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Car not starting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Posted by: surfaaron

My 87 mark is not starting. It turns over but is not doing its thing. Yesterday it was hard to start but it finally did but today it is not. Where should I start with this. Thanks for all your help.

Posted by: JoshMcMadMac

I would start under the hood.

Check the battery, it sounds like it's dying.

Posted by: surfaaron

The battery seems fine. The car just keeps cranking but wont start. I have not even killed all the juice in the battery yet. I am going to check if it has spark right now and go from there. I was just wondering if there was some part that is notorious for causing this. Thanks.

Posted by: surfaaron

I got it to start after cranking it over a bunch. It is getting spark, I am just wondering if the coil is weak or is working and not working. Is that possible? What else should I check? Thanks

Posted by: Black87LSC

Put a fuel pressure gauge on it to see what your reading is. I forget what the reading is supposed to be and im not in front of the shop manual, but somebody will chime in... Sounds like a weak fuel pump to me

Posted by: surfaaron

If the pump is weak would it run well once it is started. If I dont have a gauge how else can I tell if the pump is weak. Thanks for your help. This is going to drive me nuts

Posted by: JoshMcMadMac

Could be the fuel filter killing your pressure, too. If the battery is known to be good and has adequate volts/amps, then it's most likely fuel or possibly the coil like you mentioned.

Posted by: surfaaron

Is the only way to check the coil is to check for spark? I am going to change the fuel filter, which needs to get done any way, and see what happens. Any tricks to changing it. It looks easy enough. Thanks for your help.

Posted by: surfaaron

So if I push the gas pedal all the way to the floor and hold it then try and start it she will fire up. Fuel pump,filter?

Posted by: Bud Badiali

Dunno if you fixed it yet, but that (pedal to the floor) provides an over-ride signal of the system when the ECU gets a rich/flooded mixture signal. Had this problem in a 5.0 in a Van. turned out to be a bad ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature ) sensor. Need to run codes on it.

Posted by: sam_spade38

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfaaron

So if I push the gas pedal all the way to the floor and hold it then try and start it she will fire up. Fuel pump,filter?

Curious to know if you got your problem fixed. I have had the same thing with my 98 Mark for over a year. The only consistent factor is if it sits for several days, it is the very devil to get started. The fuel seems to leak out of the system and it has difficulty getting it "pumped" back up so it will start. Sometimes holding the pedal to the metal works, sometimes pumping it, despite the manual. I have had codes, fuel pump, gas tank, temp sensors, etc checked, changed until the cost has gotten prohibitive. I just need to start it ever few days. I know now that when I am out of town for a week, I might be 2 or 3 days getting it fired up again. Wish there was some simple answer.

Posted by: OldSchool1

surfaaron

How's the 1987?

Posted by: Jerry strong

Hi, need help. I have a mark7 86, that fails to start. I have spark. I am thinking fuel. Replace battery, fuel relay in trunk, I have power to that relay. removed the fuel pump, I will have it checked. One other thing, the power windows failed at the same time? My manual, Haynes talks about a second relay but I cannot find it. the manual talks about the 1988, 5.0 engine. Do know where that relay is in the 1986. Thanks for the help, Jerry

Posted by: OldSchool1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry strong

Hi, need help. I have a mark7 86, that fails to start. I have spark. I am thinking fuel. Replace battery, fuel relay in trunk, I have power to that relay. removed the fuel pump, I will have it checked. One other thing, the power windows failed at the same time? My manual, Haynes talks about a second relay but I cannot find it. the manual talks about the 1988, 5.0 engine. Do know where that relay is in the 1986. Thanks for the help, Jerry

Hi Jerry,

Our cars need air, fuel, and fire to run so you're going to have to test those three items. You can use the search feature here to locate some information on the tests.
air - compression test (no more than 15# high to low)
fuel - pressure test (@43# at the fuel rail)
fire - spark test (at any spark plug)

Haynes is a good manual but the Ford Shop Manual is better. The relays can be found in the EVTMs (Electrical Vacuum Troubleshooting Manuals).

Posted by: Lincolnlov

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfaaron

Is the only way to check the coil is to check for spark? I am going to change the fuel filter, which needs to get done any way, and see what happens. Any tricks to changing it. It looks easy enough. Thanks for your help.

Its pretty staight forward. Let the presssure in the system drop (i.e. key off for an hour or more) Pull off the plastic clips on either end of the filter, slide the input and output lines off and reverse proceedure for the replacement filter. Be sure to note the flow direction of the new filter so that the inlet side is connected to the supply line from the tank. Good luck

Posted by: Classick Rider

You could just check the battery wires and terminals see if they seem closed off you just unbolt them and buy new ones..it worked for me. But if you dont have the cash for the moment you could get a grinder try force it open.

