It ain't running!

Not the wagon, but the '85 Grand Marquis I picked up this past week. I got the car for $350, knowing that it did not run. Charged the battery, and it will turn over and fire up to the point where it starts, then immediately dies. It really DID run to the place it was parked. Yes, it has gas in it.

What I've checked so far:

-Fuel pressure is 42 lbs, which is more than the minimum of 25 pounds to get the car to run. I installed a new fuel filter while I had a pressure tester available. No change before and after, anyway.

-Thinking the coil might have fried, I had a new spare off another car I had long ago, and installed it. No change at all.

-The only thing I can figure now is the ignition module is out on the car. Ideas???

 

Shoot some WD40 into the inside of the distributor cap because it sounds like there is moisture in there?

 

Module is best guess there

 

How long did it set in the place it was parked? This new super fuel causes many problems. Make sure you have good clean gas .

 

The fuel is four months old. I've pulled the cap and checked the rotor, also.

 

Is your 85 still carbureted? If had similar problems in the past with 2 Fords (351+302) and a Dodge 360 that had sat for years, the fords just like said, it starts then stalls rite away. A few attempts with a 1/4-1/2 cup of gas poured in the carb brought them back to life. The Dodge sat for several years and after new gas, new fuel filter, etc to a lot of attempts but if finally came back to life also. Strange vapor lock????

 

The '85 Ford 302 for that car would've had EEC III/CFI rather than carburetion. Only the Crown Vic police cars with the 351W had carburetion. If you have a 12 volt test light, put it on the coil positive side in KOEO. the light should be steady bright. If it is, move over to the negative ('tach') side; it should also be steady bright in KOEO. Now, with the test light left on the neg side, crank the engine; if the module and pick-up coil in the dizzy are working, the test light should flash during cranking and KOER. Another thing you can check, if you have another person to turn the ignition key, is to see if the injectors are shooting fuel during cranking. The fuel spray should be a conical pattern.

 

4 months is enough time for modern gas to start breaking down. Also, when you start, what happens if you give it throttle to keep it running? It may run once it is warm. I had that problem with the 88 when I first got it. What happens with Fords is that the base specs on the computer will run the car warm, but not get it through warm up. Once it is warm, and will idle, you have to do a 20 minute tutorial to teach the computer to run the car. 5 minutes in park, air off, 5 in drive, air off, then repeat both steps with the a/c operating. Did that with this, and no problem.

 

The ignition module (plugs into the side of the distributor) was dead. It was not running at all, the reason why is what I was trying to diagnose.

 

I've also had those GM modules just act up at times. Sort of start and stop before actually going out. So if you ever have a car cutting out like a bad carb, bad plugs, etc. it could be the module telling you it's tired.
I drove our 41 Ford 350 SBC from Orlando 140 miles while cutting out. It finally quit near home as I turned to go to the Post Office. Replaced the module and everything was fine. Sometimes they do warn us!

 

Patrick no explination for it. They just go. If you installed a new one and it's ok thats cool may not have another prob for 50000 + miles I suggest having a spare in the glove box and the wrench to change it. Just in case.

 

I suggest having a spare in the glove box and the wrench to change it. Just in case.

I've heard that from the beginning. That's like "you should carry spare points and condensor." I've heard of people who carry extra alternators, fuel pumps, etc. I figure when something goes out I'll get another someplace. Usually I trade or loose the part if I do have one.
After all 50,000 miles is along time.

 

After a M.A.P. sensor went out on my former Taurus I started carrying an extra in the tool box.

 

Ford ignition control modules do that. Normally they work when the car is cold, but fail when warm. Leave it 15 minutes and away you go. Pain in the patootie. I have to get a spare module for the new one, since my others were carbureted, and used a different module.

 

That TFI module design was a subject of a lawsuit, contending that the thick-film components were much more susceptible to heat (they were smaller and the module was mounted on the dizzy). I don't know what happened to the lawsuit itself, but it's why the TFI modules were later remotely-mounted in vehicles with 3.8, 5.0 and 5.8 engines, and was mounted on an aluminum heat sink.