I just bought my 89 a few days ago, the gas guage has read full since I bought it, I have put around 100 miles on the car since then. the guy I bought it from said It had a full tank of gas. Back in the early 90's I used to drive a 79 that the fuel gauge would read full until you hit the 120-140 mile range, then it would take a dive towards empty. So I figured that was what the guage was doing.
well
I got off work this morning at 7. went home then took my son to school. I made it about half way back and the car died. It was like I had lost all spark. I pushed it out of the intersection only to find that my glove box lock would not work. I had locked my wallet and cell phone in there when I was warming up the car before I left work. which sucks because I was going to call my wife.
Just then a police car pulled up behind me. He asked me If I needed help. Luckily I knew him from my interactions with the police at work. (I work in an emergency room, and as a medic at the fire station). I sheepishly told him I was out of gas. He told me that he would run down to the fire station (it was only two blocks away) and see if there was a gas can. I sit there trying and wait, trying furiously to unlock my frick fracking fork farking glove box.
he comes back in a few minutes with a gallon of gas for the ventalation fan. I pour it in and let the fuel pump prime a few times and try to start it, which does not work. I spend about ten minutes trying to get it started. At this point I am starting to get extremely paranoid there is something majorly wrong with the car. Since I just bought it used and have no clue if the previous owner jury rigged something. I can already hear my wife bitching "you just had to buy that POS mustang, couldnt buy a honda. Hondas last forever and ever, but no. You had to get another piece of crap ford"
I was checking to see if there was an impact sensor in the trunk, but cannot find it. just then a couple of my buddies drive by and offer to push the car down to the fire hall. I decided it was better than sitting on the side of the road with the police behind me with thier lights on. So while they were pushing it one of my buddies decides to jump up on the trunk lid. Which resulted in his knee going through one of my tail lights.
He said he would pay for it, but in reality. I was screwed worse if he did not help. Plus they were pretty brittle.
I get it to the fire hall and start trying to figure out what is going on. I pull the fuses hoping it was something simple as a blown fuse, I check the coil wire, check the spark, check to see if the air filter is clogged (actually had that happen on my 86 f150), unplug the MAF sensor and plug it back in. I start to check to see if the engine is getting fuel. But realize that I have no clue how to do this with an FI engine.
so I decide to try and start it again. Which it fires up the first crank
at least it was not something serious. Still nervous about driving a used car. Its going to take a few months for it to build my confidence in it. Since I have very little history on how it was driven.
Cliff notes.
I have been up for 20 hours, got off work. Fuel gauge said full. But it was really empty. Broke a tail light, need a new fuel guage sender.
well
I got off work this morning at 7. went home then took my son to school. I made it about half way back and the car died. It was like I had lost all spark. I pushed it out of the intersection only to find that my glove box lock would not work. I had locked my wallet and cell phone in there when I was warming up the car before I left work. which sucks because I was going to call my wife.
Just then a police car pulled up behind me. He asked me If I needed help. Luckily I knew him from my interactions with the police at work. (I work in an emergency room, and as a medic at the fire station). I sheepishly told him I was out of gas. He told me that he would run down to the fire station (it was only two blocks away) and see if there was a gas can. I sit there trying and wait, trying furiously to unlock my frick fracking fork farking glove box.
he comes back in a few minutes with a gallon of gas for the ventalation fan. I pour it in and let the fuel pump prime a few times and try to start it, which does not work. I spend about ten minutes trying to get it started. At this point I am starting to get extremely paranoid there is something majorly wrong with the car. Since I just bought it used and have no clue if the previous owner jury rigged something. I can already hear my wife bitching "you just had to buy that POS mustang, couldnt buy a honda. Hondas last forever and ever, but no. You had to get another piece of crap ford"
I was checking to see if there was an impact sensor in the trunk, but cannot find it. just then a couple of my buddies drive by and offer to push the car down to the fire hall. I decided it was better than sitting on the side of the road with the police behind me with thier lights on. So while they were pushing it one of my buddies decides to jump up on the trunk lid. Which resulted in his knee going through one of my tail lights.
He said he would pay for it, but in reality. I was screwed worse if he did not help. Plus they were pretty brittle.
I get it to the fire hall and start trying to figure out what is going on. I pull the fuses hoping it was something simple as a blown fuse, I check the coil wire, check the spark, check to see if the air filter is clogged (actually had that happen on my 86 f150), unplug the MAF sensor and plug it back in. I start to check to see if the engine is getting fuel. But realize that I have no clue how to do this with an FI engine.
so I decide to try and start it again. Which it fires up the first crank
at least it was not something serious. Still nervous about driving a used car. Its going to take a few months for it to build my confidence in it. Since I have very little history on how it was driven.
Cliff notes.
I have been up for 20 hours, got off work. Fuel gauge said full. But it was really empty. Broke a tail light, need a new fuel guage sender.