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1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Saibot
User
Apr 16, 2013, 12:53 PM
Post #1 of 25
(2401 views)
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1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Hey, I have a 1997 Ford Taurus with starting issues. It's takes a few tries before it starts, and when it does it'll go up to around 1500RPM and then slowly drop back down before shutting off (takes around 3 seconds). Most of the time it sounds like it's going to start, jumps up to around 500RPM and then shuts off again. When it does start to idle, any use of the gas pedal will only get it to shut off even faster. The car has been sitting for the last 3 months or so, and it has 169XXX miles on it. I think the problem may be fuel pump related. When you turn the key into the on position, you can hear it come on for a second, but it seems to be much quieter than the pump on my 1996 Mercury Sable. I haven't checked the fuel pressure yet, I'll probably pick up a gauge later today. Thanks in advance. -Saibot
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 16, 2013, 1:30 PM
Post #2 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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The first step is to take a pressure reading noting not only the pressure but how fast it comes up and what it does when the key is shut off. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Saibot
User
Apr 16, 2013, 4:17 PM
Post #3 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Alright, I bought a gauge and hooked it up to the valve next to the FPR. While I was screwing it on, a little fuel came out, but I'm guessing that's normal. After that, I primed the pump a few times, and started the engine, but the gauge was on 0 the whole time. -Saibot
(This post was edited by Saibot on Apr 16, 2013, 4:18 PM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 16, 2013, 4:18 PM
Post #4 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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OK, now you have to find out why. Test for power and ground arriving at the pump and once confirmed, you can blame the pump. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Saibot
User
Apr 16, 2013, 5:19 PM
Post #5 of 25
(2340 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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I just checked the pink/black stripe wire connected to the inertia switch in the trunk. When the key is turned on it would read 7-9 volts for a second or so and then go back to 0. When cranking, it would read around 5 volts. I'm not sure if this is the correct place to do the test, or if the readings are normal? Thanks. -Saibot
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 16, 2013, 6:24 PM
Post #6 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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The correct place would be coming out of the Inertia switch but you need to unplug the pump to determine if it's pulling the voltage down. You also need to verify the ground to the pump is good. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Saibot
User
Apr 16, 2013, 7:13 PM
Post #7 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Alright, so I'll be dropping the fuel tank either way? Unless I can disconnect the pump without doing that?
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 16, 2013, 7:26 PM
Post #8 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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You should be able to unplug it without dropping the tank. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Saibot
User
Apr 16, 2013, 7:29 PM
Post #9 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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I'll give it a shot sometime tomorrow. Thanks for all the help. -Saibot
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 1:29 AM
Post #10 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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A suggestion here removed. Not consistent for non professionals, T
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Apr 17, 2013, 6:35 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Apr 17, 2013, 6:34 AM
Post #11 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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It's not good for open web, I'll take out that post. We may do stuff for testing but not for unknown DIYers............ Tom Took that out. Not proper and I should know better for open web things to unknown people. People I know just plain call me! .............. Tom
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Apr 17, 2013, 6:39 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 7:10 AM
Post #12 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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That test was fine if you're trying to find out if the Inertia switch is good but I'm trying to find out if the pump is overloading the circuit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 3:16 PM
Post #13 of 25
(2261 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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We should drop it. Did that in bone yards maybe once to make an engine run to check. They or the one was fried and not the issue that doesn't belong here now.............. Tom
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Saibot
User
Apr 17, 2013, 3:43 PM
Post #14 of 25
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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I did some more testing with the inertia switch disconnected. When first turned on, the green/yellow wire would jump up to around 12 volts, then go down to around 7.5 volts and just sit there. Once the switch was reconnected, that voltage dropped down to 0. I also tested it again with the switch connected, but this time I had the battery hooked up to another car with jumper cables, as it was a little low. When first turned on, the pink/black wire would get around 12 volts and then drop down to 0. When cranking, it would get 7-12 volts. I haven't done anything underneath the car yet. Thanks. -Saibot
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 4:01 PM
Post #15 of 25
(2253 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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You've confirmed everything is good up to the inertia switch. If everything is good for the last few feet to the pump, then you have a bad pump. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Saibot
User
Apr 17, 2013, 4:26 PM
Post #16 of 25
(2245 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Alright, that's good enough for me. I think I'll just go ahead and order a new pump. I'll post the results after I replace it. Thanks for all the help! -Saibot
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 4:38 PM
Post #17 of 25
(2242 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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You could always try smacking the tank with a 2X4 or rubber hammer while someone is cranking it and see if you get any fuel pressure that way. That would also confirm a bad pump. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Saibot
User
Apr 17, 2013, 4:51 PM
Post #18 of 25
(2237 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Alright, I just tried that a few times, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Thanks.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 5:05 PM
Post #19 of 25
(2234 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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This thread seems to be going no where. My fault in part and sorry for that. I don't need to read this whole thing but you should be testing stuff out and target the issue even if the last thing you check you rule things out one at a time. Just me, don't rule out that you might have just plain flooded this thing out which will confuse the whole mess, T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 5:28 PM
Post #20 of 25
(2226 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Going nowhere????????????? He has no fuel pressure and we just pretty much confirmed a bad fuel pump. We're doing just fine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2013, 6:35 PM
Post #21 of 25
(2222 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Just a suggestion. Inspect the bottom of the tank for contaminates. If your unsure, drain the tank and wash it out with soap and water. Then let it dry out. Contaminates will kill your new pump and the manufacture won't honor the warranty if they determine the cause of the pump defect was contamination from crap in the tank. Also change the fuel filter anytime you install a new pump. Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Apr 17, 2013, 6:36 PM)
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Saibot
User
Apr 17, 2013, 8:20 PM
Post #22 of 25
(2211 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Will do. Thanks for the tip.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 18, 2013, 4:43 AM
Post #23 of 25
(2200 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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To original person/poster. I messed up, my fault. Please forgive me as I do this as all for free to try to help and failed. It happens. I could pick a ton of excuses none would suffice. This thread is in good hands. Let it be, Tom Greenleaf
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Saibot
User
Apr 21, 2013, 2:01 AM
Post #24 of 25
(2146 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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Well, I got the new fuel pump assembly in the mail Saturday and installed it that evening. After the install, I primed it a few times and it cranked right up. Looks like that problem is solved. :D The car does have some other minor issues. If there is something I can't figure out, should I just post the problem in this thread, or should I make a new one? Thanks again for all the help. -Saibot
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 21, 2013, 4:51 AM
Post #25 of 25
(2143 views)
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Re: 1997 Ford Taurus 3.0l Problems Starting
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No, start a new question for a new problem. I will close this one as solved. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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