RubberCarrot

Oh yeah... I bought a filter too, but based on the one in the car (being 1500 to 2000 miles old) and the lack of debris in the tank, I am just putting the new one on the shelf for future entertainment. I know you were wondering. Thanks again guys. This forum is indispensable.

OK. You guys have had a nice break from my rambling. But it's over! I got knocked off my feet for a couple months! Had a flashback to a herniated disk from 1991. Getting old, disks are getting crushed, rewarding me with the most exquisite pain one could have. So, took a while to make headway. I was going to start by replacing the FPR but between Torx bolt nightmares and yours, mine and a buddy,s (20 years as a Ford Mechanic) instincts, I decided to go straight to the fuel pump. Man, that was a ton of fun. Can't wait to do it again. Got the tank back in tonight, threw 5 gallons of gas in the tank, stuck a pressure gauge on the elusive Schrader valve and connected that secret jumper to make the pump run. BOOM. 43 lbs. Disconnected the jumper and turned the key and it fired up like it just ran 5 minutes before. Interestingly enough, pressure dropped to 38-40 lbs with it running. Took it for a test drive and it had its high RPM kick in the pants back. So, on the road again. I think the neighbors thought that it was gonna be on jackstands forever (I did it outside because if I squeezed it in the garage I wouldn't be able to open the beer fridge!. That just is not acceptable). So they got to see it standing on the front bumper for two weeks. lol. Side notes for anyone looking at this job... I only run non-ethanol gas figuring over time I would save $$$ on a lack of injector issues. Jury is still out on that. I was curious to see what I would find in the tank in the way of debris and sludge. Well, no sludge and very little debris. It wouldn't have covered the bottom of a shot glass. One piece of advice for anybody else looking at this job. Save your money when it comes to buying tank cleaner. I had every intention of making the inside of the tank sparkle but not possible with all the baffling they put in there. (How the heck do they even do that with a plastic tank?) Oh yeah! Why in the world didn't they make that hole in the tank a half an inch bigger? It's a hole. Less would definitely be more. The car would have weighed an ounce or two less and gotten so much better gas mileage. Getting the old pump out was hard but getting the new one in there was a puzzle. I had to reverse the intake sock because one end of it had a rigid piece inside that made getting it through that hole impossible. Reversing it made it doable although it took more force than I would have liked. Just a half an inch folks and it would be a no brainer. Anyway, thanks again for all your input. It was a definite help. RC

I don't have the same car but had something kind of similar. I have a 95 Fleetwood Brougham. When I looked at it (a couple times) and drove it all was fine. The day I bought it, I was driving home and noticed the HVAC head was dark! I pulled it out of the dash and opened it up and it actually had a blown capacitor on the board. Split wide open. I suspect you may have a physical problem. Might be worth a look. I bought a used one off EBAY and put the faceplate from my unit on the EBAY chassis. Mine was cleaner. Been working for 12 years now. Knock on wood...

I agree with you on the weak pump/clogged strainer. As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure that is what it is. I am going to do the FPR first because if that spring is broken in there, maybe it is causing low pressure? I really had to stop myself from ordering both FPR and fuel pump at the same time because maybe the gods will be in my favor and the FPR fixes the problem. No point in dropping 200 bucks on something that I won't use unless I have to. Fuel filter was replaced 1.5 to 2 years ago when I had to fix a leaking fuel line. Only 2k miles since then, at the very most so I will let that ride for the moment. I hate those fuel lines. lol. So, I will do the FPR, test pressure and if no fix, order the fuel pump and probably the filter too, just because. BTW. I paid the dues and got an ACDelco Gold FPR and when ordering the pump am going to get the Delphi (ACDelco not available) one, complete with hanger and sending unit. See, I remain hopeful but am a realist. lol. If I have to drop the tank, it will give me a chance to clean it out. Not buying the cheap stuff either. Heard too many horror stories and besides, the good parts are why these cars last and don't leave you sitting on the side of the road. 1/2 the fuel pressure it should have, but I'm not afraid to drive it to burn off the fuel in the tank! 🙂 I will report back when I get the FPR in. Hopefully this weekend if it isn't too crazy hot. The more time goes by the more the heat kills me. I'm in NC. We get Winter, then 2 days of spring, then summer followed by 2 days of fall and then back to winter. lol

Ok Guys - Update: I'll keep this short. Tell me what you think. Car has sat for 6 days. Lately that would be mandatory starting fluid event. I went out and connected the test jumper to bypass all the normal checks and balances to simply run the fuel pump. I gave it a minute, tops, turned the key and it fired instantly. What I expected. Disconnected jumper and pulled it in the in the garage. Put a pressure gauge on the Schrader valve (located after the FPR and both fuel rails. Connected the jumper to run the pump. It read 18 pounds. (should be 43.5 - 47) Started the car and it remained the same. Raced the engine with no change. Really raced the engine hard enough and long enough to cause a vacuum drop which should cause the FPR to increase fuel flow/pressure (if I have my facts straight). When RPMs were increasing there was no change in pressure. When I let off the gas, pressure bumped up to 20 for a split second, then returned to 18. Not what I was expecting but close. Because the pressure gauge retains pressure until the pressure release is pressed, I can't tell how fast pressure drops when the car is turned off, but I think that is a moot point. I am going to replace the FPR first and pressure test it again after, because I really don't relish the thought of dropping the gas tank. What do you think? Think I will get lucky and the FPR is the culprit? Or do you lean toward the fuel pump being shot and just maxxed out at 18 psi? Thanks guys.

