Fuel Pump Problems

JIffy94

New Member
May 17, 2003
58
0
0
Arvada Colorado
Alright, heres the problem. When i go to start my car and turn the key just to on the fuel pump doesnt prime any more, but when i turn the key over to ignition i can hear it prime and then as soon as i back it off to on again it stops. the only way i can keep the car running is if i hold the key to ignition just far enough to keep the fuel pump running and the starter disengaged. i have checked to see if the fuel pump was bad by plugging in my stocker and it didnt solve it, i have tried switching over the two relays from a donor car and that didnt solve it, but im not sure if the relays were in good condition. So, what the heck is wrong with my damn car? thanks for help in advance. -Jeff
 
about all I can think of is the wiring in your steering wheel might have problems...the ignition switch is what i'd check out first. I can't really think of anything else. Given your scenario, I really doubt it's the actual fuel system; since it goes off and on when you move the ignition, it indicates a problem with the ignition.
 
TheUser said:
about all I can think of is the wiring in your steering wheel might have problems...the ignition switch is what i'd check out first. I can't really think of anything else. Given your scenario, I really doubt it's the actual fuel system; since it goes off and on when you move the ignition, it indicates a problem with the ignition.
agreed. inspect the switch and cylinder.
 
yea i would say your problem isnt with the pump...because you said that it does actually prime. I would pull the lower dash apart and check all the ignition connections, switches, and even the tumbler itself. good luck man
 
i forgot to mention that i have replaced the ignition module that slides back and forth. Still stumped, i have checked a lot of the wiring under the dash to see if they have good connections, but it does make me wonder if it does have something to do with the wiring around the steering column because when the problem started i had JUST turned left onto another street, downshifted, sputtered and died. I know the pump primes, but it only primes when the key is turned all the way over to ignition, then when i roll it back it immediately kicks back off. I'll double check the wires again. thanks guys.
 
well, i double and triple checked the wires that i can see when the dash is apart and cant seem to find a solution. Im so frustrated and stumped. I will try those damn relays again, but im posivite that they werent the problem, but i could be wrong so ill humor everyone. Anymore suggestions? thanks for the replies
 
ninety15.0 said:
you also might want to take a look at the fuel pump relay underneath the drivers seat and all the associated wiring that goes along with it.
That'd be my guess.

Also, there's a reset button in the rear hatch area, around the lock. Sometimes they randomly go off if they've hit a hard bump, or at times even when they feel like it at times. Big PITA!!!
 
88hatchblack said:
i don't mean to insult your intelligence, but is everything on the starter soleniod hooked up right? i accidentally hooked everything up backwards once and that is what happened. it took me forever to figure it out.

dont worry about it, i belive everything is hooked up ok, but just to make sure that that isnt the problem ill check it again, but the thing is, is that i was driving the car just the day before, put it away in the garage that night, woke up to go to school and this is what happened. ill check the inertia switch too, thanks ya'll
 
if the pump primes and works (as you said in post 5), except when the ignition is jiggled (not tweaked) - the feed and control paths to the FP should be fine (including the intertia switch).

there is a direct cause and effect here - i would take it back apart and play with it (ie probing wires in the ignition while you do your magic with the key position). you mention having gone over it, but im not sure what that entailed exactly.

just my thinking. good luck.
 
Two things:

1.) There is a FREE recall on Ford ignition switches. They overheat and sometimes catch fire.

Copy down you VIN number and call the Ford dealer nearest you. Tell them you want to see if the ignition switch recall for Fords & Mustangs was done on your car. They will ask for the VIN number & check it against the master database. If it isn't in the database, then you can schedule an appointment to have the switch replaced for free. The TSB is #95S28, and don't let them tell you that they don't do that anymore...

if that doesn't fix it, try this...

Clue – listen for the fuel pump to prime when you first turn the ignition switch on. It should run for 5-20 seconds and shut off. To trick the fuel pump into running, find the ECC test connector and jump the connector in the lower RH corner to ground. See http://www.mustangworks.com/articles/electronics/eec-iv_codes.html for a description of the test connector. If the relay & inertia switch are OK, you will have power to the pump. Check fuel pressure – remove the cap from the schrader valve behind the alternator and depress the core. Fuel should squirt out, catch it in a rag. A tire pressure gauge can also be used if you have one - look for 37-40 PSI. Beware of fire hazard when you do this.

No fuel pressure, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Tripped inertia switch – press reset button on the inertia switch. The hatch cars hide it under the plastic trim covering the driver's side taillight. Use the voltmeter or test light to make sure you have power to both sides of the switch
B.) Fuel pump power relay – located under the driver’s seat in most stangs built before 92. On 92 and later model cars it is located below the Mass Air Flow meter.
C.) Clogged fuel filter
D.) Failed fuel pump
E.) Blown fuse link in wiring harness. Use a voltmeter to measure the voltage drop across them. There should be less than .75 volt drop across a fuse link.
F.) Fuel pressure regulator failed. Remove vacuum line from regulator and inspect for fuel escaping while pump is running.

The electrical circuit for the fuel pump has two paths, a control path and a power path.

The control path consists of the inertia switch, the computer, and the fuel pump relay coil. It turns the fuel pump relay on or off under computer control. The switched power (red wire) from the ECC relay goes to the inertia switch (red/black wire) then from the inertia switch to the relay coil and then from the relay coil to the computer (tan/ Lt green wire). The computer provides the ground path to complete the circuit. This ground causes the relay coil to energize and close the contacts for the power path. Keep in mind that you can have voltage to all the right places, but the computer must provide a ground. If there is no ground, the relay will not close the power contacts.

The power path picks up from a fuse link near the starter relay. Fuse links are like fuses, except they are pieces of wire and are made right into the wiring harness. The feed wire from the fuse link (orange/ light blue wire) goes to the fuel pump relay contacts. When the contacts close because the relay energizes, the power flows through the contacts to the fuel pump (light pink/black wire). The fuel pump has a black wire that supplies the ground to complete the circuit.

Remember that the computer does not source power for any actuator or relay, but provides the ground necessary to complete the circuit. That means one side of the circuit will always be hot, and the other side will go to ground or below 1 volt as the computer switches on that circuit.

See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host)

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91eecPinout.gif

Now that you have the theory of how it works, it’s time to go digging.

Look for 12 volts at the Orange/Lt. Blue wire (power source for fuel pump relay). No voltage or low voltage, bad fuse link, bad wiring or connections. There is a mystery connector (one I haven’t found) under the dash somewhere, between the fuel pump relay and the fuse link.

Turn on the key and jumper the fuel pump test connector to ground as previously described. Look for 12 volts at the Light Pink/Black wire (relay controlled power for the fuel pump). No voltage there means that the relay has failed or there is a broken wire in the relay control circuit.
Check the Red/black wire, it should have 12 volts. No 12 volts there, either the inertia switch is open or has no power to it. Check both sides of the inertia switch: there should be power on the Red wire and Red/Black wire. Power on the Red wire and not on the Red/Black wire means the inertia switch is open.