Need Help quick: Car in Parking lot and wont start

[DJHA90]

Ok. So my car has been running fine for days. Wife took it to store this morning and when she came out it wouldnt start. It turns over, it just wont start up... What do I need to check? FP gauge shows fuel pressure...

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Bring a spare spark plug and look for spark. Does the fuel pump prime, or is it just holding fuel pressure? Should probably grab a noid light to check for injector pulsing, while you're at it. It's probably either the TFI or PIP, so at least it'll be an easy fix to make in the parking lot in either case.

 

[FSTNG]

I doubt your car took a strong enough hit in the parking lot to trip the inertia switch without you seeing some damage but it's a quick thing to check as well just to cover all the bases if you can't tell if the fuel pump is running or not.

 

[DJHA90]

So I went back to the parking lot to check a few things -- and the car started right up... Now I am really confused

 

[FSTNG]

That sounds like TFI. I'd swap that out and if it still has a problem try a different dist. I have had the magnetic pickup inside the dist go bad on me before so it's not unheard of, but the TFI module goes bad more often.

 

[HISSIN50]

On 94-95's, the PIPs go out more often than the TFI's (what FSTNG said is correct for fox III's however). The remote-mount TFI's in a heat-sink help them last, while the shorter hoodline causes PIPs to crap out sooner.

I've seen a PIP go hot/cold like yours did. But as Matt and others noted, one variable was the cool-down period (which can often relate to a bad coil or TFI).

Good luck.

 

[FSTNG]

Yep, I forgot about the remote mounted TFI on the SN-95. Is the PIP easy to replace on those? I always found it easier to replace the dist on my fox, which is why I keep a backup on hand

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

To replace the PIP on ours, it's just as involved as on the Fox because the distributor gear still has to come off. It might still be easier to replace the whole distributor, versus having someone press the gear on and off.

 

[FSTNG]

Yep, that's what I figured. I keep a cheap motorcraft dist as my backup since I've had my MSD crap out before. That way I can do a quick swap and be back on the road while I fix my primary dist.

 

[DJHA90]

Time-line The car sat overnight before my wife drove to the store. It took about 5-10 minutes to get to the store and she was in the store about 10 minutes. I came back about 3 hrs later and it started. It has never done this before.

 

[DJHA90]

So the car worked fine until today. Wife was driving home from work and she said the car started bucking for a couple of seconds. Then later when she came to a stop light -- it died. She said as the rpm droped, she gave it gas but it just died. It wouldnt start up for a couple of minutes. She pulled into a parking lot and called me. I came and drove it home with absolutely no issues or symptoms.

Does this still sound like the distributor? If it does, I guess i will pick one up this weekend.

 

[cbarr300]

If I had to put money on it I'd say PIP failure. As was mentioned earlier you should check for injector pulsing. Go to harbor freight, autozone, where ever...and they should have a set for about 12 or 15 bux. It's cheap and it's a good diagnostic tool. All you do is unplug one of your injector connectors, put the bosch noid light on there, and get it in a place where you can see it as you are cranking.

If it pulses, then you have injector pulsing. If it doesn't pulse, then you don't have pulsing.

The PIP (hall effect) controls you injector firing and it also controls your spark. If you have no spark, and no injector pulsing...I'd look towards the PIP. If you have injector pulsing but no spark...I'd look towards the coil or TFI....(coil would have my money if that were the case).

Simple diagnostics will save you TONS of money. Cuz if you go out and buy a dizzy for a $100 or so....and that doesn't fix it cuz its the coil, then, well...I guess you just got a new dizzy, but you still have to buy a new coil. Just don't go throwing parts at it ask me how I know (or better yet my wallet)

good luck

 

[DJHA90]

I have a set of noids. Unfortunately, the problem is only happeing when she drives it. I guess I will need to drive it around this weekend and try to get it to fail. She wont drive it anymore...

 

[cbarr300]

haha, that's no good then.

You prolly won't have a problem with it now that you're driving it and TRYING to find out what's up.....I hate cars sometimes. I swear they have a mind of their own, haha.

 

[DJHA90]

aaaarrrrgggghhh. It just happened to me.

I had to push the pos out of the way in a parking lot. When I had it out of the way -I tried the starter again - it started. Didn't even get a chance to get under the hood.

I guess I am going to need to throw some parts at it (distributor and coil) because I cant afford to have it die during rush hour traffic. I was lucky that it died in a parking lot this time.

Is there anything else I can check first?

 

[cbarr300]

I guess you could pull codes...but that prolly wouldn't tell you much. You may get the PIP code though.

other than that....I guess you could take the parts and have them tested (though those tests aren't always all that reliable.) If you have them check your stuff....make sure they do the test several times. That way the parts get nice and heated.

sorry I can't help more...but the only time you can really trouble shoot this is when it's down.

 

[Mustangless]

Mine has only died once, but I sound like I am having the same problem. It died, then took me 5 minutes to get it started. It ran fine, although I did not really stop for redlights or anything. Got home and it starts perfect.

Did you ever figure out the problem?

 

[DJHA90]

It was the distributor -- just like everyone said. Replaced it with a remanufactured one and it worked fine!!!