Thanks a lot Logan - I just went out and looked and sure enough, there it was, hiding under that fat wire harness! You know what they say... Draw the guy a picture... Here's a meaningless question: What is the triangular cover for on top of the engine/intake? Does it provide a "stash" of air for when you step on it or is it just baggage, though I will admit the manifold is not as pretty as some iterations. BTW, a 3 inch threaded PVC plug comes in handy for running the car with that cover off. Better that stuffing a rag in that hole. 🙂 Much appreciated! I am going to shoot to put that schrader valve to use this weekend. Also, I did get to look for that wire to jump the fuel pump yesterday. Sure enough, there it was. Red wire. Connected it to battery and let the pump run only as long as it took to walk around the car to reach in the driver's window. Car started almost like normal. I think that is to be expected as the fuel line and injectors had lost the pressurization they would normally start out with. Gonna let it sit all week and see if it behaves the same way when I pull it into the garage for the pressure test.

Thanks guys. I figured that would be my luck. It is a tuned port injection. Drivers side fuel rail has the FPR on the back of it (fuel feed comes into the FPR), then a crossover tube to the passenger side rail and the return line comes off the back that rail and heads back to the tank. Seems like a perfect place to help us suckers out. lol. Then again, look where the original plug wires were routed. Welp, my fuel line tools are sitting on the front porch (just delivered today) and the O'Reilly's near me has a loaner pressure gauge begging for my deposit. I am betting I will see great pressure when the pump is running (car runs and drives perfect) but will see the pressure drop off immediately when I turn it off. It acts like it has to pump from the tank every time it sits overnight. For the benefit of others, this is how it works: 1. Turn key on, fuel pump runs for 3 seconds and then stops, awaiting a signal from the PCM that the engine has fired. 2. Once engine fires the fuel pump turns back on. 3. No engine start = no more fuel pump action. The engine can't start with dry injectors and a dry fuel line... I did replace the coolant sensor (hoping for an easy fix) because if that fails the PCM may not be notified of a cold engine, preventing that extra shot of fuel on a cold start. (Like the old choke) Obviously that was a fail. You can work around the problem by cycling the key on and off a few times, leaving it in the on position for 5 to 10 seconds. If it has only been overnight it will start. More than 1 night = more games cycling the key. Too much work on the battery and starter for my liking. Also, there is supposed to be a red or gray wire plugged into nothing near the fuse/relay box near the firewall under the hood on the passenger side of the car. Supposedly, this is a jumper for the fuel pump and if you hot wire it to 12 volts, it circumvents the whole mess and the fuel pump runs. I have not looked for this wire yet. Maybe later today. I have a couple trees I have to whack down... If I try that wire, I will report back for general knowledge. Same goes for the pressure test, whenever I get to that. Or maybe I will just drop it off at a shop I don't like just let them do the pump. I'll make sure the tank is full! lol. <sigh>

Hi All, Been a while since posting anything but I have a new quest. I suspect my fuel pump is bad. Not so much the pump side but the check valve side. I understand the pump incorporates a check valve to prevent fuel from draining back into the tank. I think that is my problem. When it sits overnight it will require some extra cranking to start. If it sits three nights I have to fake the fuel pump out by cycling the key (on 10 seconds, off, repeat) 3 times. If it sits a week forget it. Get the starting fluid. As soon as it fires you can turn it off and will restart fine, all day long. Displays no symptoms of a bad FPR. I have been watching this progress for about a year and it is now to the point where I want to fix it to trust it. I want to do a pressure test to validate my suspicions before dropping 200 bucks and a weekend of fun dropping the gas tank. I read that there is a Schrader valve near the FPR at the back of the intake/block. But I cannot find it! That would sure make the pressure test part of this easier! Do you guys know of this Schrader valve? Where it is? And if it doesn't exist, any suggestions on a likely place to tap into the fuel system to test it? Thanks in advance! RC

Well... I am reviving this old thread in the hopes someone can give a new idea. I have no heat. None. Weak heat has always been an issue and I have tried all sorts of things as seen above. Quick recap: Blower works fine. Heater core flows water from a garden hose unimpeded, in both directions. (tapping into the heater core hoses along the passenger side of the engine) Two heater hoses. Upper one is the return and gets barely warm. Lower one is the feed to the heater core and gets too hot to hang onto. Blend door motor has been replaced (years ago) I figured it has to be clogged plumbing in the return hose, between where I tapped in to flush the heater core, and the water pump. All the plumbing along this stretch is original, with original clamps and the steel retainers riveted onto their corresponding brackets. Never been apart from what Ican tell. All plumbing is pliable and appears to be in good shape. Looks like new. Today I pulled that return hose off the water pump. I was able to feed 27 inches of zip tie into the hose. I felt no clog or obstruction along the way except for the 90 degree bend by the alternator. That 27 inches of zip tie reached through and past the 3 way T where the return connects into the coolant reservoir. That is where I tap in to flush the core so I know it is all clear beyond that point. I also was able to push a good 8 or 9 inches of zip tie into the water pump with no obstructions. I am at a loo as to why there is no coolant flow through the heater core. If anyone has any suggestions, please speak up. If not, I think I may put it back together with the hoses reversed at the water pump and see what happens... Thanks in advance!