Posted by: Techman

Replace the TFI and it will most likely run just fine.

Posted by: FBRIONES

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMcMadMac

I would start under the hood.

Check the battery, it sounds like it's dying.

SAY IM NEW 2 THIS BUT I GOT A 97 LINCOLN TOWNCAR JACK SICKLOUS SIGNATURE SERIES.... AND 4 SOME REASON MY CAR WONT START, IT CRANKS AND EVERYTHINK BUT IT WONT START, AND AFTER A LONG TIME OF TRYIN 2 CRANK IT IT STARTS BUT SOUND VERY WEAK, THEN DIES, IT JUS DIES 4 A LONG TME THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN IT STAYS ON IT IDLES REALLY LOW A LOUD POP SOUND WILL OCCUR THEN EVERYTHING POWERS UP AS IF SOMETHING WAS CLOGGED OR SOMETHING I DONT KNO WAT 2 DO N IT JUS STARTED DOIN THIS IN THE COLD WEATHER...IT DOES THIS ABOUT EVERY 3-4 DAYZ...

Posted by: Ricks90billblass

Quote:

Originally Posted by FBRIONES

Crank/Cam shaft position sensor could be going out or it is out of adjustment. Fuel filter, water in fuel tank, bad spark plugs, or bad mass air meter. best thing to do is on a day that it is running take it to Autozone and borrow their code scanner. write down the codes and post them in a new post.
Rick

Posted by: Frisco

Just went throught the same problem with my (new) 88 Mark VII. I to thought it was a fuel problem, acted just like yours. When I read the Engine Codes it said I had a bad Ignition Module. I replaced the fuel filter, ignition module, coil and still had an intermittant problem. I started checking wires with the engine finally running and found I had some corrosion on the blue wire going to my Ignition Module on the distributor. As I wiggled each wire individually the car stalled when I wiggled the blue wire. Once the engine stalled I could hear the EEC Relay clicking on and off as I continued toi wiggle the blue wire. I cleaned them with contact cleaner and haven't had a problem since. I hope this helps?
Bob

Posted by: southernbrothersgarage

I've seen bad alternators cause an intermittent starting problem too. Once started it runs fine but the short in the alternator caused it to start/not start at random. It also affected the fuel pump and eec relay. This one was a bear to troubleshoot due to the intermittent and random problems. I have had many problems traced to the alternators so I disconnected it and it started every time. Now first thing I do with an electrical problem is look at the alternator.
Dave.

Posted by: papa bear

Quote:

Originally Posted by Techman

Replace the TFI and it will most likely run just fine.

This is good to do anyways even if this is not your problem.Fuel and spark are your answers

Posted by: Omicron

``Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate''-There are all kinds of theories and explantions of this phenomenon, but sometimes the simplest and most obvious explanation provides the truth. I see you live in Seattle. I understand it gets pretty wet there. Last night, we had a rare rainstorm here (Southern California) and I moved my LSC a few feet in hopes that the rain would wash some of whatever is leaking on the pavement out of that beast away. This morning, I cranked and cranked away with my brand new starter and brand new Die Hard Gold Series battery and it coughed once. I had an appointment, so I got in my truck to get there. Came back, tried again, nothing. Let it sit for half hour intervals, then finally I took off the duct that connects the air intake with the engine air intake. Hmmm....was some water in there. Well, well. OK, I eventually got it to start, drove it all around for a while, then decided to take it to the power spray place that you put quarters in. The idea was to blast off the underside of the engine and take the car to the place, put it on the rack, and see if maybe we could identify the source of the leak(s) polluting my pavement. I kept the engine running while I did this. Well, whaddya know, the engine died while I was spraying from underneath. Took about 15 minutes and a long string of obscenities to get it started again. How about the easiest and simplest explanation? Maybe the air intake is sucking up water vapor and is shoving an air/fuel/water mix into the engine? As soon as I took off the duct and sprayed ether past that butterfly thingie, the beast fired right up! This may or may not be an idiosyncracy of these cars. Maybe they draw their air for the engine from underneath. It may be just that simple. By the way, ``Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate'' loosely translates to ``entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily'', which is the basis of the Ockham's Razor principle. In plain English, don't make it harder than it really is. Try to keep that beast dry. Good luck in Seattle.
Best fishes....

Posted by: Ricks90billblass

Omni, Next time it wont start in wet Socal, spray the plug wires with WD-40. It will displace moisture on them after a few minutes. If the car fires up after a few minutes of soaking up the WD-40 your plug wires are bad.
I doubt I need to explain this, but just incase, moisture on plug wires will cause them to short out just like if you grounded the coil wire.
I hope I didn't flounder on this topic to much, I can get crabby, and my wife sez i'm shelfish so I'll just clam up!

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