Car only starts with starter fluid

[trevor57]

a little background. The car is a 95, with 93 cobra heads/intake mani, 93 distributor, maf, and tps. This is because of the painless performance wiring harness. I was having a bad misfire problem, and ended up changing out most of the ignition stuff, before moving on to fuel. I changed out injectors, and the fpr, and the car started right up, and idled great. The misfire was gone, and I was excited.

The car sat for 2 days and I went to start it, and it just cranks and cranks. So I go back over everything, started checking grounds, fuses and all of my previous work. Searching around the net, I found this site, and "the checklist" So I start at the top. Spark is there, so I do the next thing. I sprayed starter fluid in the TB I cranked it expecting it to run for a few seconds and die, but it didn't. It started right up, reved and drove normal.

Very confused, I turned the car off, and immediatly tried to start it, but it wouldn't start. It just cranked. So I spryaed some juice back in the TB and again it started like there was no problem. I checked for vacuum leaks, and I can't find any. The car barely has any vac lines anyway since it is a race car, and most of that vac related stuff is gone. (smog,egr,ac,cruise etc.)

 

[Mustang5L5]

Try holding the gas pedal WOT and starting it. If it starts, its running rich and flooding out on startup. Cause of this is either TPS or bad ECT sensor.

When you do get it running, run the engine codes. The CEL doesn't need to be on to have a serious issue. Make sure you do KOEO and KOER

 

[trevor57]

I just tried starting it at wot, but it didn't start. I will pull trouble codes tonight.

 

[HISSIN50]

Do you run a 93 Cobra MAF with a 95 EEC? The 93 Cobra MAF transfer curve is one all its own, and 94-95 EEC's are finicky about MAFs (since the EEC is load-based).

Does your TFI module receive a crank-signal?

Is the ECT within calibration?

 

[trevor57]

Sorry, It is a 93 computer as well. I don't know how to test to see if the tfi is getting signal, or if the ect is getting a correct signal.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Start with codes. Let's see what the car doesn't like.

 

[jrichker]

Dumping the computer diagnostic codes on 86-95 Mustangs

Revised 19-May-2009 to update drawing for dumping the codes on 86-88 Mustangs with no check engine light.

Dump the codes and see what the computer says is wrong…Codes may be present in the computer even if the Check Engine light isn’t on.

Here's the way to dump the computer codes with only a jumper wire or paper clip and the check engine light, or test light or voltmeter. I’ve used it for years, and it works great. You watch the flashing test lamp or Check Engine Light and count the flashes.

Be sure to turn off the A/C, and put the transmission in neutral when dumping the codes. Fail to do this and you will generate a code 67 and not be able to dump the Engine Running codes.

Dumping the Engine Running codes: The procedure is the same, you start the engine with the test jumper in place. Be sure the A/C is off and the transmission is in neutral. You'll get an 11, then a 4 and the engine will speed up to do the EGR test. After the engine speed decreases back to idle, it will dump the engine running codes.

Here's the link to dump the computer codes with only a jumper wire or paper clip and the check engine light, or test light or voltmeter. I’ve used it for years, and it works great. You watch the flashing test lamp or Check Engine Light and count the flashes.

See Troublcodes.net Trouble Codes OBD & OBD2 Trouble Codes and Technical info & Tool Store. By BAT Auto Technical

If your car is an 86-88 stang, you'll have to use the test lamp or voltmeter method. There is no functional check engine light on the 86-88's except possibly the Cali Mass Air cars.

The STI has a gray connector shell and a white/red wire. It comes from the same bundle of wires as the self test connector.

89 through 95 cars have a working Check Engine light. Watch it instead of using a test lamp.

The STI has a gray connector shell and a white/red wire. It comes from the same bundle of wires as the self test connector.


WARNING!!! There is a single dark brown connector with a black/orange wire. It is the 12 volt power to the under the hood light. Do not jumper it to the computer test connector. If you do, you will damage the computer.

What to expect:
You should get a code 11 (two single flashes in succession). This says that the computer's internal workings are OK, and that the wiring to put the computer into diagnostic mode is good. No code 11 and you have some wiring problems.

Codes have different answers if the engine is running from the answers that it has when the engine isn't running. It helps a lot to know if you had the engine running when you ran the test.

Trouble codes are either 2 digit or 3 digit, there are no cars that use both 2 digit codes and 3 digit codes.

Alternate methods:
For those who are intimidated by all the wires & connections, see Actron® for what a typical hand scanner looks like. Normal retail price is about $30 or so at AutoZone or Wal-Mart.

Or for a nicer scanner see Digital Ford Code Reader (3145) – It has a 3 digit LCD display so that you don’t have to count flashes or beeps.. Cost is $30.

 

[trevor57]

No codes except for egr related stuff that is no longer in the car.

I have this pinned down, but I don't know what would cause it. The injectors have 12v in the run position, and while cranking. However they do not pulse during crank, but they DO pulse after the car starts. That is why the thing will start with ether. The only thing I can come up with is the computer is bad? any ideas always welcome.
_________________

 

[HISSIN50]

Check the TPS baseline. If the EEC thinks you're at WOT (2.71 V over baseline), it shuts off the injectors while cranking.

 

[trevor57]

WOW. Thanks. I replaced the TPS along the way with a unit I thought was good. It turns out the spare I had was bad, and just made the problem worse. I can only assume that was also causing my misfire issue.