Back in the late 60s Chevy had all kinds of problems with motor mounts. Same symptom with the added thrill of pulling the shifter out of gear. Used to be able to see it by looking under the hood through the gap when it is open. Put it in gear, hold the brake and give it a little gas. If the engine does more than rock a little you probably have a mount problem. With the old Chevys, it was usually the driver's side mount, and the engine would lift 2 or 3 inches with just a little gas. If you don't see it readily try reverse, same thing. Not sure how that transverse mounted engine should behave but it seems the rules would be the same. You could also have someone stand to the side and observer the engine while you try the test but what fun is that?

To back up Rockfangd... Marvel Mystery Oil is amazing. If the ticking lifter is at all related to gum, varnish or sludge, it will clean it up. And your idea about ATF? If I didn't have the $$ for Mystery Oil I'd grab some ATF off the shelf in the garage and run with it. It would pretty much accomplish the same thing. But the mystery oil is better suited for the job. Tires: Have a tire shop look at them. Replace if needed. The rest of it... If it runs good drive and enjoy. The other stuff, resolve over time. Don't panic and don't spend a ton of energy on trying to get the seller to give back. People are generally not reasonable and will hide behind the buyer beware argument.

When you say "unhinged from its resting place" I am assuming you mean it has disconnected from it's linkages inside the door? If that is the case and the inside door handle is also feeling disconnected I would look at the one common point. The latch itself. Where both the inside and outside handles come together. Try to find a picture on the internet of the latch. I have not found one yet. Locate the arm the door handle linkages connect to. Get some direction from that and I would lower the window and go fishing in there with a wire. See if you can snag that lever on the latch and pop the door open. It won't take a lot of pressure. Then it's just a matter of pulling the panel and see what fell apart or broke.

G400 is the ground. P403 goes to the 3rd brake light. Bad representation of the CCM connectors but good enough for conversation. Just like looking in my trunk...

Oops. Forgot the picture...

I did pull the RAP RLY while on the meter and it made no difference. Meter stayed at 135 mA. But my thinking about it covering those other circuits could well be wrong (dangerous assumption). When looking up what circuits are fed by BODY 2 the way it is literally put is: RAP RLY, I/P Fuses: RAP BAT, HVAC MDL, ELC SENS, D/INT LTS, FRT CIG, RRCIG, HVAC BAT, CCM BAT, PWR MIR I/P = Instrument Panel. RAP stands for Retained Accessory Power. Maybe related to RAP BAT? Either way, neither of them changed the meter reading. A quick google gives it's description as "Accessory, Time Delay Cut-Off (RAP Power) Relay". In reality it is a circuit breaker. 2 pins only. If I had a problem with accessory power staying on when the key is off and the door opens, I would be looking at that circuit. I have no problems there. So it looks like I gave you a bad lead. Sorry about that. On to your other questions... I went out and took the CCM's temp 🙂. Cold. Felt it all over. No hot spots, no faintly warm spots. While hanging out in the trunk the other night I did remove the ground. It is on the left side trunk hinge. Drawing attached. It is as clean as the day it was put there. But took it apart and knicked the wire ends with a file. Three wires. One is the CCM, one is the ELC compressor and the I think the 3rd is the trunk pull down which I have disabled because it would randomly refuse to pull down the trunk lid. Disabled it in 2013 by disconnecting the power to the pull down motor. There was no difference from cleaning the ground but I wasn't surprised as the ELC compressor works fine. I did unplug the 2 connectors on the CCM. Actually got the phone in there and took pics of both the connectors and receptacles on the CCM. I'm serious when I say... like new. Pins are shiny, sockets are clean. Was careful taking pics and got them so that you can actually see straight into the connectors and out the holes alongside the wires. I didn't see any issues there. I would upload them here but the file size limitation will give me grief. If you want to see them I should be able to shrink them enough. I have the resolution cranked up for quality so they are 4 Mb files. Lots of shrinkage needed to upload. lol. FYI - I see from your profile you are in NY. I am originally from Rochester so I know what corrosion does to a ground, as well as everything else. I am now in NC (25 years) and how clean the cars are down here still makes me crazy. No more tightening bolts til they snap off to get them out of the way and things like that, that routinely need to be done in the salt belt. I had a 67 Thunderbird some years ago that broke an exhaust system hanger above the rear axle on the drivers side pipe. Slid a 1/2 inch open end on top of the frame member and just unscrewed the bolt holding the hanger to the frame, with my finger tips. It had been there for 30 some years. Crazy! As always, your help is appreciated. Thanks. RC