Car won't start...

[doobsstang]

Done all the usual things. Plugs, plug wires, cleaned MAF, changed oil, and charged battery.

Had the car sitting outside covered during the winter. When I try to turn it over it starts for a few seconds with a rough idle and then dies. If I try to give it a little gas it dies right then. It started once and had a really rough idle and I was able to give it gas but wouldn't run for more than about 30 seconds.

Not sure what else to try. Any suggestions?

 

[TrueBlue95GT]

any check engine light? Check for rotted vacuum lines. Try chaning the fuel filter.

 

[Adam95GT]

Clean IAC and Maf.

 

[Chythar]

Did the rough start sound anything like this YouTube video?

YouTube - 1994 Mustang Cobra - First Engine Start

In this case, the car had bad gas in the tank and the PIP in the distributor had failed. To be honest, the bad gas was only a small part of the problem. The real issue was the PIP.

 

[Black95GTS]

Check fuel system. Can you hear the pump prime before you crank the engine over? Check alternator for correct voltage, should be around 14.4 at the unit.

Adam

 

[HISSIN50]

Look for static battery voltage to be about 12.6V if the car won't run.

When it cranks but won't start, have you checked fuel pressure, spark, and injector pulsing (in that order)?

 

[95_red_gt]

Since it sat for so long, I would guess that moisture got into the gas tank.

 

[doobsstang]

I noticed I can't hear the fuel pump whirring when I turn the ignition to on without starting it. Would this mean the fuel pump is bad? I think the reason it wa trying to start earleir was becaus ethereal was still fuel in the lines. Now that the fuel lines are empty it won't start. It sounds like a bad fuel pump to me. What do you guys think?

 

[alleymad95GT]

You should definitely be able to hear the fuel pump when you turn the key to "on."

How to tell for sure if your fuel pump is out

1. Look at gas gauge
2. If full, then its the fuel pump

In all seriousness, it should make noise.

 

[HISSIN50]

To know if it's the fuel pump, you need to check the electrical side of it (you can have a full tank of gas, but no current reaching the pump).

If you have power reaching the pump, you need to check potential across the pump connector, and possibly do a pressure and volume test.

 

[99FiveOh]

This sounds like a PIP sensor failure to me as well. It does directly affect the fuel pump prime out. I had the same exact problem and almost ripped my fuel pump out but went ahead and changed the dizzy. Problem solved. If your distributor is original and the car has some miles on it you should replace it anyway or it WILL leave you on the side of the road if it's not the problem now.