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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Fuel pump wont prime

  • Thread starter Thread starter mac16
  • Start date Start date Sep 25, 2006

mac16

Member
Sep 9, 2004
51
2
8
Sep 25, 2006
#1
  • Sep 25, 2006
  • #1
To start off the pump has only a a few thousand miles on it, and i dont think the pump is shot. I go out to my car like normal, turn the key listen to it prime try to start but i didnt push the clutch in far enough, so i turn the key back push the clutch in and how the pump will not prime. I turn the key 3x none of which it will prime, and the car wont start. I left the car for a few hours, come back and it still wont prime? Ive never had a problem with the pump or anything so im not sure what to think. Any ideas on what the problem is? solutions? thanks guys
 
8

86bluecobra

Advanced Member
Dec 20, 2004
4,265
12
69
B.C. Canada
Sep 25, 2006
#2
  • Sep 25, 2006
  • #2
either your pump is shot or it is not getting power for some reason.
look at this link. http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=662506
 

mac16

Member
Sep 9, 2004
51
2
8
Sep 25, 2006
#3
  • Sep 25, 2006
  • #3
nvm.
 

mac16

Member
Sep 9, 2004
51
2
8
Sep 26, 2006
#4
  • Sep 26, 2006
  • #4
thats what i was afriad of, any other possiblilities? and if im looking for a new fp could anyone direct me in a good place to order one from? thanks
 

nasty93

New Member
Sep 18, 2006
9
0
0
rogers,ar.
Sep 26, 2006
#5
  • Sep 26, 2006
  • #5
every now and then my pump loses conction. and i have to reach on the top of the tank and jigile the plug and i'm good for awhile. try that. If not i got a 255 lph for $60 on ebay.
 

DMAN302

My mom says thanks for the pearl necklace.
Nov 8, 2003
2,120
2
59
windsor, Canada
Sep 26, 2006
#6
  • Sep 26, 2006
  • #6
My relay fried some time ago..no reason just dead. Fuel pump relays tend to get hot on a regular basis as I have recently learned, they can go out withou warning. Also note to check Jricher (sorry if miss spelled..long day) he's posted SEVERAL times on check systems to find the problem. Don't drop the tank untill you've made every attempt to find the real cause. I will note that when the relay dies the pump will not prime..no pressure, will not start...just somewhere for you to start looking.
 

mob

the guy who hits on his mom
20+ Year Stangneter
Oct 3, 2003
2,566
136
104
Dallas, TX
Sep 26, 2006
#7
  • Sep 26, 2006
  • #7
i had a small little ground that probably went to my computer that wasent hooked up, fuel pump wouldnt prime either, if the pump is fairly new, id look to see whats causing it to not get power.
 

gcwh02

New Member
Jun 20, 2005
515
0
0
pottstown, PA
Sep 26, 2006
#8
  • Sep 26, 2006
  • #8
If you didnt hear your FP prime then most likely there is a bad electrical connection. Like Dman, i have had my relay fry too, and the wires going to the pump. I would drop the tank and see if the wires are in good shape/connected.
EDIT: nice avatar, boondock saints is kick ass movie
 

DEFWISH

Member
Feb 25, 2006
87
0
8
Wichita, Ks
Sep 26, 2006
#9
  • Sep 26, 2006
  • #9
how hard did you kick the clutch, could have tripped the inertia switch lead foot, jk. but seriously,if you have to get a new one, i like my 255lph, is good
 

281pony

Active Member
Aug 31, 2003
2,681
2
46
Oly, WA
Sep 27, 2006
#10
  • Sep 27, 2006
  • #10
fuel pump probably burnt up. never had good luck with them in that car.

did it ever prime weird up to that? sound different? if i was lucky, i heard that a couple times before it signed off.
 
B

Boss 351

Here sthhhhhhhheeeve take a picthh of my man flowe
Jul 13, 2003
2,433
23
48
Canada
Sep 27, 2006
#11
  • Sep 27, 2006
  • #11
Well you can go under the seat to check the pump relay for starters... check to see if the kill switch is working properly too...
 
D

Daggar

New Member
Jul 19, 2004
3,902
5
0
Sep 27, 2006
#12
  • Sep 27, 2006
  • #12
--thread moved to tech--
 

Modular2v

Founding Member
Jun 30, 2002
3,222
23
99
oklahoma
Sep 27, 2006
#13
  • Sep 27, 2006
  • #13
did u check the relay?
 

jammer84_03

New Member
Nov 30, 2003
468
1
0
Sep 27, 2006
#14
  • Sep 27, 2006
  • #14
check the switch behind your paneling in the rear of the car on the drivers side. if you have a hard time closing the hatch and have to almost slam it you might have popped the sensor, just push the white piece down i believe and youshould be set. i just did it the other day...lol
 

jrichker

StangNet's favorite TOOL
In Remembrance. Thank you for your contributions
Mar 10, 2000
27,512
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Dublin GA
Sep 27, 2006
#15
  • Sep 27, 2006
  • #15
Lets try to get this guy the right year tech note since he has an 88GT...

Fuel Pump Troubleshooting for 86-90 Mustangs

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.

If the fuse links 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.
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 any power to actuators, relays
or injectors, 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

Diagram courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds



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, bad ignition switch or ignition
switch wiring or connections. There is a mystery connector somewhere under the
driver’s side kick panel, 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.

The Tan/Lt Green wire provides a ground path for the relay power. With the test
connector jumpered to ground, there should be less than .75 volts. Use a test
lamp with one side connected to battery power and the other side to the
Tan/Lt Green wire. The test light should glow brightly. No glow and you have a
broken wire or bad connection between the test connector and the relay. To test
the wiring from the computer, remove the passenger side kick panel and
disconnect the computer connector. It has a 10 MM bolt that holds it in place.
With the test lamp connected to power, jumper pin 22 to ground and the test
lamp should glow. No glow and the wiring between the computer and the fuel
pump relay is bad.

If all of the checks have worked OK to this point, then the computer is bad. The
computers are very reliable and not prone to failure unless there has been
significant electrical trauma to the car. Things like lightning strikes and putting
the battery in backwards or connecting jumper cables backwards are about the
only thing that kills the computer.
 
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