well for the fourth time since i moved here to the armpit of the world - aka charleston sc - some jacka$$ has broken into my car, and this time they decided they would try to steal it AGAIN. they ripped the steering column off and fooled around. i have a hidden starter kill switch so they weren;t able to hot wire it. problem is they apparently had a few monutes to work on the car - my back seats were folded down so i knw they were back there messing around. the carpet and felt was pulled back and i found where they cut the red wire to the fuel pump. i have no damned idea what they thought they were doing. so after i get the police report and take the pictures i try to fix the wire to the fuel pump - but the fuel pump won't shut off. i checked and double checked all the wiring under the steering column and nothing is out of place. they ripped out a good length of the red wire that goes to the fuel pump so i ran a patch wire. only thing i can think of that maybe my patch wire is not the same gauge wire as the red wire they cut and ripped out. any electricians with advice. could it be a simple matter of replacing the wire with one of the same gauge? i need to get this fixed tonight - have to be at work in the morning!!!
jacka$$ tried to steal my car this morning, now fuel pump won't shut off.....
- Thread starter 90lxfoxbody
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mustangsally93
New Member
That bull ****!!! If you want when I get back I can bring a my (mk 249s.a.w) Big army gun!! I'll shoot the A Hole missin with you pony!!You should put a big burning cross in you yard before you go to bed!!!!
Patch wire should be 12-14 gauge.
Here's the fuel pump problem test path. Go though it and get some understanding on how it is supposed to work. Then start looking for problems with the FP relay or the tan/green relay coil signal wire that the computer grounds to close the relay and turn the pump on. Be sure to check out or even print the wiring diagrams from Tmoss & Stang&2birds website. They are a major clue to finding what's wrong.
Fuel Pump Troubleshooting for 87-90 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. 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.
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
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.
Here's the fuel pump problem test path. Go though it and get some understanding on how it is supposed to work. Then start looking for problems with the FP relay or the tan/green relay coil signal wire that the computer grounds to close the relay and turn the pump on. Be sure to check out or even print the wiring diagrams from Tmoss & Stang&2birds website. They are a major clue to finding what's wrong.
Fuel Pump Troubleshooting for 87-90 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. 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.
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
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.
Roland69
Sergeant Tangnet
Zero_chance
Founding Member
I know you said you already double checked under the column but besides fixing the wire the moron tore out, double check all the connectors and make sure all the wires are properly seated, etc. Sorry to hear that. Howd they get in, broken window? If so, that must get annoying as hell to keep replacing.
ok. i have peeled the tape way back and as far as i can tell the solid red wire is the only one affected. with the first patch wire i ran it stayed running. i ran a switch inline so i can cut it off for the time being. given that the red wire seems to be the only one affected - what does that mean? none of the other wires looked to be pulled at or loose. i am going to check them with a meter just to be sure though.
There is no fuse - only a fuse link in the wiring harness up next to the starter solenoid. See http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif for more information.Roland69 said:
Euphoric306
New Member
- Apr 5, 2004
- 905
- 0
- 0
FYI - a fuel cutoff switch is a lot more effective than a starter kill switch if your car is a 5spd. on the off chance the culprit tries to push-start your car, the fuel cutoff wouldn't let this work, but the starter kill would be bypassed
mine did the same thing 4 days ago - the fuel pump just kept running - even with the key off.... I replaced the fuel pump relay (1 inch square black box) and it works perfectly again - I have no idea why it started doing it - I had just replaced the relays 6 months ago with Advance Auto Parts relays because the old ones were crusty looking. - good luck
Guys can know that we put kill switches on the fuel pump control side, so they jump the constant power feed at the relay to the output at the relay.
Not that it is the case here, but it can happen.
Not that it is the case here, but it can happen.
If they had real skills, maby they wouldn't steal cars. People who steal are all lowlifes because they can't get it themselves honestly. I thought it was so funny the other day where those cops beat up that car thief that tried to run. They kicked his ass, and he looked like such a little bitch getting handled like that. OMFG do I hate carthieves.
I am sure Jrichker's advice will help you fix the problem. Good luck.
I am sure Jrichker's advice will help you fix the problem. Good luck.
The world has changed SO much since I was a kid. I grew up next door to a cop. When we all moved into the new houses, he was a sargeant and eventually became the Assistant Police Chief in St Louis. Back in the day, when you broke the law, the cops DID beat your azz as an incentive to not do it again - because they would tell them "the next time we catch you you'll get a WORSE beating". Everybody knew it happened and most decent folks thought the guy got what he deserved. We used to sit outside on the patio at night and he and my dad would drink beers, listen to the ball game and talk about what Ed saw and did.
Now they'd get their pants sued off and loose their job. Are we really better off?
Now they'd get their pants sued off and loose their job. Are we really better off?
RUNINAGT
Member
WOW you said charleston, that's where im @. Where ya been parking. I live in summerville and work West Ashley. Give me your location.
