mar 22, 2021
6
5
13
Swansea, Massachusetts
Mar 28, 2021
#13
  • Mar 28, 2021
  • #13
Seafoam, got it. Maybe after I put fresh oil and gas in. I shouldn't have taken her out till I finished prepping her for it.
 
Reactions: General karthief and Potomus Pete

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
5 Year Member
Oct 4, 2020
5,467
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Florida
Mar 29, 2021
#14
  • Mar 29, 2021
  • #14
Did you run out of gas?? After sitting that long I wouldn't trust the gauge....Simple basics first
 
Reactions: General karthief

Marcel Lucien

Member
Mar 22, 2021
6
5
13
Swansea, Massachusetts
Mar 29, 2021
#15
  • Mar 29, 2021
  • #15
U kno , I actually thought of that..
My fuel gauge is always on E anyway cuz it don't work. So I reset the tripometer when I fill up. Drive 200 miles and fill up again. It reads 117 right now. Maybe it did evaporate. I'm gonna pump out the rest of the fuel and start with fresh before starting it again. I have a new fuel filter to install too.
 
Reactions: 90sickfox and limp
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