Something is wrong w/ my car...please help diagnose

[pinski]

Hey guys,

Well I went out this morning to leave for my 8 am class and I hop in my car and back out of my spot to leave. As soon as I pull into the road the check engine light pops on (well at least that's when I noticed it) and I hear this ticking noise coming from the back of the vehicle. I turn off the radio and listen harder and it sounds A LOT like when you put a playing card in between the spokes of a bicycle. I pull off the road to check around the car and look underneath and nothing looks amiss, I also couldn't hear the ticking outside the car, but that was probably due to the exhaust's loudness. Also the engine was idling about 200rpm faster than normal and lobbing a little bit at the same time. But teh engine sounded great, as did the exhaust, so that's why i'm thinking something in the fuel system...

I return to my apt. complex (the car was only driven a total of maybe 1/8 of a mile) and park it and cut it off. I put it back in the pre-ignition stage because since it was coming from the rear I thought "fuel pump"...and in the pre ignition stage the pump comes on for a second to deliver fuel and then cuts off. Well it came on, but never cut off, so I cut the car off again and proceeded to walk to class.

So I'm thinking fuel pump... does anyone else have any ideas what it might be, or does this sound right? Basically what do you think it is and how much am I looking at to get it fixed

 

[jstreet0204]

Try the fuel filter first. It could the pump or the pick-up may be clogged.

 

[pinski]

I'll try that first, definitely the cheapest option...and I haven't replaced it for a while so it is probably due regardless. Thanks for the reply! Anyone else? What would make it do that ticking noise???

 

[Abso]

Check engine is usually some part of the air/fuel delivery. Could also check the MAF.

 

[jstreet0204]

More than likely it is the pump if the ticking is very loud. If it is working properly it should make more of a buzzing noise, but the noise could change if the fuel line was clogged either in the filter or the pick-up. The light probably came on due to a lean condition caused by one of the previously mentioned problems.

 

[pinski]

More than likely it is the pump if the ticking is very loud. If it is working properly it should make more of a buzzing noise, but the noise could change if the fuel line was clogged either in the filter or the pick-up. The light probably came on due to a lean condition caused by one of the previously mentioned problems.

That's what I'm thinking too. Is there any way to clean the fuel lines to keep whatever might be clogging up the pump or filter so that crud or whatever won't make it to the engine? Or do I need to take it somewhere?

 

[SilverHorse]

That's what I'm thinking too. Is there any way to clean the fuel lines to keep whatever might be clogging up the pump or filter so that crud or whatever won't make it to the engine? Or do I need to take it somewhere?

Remove the cover from behind the driver side tail light in the trunk. You will find the fuel pump reset switch at the top (I think) around there some place. See if the button can be pressed. If it can you may just have needed to reset the pump. I've never had this happen in a Mustang but it did happen in an Escort GT I had.

 

[pinski]

Remove the cover from behind the driver side tail light in the trunk. You will find the fuel pump reset switch at the top (I think) around there some place. See if the button can be pressed. If it can you may just have needed to reset the pump. I've never had this happen in a Mustang but it did happen in an Escort GT I had.

I'll go out and try that to see if it helps. Thanks!

 

[pinski]

Alright, I didn't do ANYTHING to the car and it's working again fine. I was about to go and reset the fuel pump but decided to try it again first and it ran like a dream. So basically now i'm CERTAIN that it's in need of a new fuel filter, because the check engine light also went off, so that must've been on b/c of the lean condition.

Thanks for everyone's help!