ok, i have a 84 notch back with a carbed 306 roller motor in it ... basically stock besides exhaust,boring,headers,cam,intake,and gearing ... but anyways ... i leave out and traveling down the road going through the gears ... around 3500 in 3rd gear the car starts sputtering or missing a little so i let out on it and put the car in neutral ... the rpms drop all the way to 0 and the car dies ... the car wont start ... sit there a few min.s and the car finally starts back up and idles fine ... leave out and go to 2nd gear and the car dies again ... pull over and the only way the car will start now is if i hold the gas all the way to the floor and crank it and then it only runs till i get out of the gas ... is it my fuel pump or what could it be ... thanks guys i need some help here ... give me some ideas of what it could be ... it might not be a fuel problem just give me ur suggestions with what u have dealt with
fuel problems, need help!!
- Thread starter 84/86notch
- Start date
Are you using the EFI distributor with the TFI module, or the distributor & duraspark box from an 85 or earlier Mustang?
Do you have a fuel pressure gauge to test the pump output? The combination low pressure fuel pump/vacuum gauge is only about $20 at the auto parts stores.
Cranks Ok but no start for carb’d cars.
Updated 4-Sep-2006
Carb'd cars require an old time approach to troubleshooting.
1.) Remove push on connector from starter solenoid and turn ignition switch on. Place car in neutral or Park. Remove coil wire from distributor & and hold 3/8” away from engine block. Jumper the screw with the red wire to the big bolt on the starter solenoid that has the battery wire connected to it. You should get a nice fat blue spark.
Most of the items are electrical in nature, so a test light, or even better, a voltmeter, is helpful to be sure they have power to them.
No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Coil
B.) Distributor PIP sensor or points & condenser
C.) Bad ignition Box or Duraspark unit
D.) No power to ignition system wiring or ignition box (if used)
E.) Bad ignition switch
F.) Bad fuse links.
AutoZone wiring diagrams
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/16/71/3c/0900823d8016713c.jsp for 79-88 model Mustangs
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/19/59/5a/0900823d8019595a.jsp for 89-93 model Mustangs
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1d/db/3c/0900823d801ddb3c.jsp for 94-98 model Mustangs
2.) Spark at coil wire, pull #1 plug wire off at the spark plug and check to see spark. No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Moisture inside distributor – remove cap, dry off & spray with WD40
B.) Distributor cap
C.) Rotor
D.) Spark Plug wires
E.) Coil weak or intermittent - you should see 3/8" fat blue spark with a good coil
3.) Spark at spark plug, but no start.
4.) Pull the air cleaner and sniff for fuel vapor - look for signs of flooding. If so, then press the accelerator to the floor and crank for a while – if the engine is flooded, this will clear it out. You may want to have a jumper battery & cables handy.
5.) Electric fuel pump if you have one, is it getting power? Use a volt meter or test light to probe the wires at the pump.
Don't see any evidence of flooding? Then pump the throttle - does the accelerator pump squirt fuel? If so then you should have enough fuel to start the engine. If not look for fuel delivery problems. Check the fuel pump, and fuel filter. Remember that most carbs have a fuel inlet filter that protects the float needle valve from trash.
Next, get a can of starting fluid (ether) from your local auto parts store: costs a $1.30 or so. Then pull the air cleaner, open the throttle, and spray the ether in it. Reinstall the air cleaner and try to start the car. Do not try to start the car without reinstalling the air cleaner. If it backfires, the chance for a serious fire is increased. If the engine starts now, you have a fuel delivery problem.
A warning about backfires: Holley carbs may have damaged power valves as the result of a backfire. The engine may be hard to start. Other symptoms are that it may seem to load up on fuel and be slow to accelerate until it clears out a bit.
6.) Fuel & ignition OK:
Firing order off: HO & 351 use a different firing order from the non HO engines.
HO & 351W 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Non HO 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
Do you have a fuel pressure gauge to test the pump output? The combination low pressure fuel pump/vacuum gauge is only about $20 at the auto parts stores.
Cranks Ok but no start for carb’d cars.
Updated 4-Sep-2006
Carb'd cars require an old time approach to troubleshooting.
