Help Mach 1 Wont Start After Stored For The Winter

Maybe you got a fuel filter clogged or fuel pump kicked the bucket? That is my first thoughts.

Having the same exact problem. Car stored since October (unheated garage) (Antarctic Chicago winter) - battery tender on battery - Stabil put in full tank of 93 octane (Diablo tuned)

Hard to start - starter spins all day, but it will turn over if you get lucky and dont flood it too much.
When started - stumbles and then eventually levels out. Give it a quick stab on the gas pedal - bogs and chokes. Otherwise I let it run untouched and after 15 minutes - dies. And then its back to square one again.....starter spins all day - no turn over - come back tomm and try again.

I have replaced the fuel filter and checked all hoses for any vacuum leaks etc. Nada. Battery has been tested - no issues.

No codes present. No check engine light. If I get it started and rev it by hand via the throttle body smoothly its all good, but as soon as I pull on the butterfly quick i can hear my K&N choking for air and the engine bogs/sputters/eventually dies if I dont give it more gas...

Have done research on here already, everything from the IAC (clean it?) Im leaning more towards a fuel issue here than an idle issue yes?

-to the Fuel rail pressure sensor (taken off - its not broken), to the MAF sensor (it was cleaned last season - how does it get dirty while in storage while inside a CAI tube?), check fuses, or check
the safety switch in the trunk and lastly my favorite - the gas is bad, drain it and fill it up again.

It has a full tank of Mobil 93 octane in there with Stabil in it...never had a problem before...not too keen on dumping 30+ dollars of gas for nothing.

Soooo, is it the fuel pump then and can I get away with the under 200 dollar one at Advance Auto parts? Maybe Im old-school but is a fuel pump a fuel pump or do I need to bend over and pay 400 dollars for the BBK unit so I can brag about it at the strip? *roll eyes*

I just want my car to START and run normally without dropping 5 bills in the process...lol.

Its not the cost I am worried about when it comes to the gas, its more of the wasted time and effort. I have a gut feeling that it is not the gas that is the issue here...

Like I said before, it will run, its dies after 15 minutes, but it runs if you can get it started. Once it dies though, then its back to the cranking all day. Bad gas? I dont think so... My point was - Its gotta be the fuel pump right? Can I get away with a cheaper aftermarket brand or not? Thats all, and if anyone else has any experience with this same scenario your feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks

WhitePony04 said:

Its not the cost I am worried about when it comes to the gas, its more of the wasted time and effort. I have a gut feeling that it is not the gas that is the issue here...

Like I said before, it will run, its dies after 15 minutes, but it runs if you can get it started. Once it dies though, then its back to the cranking all day. Bad gas? I dont think so... My point was - Its gotta be the fuel pump right? Can I get away with a cheaper aftermarket brand or not? Thats all, and if anyone else has any experience with this same scenario your feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks

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If the idea is to change parts that only need changing, then why not perform more tests?

IF the problem is the fuel pump, then KNOWING the fuel pressure will answer this question one way or the other.

Im ing a similar issue my 96 gt was sitting for about 6-7 months and the battery died but when i jumped it the gages were reading correctly and everything seemed fine but after about 15 mins it cut off.. i was thing maybe fuel pump or fuel filter clogged? @VWal @WhitePony04 have you found a solution to this problem yet? Does anyone else have a clue what this could be?

purpstang, the same questions apply and the same analysis applies.

What is the fuel pressure? Knowing this will put you worlds ahead in the trouble shooting process towards replacing those parts that are actually broken.

However, it's always a good idea to start with the basics. Battery good? Cables clean and tight?

If you suspect a clogged fuel filter, what are you waiting for? This is a maintenance item! Maintenance items should even be a question.

Does the motor start on a small amount of starting fluid?

Regarding old gas. Don't discount the possibility of gummed up fuel injectors. If this is suspected, consider an injector cleaning flow test service such as Injectorrx.com. Once cleaned and tested they are as good as new. Cheaper than new.

OBTW, gummed up fuel injectors should be high on the list if the fuel pressure is good and the gas itself is known to be good.