So... I have read about 100 threads about similar issues today on this site and others. And while I'm definitely not a professional mechanic, I know my way around an engine bay and I've owned 3 of these SN95 cobras. That said... I'm stumped.
My car only gets driven on nice days, and we haven't had many of those around here lately. Today was looking like a great day to put the top down and let the pony run. The car just doesn't want to get out of the driveway. I've had issues lately with a rough idle when it has been sitting a while, so normally I just give it a blip of throttle when I start it and let it warm up a bit. I thought maybe the fuel pump was starting to get weak so I have been planning to replace it. I'm not convinced the pump is to blame today though. Here's what I know:
- I have never had this car refuse to start, just the rough idle and only after it has been sitting for a few days and that only lasts a minute or so. A couple of times it has started and then died, but always starts up right after.
- When I bought the car, the previous owner did not have the spare key with him so he mailed it to me (a couple months later). When I went to get in today I decided to try that key for the first time. Now it won't start with either key.
- There is fuel pressure at the test valve. it's not a ton of pressure, but fuel flows freely. The only gauge I have is the loaner I rented from Autozone, so I'm not sure how much I trust it, but it read about 10-12 PSI while I was cranking the starter.
- The coils are new-ish, and I've had no reason to believe they were struggling. The plugs and wires are new as of about 3 months and 1k miles ago.
- I have not checked for spark nor do I have a set of noids to check that the injectors are pulsing.
- While it cranks there will be a brief burble like it's trying to fire, but nothing resembling a real start.
- This car only has 54k miles and has been pampered. In fact, I just spent about $3500 on new wheels, tires, and front brakes because until today and as far as I could tell, it is mechanically in fantastic shape.
- The inertia switch in the trunk has not been tripped - the little red button is all the way down.
- perhaps most importantly, there are no codes to pull.
My current theory is that somehow that spare key messed with the PATS system, but I'm not 100% on that. The symptoms don't really seem to line up perfectly with a PATS problem. the key I've always used will not start the car now. The theft light will come on, then go off after about 4 seconds. A few times I've seen it flash slowly while trying to start. I've tried cycling the ignition on and off and back again, waiting different lengths of time between inserting the key and starting it, etc. I tried removing the negative lead from the battery for about 10 minutes then trying again. Nothing has worked. I even tried different positions on the steering wheel based on some other threads... that seemed silly but I'm getting desperate.
I don't think it's fuel- or air-related since I think it would start but run terribly if that were the case. It could be spark related but again, no other symptoms until today so I kinda doubt that. I guess it could be the ECU, but that seems normal too - I even tried re-flashing it using my SCT just to be sure I had a clean ROM... nothing.
please, oh wise men (and women?) of the forums - help!
My car only gets driven on nice days, and we haven't had many of those around here lately. Today was looking like a great day to put the top down and let the pony run. The car just doesn't want to get out of the driveway. I've had issues lately with a rough idle when it has been sitting a while, so normally I just give it a blip of throttle when I start it and let it warm up a bit. I thought maybe the fuel pump was starting to get weak so I have been planning to replace it. I'm not convinced the pump is to blame today though. Here's what I know:
- I have never had this car refuse to start, just the rough idle and only after it has been sitting for a few days and that only lasts a minute or so. A couple of times it has started and then died, but always starts up right after.
- When I bought the car, the previous owner did not have the spare key with him so he mailed it to me (a couple months later). When I went to get in today I decided to try that key for the first time. Now it won't start with either key.
- There is fuel pressure at the test valve. it's not a ton of pressure, but fuel flows freely. The only gauge I have is the loaner I rented from Autozone, so I'm not sure how much I trust it, but it read about 10-12 PSI while I was cranking the starter.
- The coils are new-ish, and I've had no reason to believe they were struggling. The plugs and wires are new as of about 3 months and 1k miles ago.
- I have not checked for spark nor do I have a set of noids to check that the injectors are pulsing.
- While it cranks there will be a brief burble like it's trying to fire, but nothing resembling a real start.
- This car only has 54k miles and has been pampered. In fact, I just spent about $3500 on new wheels, tires, and front brakes because until today and as far as I could tell, it is mechanically in fantastic shape.
- The inertia switch in the trunk has not been tripped - the little red button is all the way down.
- perhaps most importantly, there are no codes to pull.
My current theory is that somehow that spare key messed with the PATS system, but I'm not 100% on that. The symptoms don't really seem to line up perfectly with a PATS problem. the key I've always used will not start the car now. The theft light will come on, then go off after about 4 seconds. A few times I've seen it flash slowly while trying to start. I've tried cycling the ignition on and off and back again, waiting different lengths of time between inserting the key and starting it, etc. I tried removing the negative lead from the battery for about 10 minutes then trying again. Nothing has worked. I even tried different positions on the steering wheel based on some other threads... that seemed silly but I'm getting desperate.
I don't think it's fuel- or air-related since I think it would start but run terribly if that were the case. It could be spark related but again, no other symptoms until today so I kinda doubt that. I guess it could be the ECU, but that seems normal too - I even tried re-flashing it using my SCT just to be sure I had a clean ROM... nothing.
please, oh wise men (and women?) of the forums - help!