North American Turbocoupe Organization



Starting Problem, Please help!
DanMarshall Offline
Junior Member
#1
I've owned my TC for about 2 years now and has been daily driven since. The car has 129,000 miles but has mostly local around town driving recently since i've owned it. Never really had any big reliability problems except having to replace a fuel pump and attending to a small overheating problem due to a bubble in the cooling system. However, i'm having the weirdest issue with my car now. The week before Carlisle the Ignition Mod. went and was replaced along with a new Cap. Made it to Carlisle with no problems, but on the way home at a rest stop i turned the car off and then the car refused to start because the fuel pump wasn't working. After the assumption that it was the Fuel Pump Relay, the Relay box was replaced (The box by the Intercooler) with a rebuilt one and seemed to work fine until tonight.

I drove the car without any problems all day and the car started perfectly. I then parked the car for about and hour and a half and went to start it and again, it sounded like the fuel pump wasn't making that sound when you turn the key at start up. After tapping the Relay box and then replacing it with one we new to work, the car still wouldn't start. I then proceeded to turn the car to accessory to put the windows up then decided to try starting it again for giggles and it started up perfectly.
After driving the car a little bit, i then turned the car off and on about 3 more times and it started up fine. My dad and I are confused to what the problem is (and he's owned many of these cars over the years). We're stating to think it could be something with the ignition switch possibly. But if anyone could help it would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dan
1988 TurboCoupe 5 Speed 130,000 miles
1998 Ford Escort SE (Daily Driver)
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#2
It could be the ignition switch. A bad one can cause some really screwy things to happen. They do go bad frequently.
They are not expensive and not hard to change.
Pete Dunham


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turbobike Offline
Member
#3
Take the plastic off around the steering column, the ignition switch is on the right side. They start to come apart, plastic and pot metal. Wire tie back together or replace it.
85 TC,86 TC,65 Mustang GT
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DanMarshall Offline
Junior Member
#4
Thanks, I'll try that. Cause it's getting annoying when the car works fine and then I turn it off for a half hour and it won't start again.
1988 TurboCoupe 5 Speed 130,000 miles
1998 Ford Escort SE (Daily Driver)
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#5
Have you run the codes, specifically the CM codes? Did you replace the PIP (Hall Effect) sensor inside the distributor? Fuel pump wont run if it doesnt get the PIP (RPM) signal. Both TFI and PIP should be replaced at the same time. Also check TFI connector for corrosion, damaged pins, etc.
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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RocketshipChair Offline
Member
#6
This is just a shot in the dark...but did you check the inertia switch to see if it's getting power to and from it's self. My switch burnt out the pig tail a couple of years back and it caused an occasional no start and then eventually a constant no start.
Andrew
88 Turbo Bird 5 spd no mods
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DanMarshall Offline
Junior Member
#7
I'm Not entirely sure if that was replaced. A friend who's a mechanic took care of the issue and replaced a the cap and ignition module. this could be the problem, but we have ruled out the ignition switch as a issue, because it didn't start again and the giggling of the key didn't help it start.

Could this be a problem once the car warms up a bit and then won't start again? because once the car sits for a few hours it fires right up.
1988 TurboCoupe 5 Speed 130,000 miles
1998 Ford Escort SE (Daily Driver)
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#8
Yes. The PIP (RPM pickup, also called the stator) inside the dist can act in just this way, just like a failing TFI can. Ford recommends replacing both the PIP and TFI at the same time if either one fails. Thats what I have always done. You will sometimes, but not always get a CM code 14 for intermittent PIP signal.
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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DanMarshall Offline
Junior Member
#9
It turns out the problem was the fuel pump after all. When I had the factory pump replaced the person who put the tank back in accidentally crushed the fuel delivery line between the tank and the body, making the pump work 3x as hard and killing it.

Thanks for all your help though.
1988 TurboCoupe 5 Speed 130,000 miles
1998 Ford Escort SE (Daily Driver)
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turbobike Offline
Member
#10
Good to here it's fixed.
85 TC,86 TC,65 Mustang GT
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