1.) Remove push on connector from starter solenoid and turn ignition switch on. Place car in neutral or Park. Remove coil wire from distributor & and hold 3/8” away from engine block. Jumper the screw with the red wire to the big bolt on the starter solenoid that has the battery wire connected to it. You should get a nice fat blue spark.
Most of the items are electrical in nature, so a test light, or even better, a voltmeter, is helpful to be sure they have power to them.
No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Coil
B.) Distributor PIP sensor or points & condenser
C.) Bad ignition Box or Duraspark unit
D.) No power to ignition system wiring or ignition box (if used)
E.) Bad ignition switch
F.) Bad fuse links.
AutoZone wiring diagrams
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/16/71/3c/0900823d8016713c.jsp for 79-88 model Mustangs
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/19/59/5a/0900823d8019595a.jsp for 89-93 model Mustangs
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1d/db/3c/0900823d801ddb3c.jsp for 94-98 model Mustangs
2.) Spark at coil wire, pull #1 plug wire off at the spark plug and check to see spark. No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Moisture inside distributor – remove cap, dry off & spray with WD40
B.) Distributor cap
C.) Rotor
D.) Spark Plug wires
E.) Coil weak or intermittent - you should see 3/8" fat blue spark with a good coil
3.) Spark at spark plug, but no start.
4.) Pull the air cleaner and sniff for fuel vapor - look for signs of flooding. If so, then press the accelerator to the floor and crank for a while – if the engine is flooded, this will clear it out. You may want to have a jumper battery & cables handy.
5.) Electric fuel pump if you have one, is it getting power? Use a volt meter or test light to probe the wires at the pump.
Don't see any evidence of flooding? Then pump the throttle - does the accelerator pump squirt fuel? If so then you should have enough fuel to start the engine. If not look for fuel delivery problems. Check the fuel pump, and fuel filter. Remember that most carbs have a fuel inlet filter that protects the float needle valve from trash.
Next, get a can of starting fluid (ether) from your local auto parts store: costs a $1.30 or so. Then pull the air cleaner, open the throttle, and spray the ether in it. Reinstall the air cleaner and try to start the car. Do not try to start the car without reinstalling the air cleaner. If it backfires, the chance for a serious fire is increased. If the engine starts now, you have a fuel delivery problem.
A warning about backfires: Holley carbs may have damaged power valves as the result of a backfire. The engine may be hard to start. Other symptoms are that it may seem to load up on fuel and be slow to accelerate until it clears out a bit.
6.) Fuel & ignition OK:
Firing order off: HO & 351 use a different firing order from the non HO engines.
HO & 351W 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Non HO 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
If you are using the TFI distributor, you have no spark advance. The timing stays locked at whatever base setting you have, like 10 degrees or 14 degrees. This hurts performance and economy. The TFI setup uses the computer to generate spark advance. The computer needs input from working EFI sensors like the TPS, MAP/BARO, MAF, ACT and ECT to calculate the spark advance.
Are you using the high pressure in tank EFI fuel pump too?
yes i know i shouldnt be using this distributor setup but its just it was settup and havent gotten around to changing it ... no i do not have an in tank fuel pump ... i have an electric pump set up on the inside of the fender under the hood ... an in line pump i guess you would say .. pushing probable 8 lbs. of pressure and then it is run through a glass filter right into the carb. ... another thing i thought i would mention is that prior to what happenned last night ... the car whenever i would press the clutch in the rpms would remain at like 2000 or so instead of an idle rpm of around 900 or so ... just thought i would put that info. in there as well ... it seemed kind of odd ... but the car has acted like it did last night a few times but it would always crank back up and drive fine for a week or two or three and then i would be driving and it would just go dead ... but either i would put it in neutral and crank it back up or i would pull over and it would crank up after a few min. and drive fine the rest of the way home .. but last night it did it again and it cranked back up once and idled fine but when i left out it died when i got into second gear ... then the only way i could start it was to hold the gas pedal all the way to the floor and crank it ..... i appreciate u helping me with this problem im having bc the car is stranded in a parking lot now waiting on me to fix it ...
mustangkid05
New Member
- Mar 10, 2006
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