Cobra won't start

[snkbitn]

Its a nice day today, and since the car has been in storage for a month, I thought I'd roll it out and let it run for awhile. It turns over really strong, but will not fire at all. Not even a sputter or anything. Any thoughts ? Anything I can try ?

Thx

 

[BelvedereGTX]

fuel pump took a dump maybe. Iac stuck closed (carbon). Emergency fuel shut off switch in the trunk could have switched off for some reason. Check this stuff

 

[Torch10th]

Start with the basics.

You need compression, fuel and spark. The first thing I'd check is pull a plug and have somebody turn the motor over. place the COP to something metal and see if you're getting spark. From there I'd check to make sure the fuel pump fuse hasn't blown, as well as checking for fuel pump operation. I'd move to the fule filter from there.

Finalyl I'd do a compression test if none of those give you an indication of the problem.

 

[Hi-Hat]

Last July when I was looking for a Cobra I found one in auto trader.

I went to his house and he went to start it up and the thing was running like it had a monster cam or something. It kept stalling and was running like crap. He said that the car had been sitting for over a month in his backyard.

He pushed it out into the the driveway (which was on a downhill slope) and called a tow truck. After it sat there on the slope for about an hour, the tow truck came and he tried to start it one more time. It fired right up and has run fine ever since. I know this cause I bought it the next week.bought it)

I dont remember what exactly the case was, but it had something to do with the fuel pump not having fuel/pressure or something. The slope on the driveway cured it or something.

Just my experience....

 

[snkbitn]

I pressed the Emergency fuel shut off switch and it actually depressed and made a slight click noise. now its down all the way and cannot go down any further. I have never pressed one of these before, so i dont know if it was triggered or not. Regardless, it did depress and now it wont, but that didnt fix anything. I didnt pull a plug, but put another in the deal after I pulled it off and there was spark. I also pulled the fuel hose off the rail and it was completely dry.

If the line was dry for whatever reason, how would you get it to fire again ?

 

[snkbitn]

I also connected by OBD II Palm up to it and get this, dunno that it means anything, it really doesnt pull data unless the car is running. But for the Fuel System Status: it read "OLoop NoSat"

 

[3B99SVT]

when you first turn the key to run (not start), do you hear the fuel pump spin for a second or two?

 

[snkbitn]

when you first turn the key to run (not start), do you hear the fuel pump spin for a second or two?

I have never been able to hear it. I did have my neighbor listen also, he he couldnt hear anything.

Car has 16k miles on it. Last tiem I drove it was a month ago, I drove it from the single into the dbl garage to chang ethe oil and back again, weird to me that the emergency fuel switch had popped ? I do keep a battery manager on it and the last one did go bad about two weeks ago. Maybe it broke something ? All the fuses are good tho.

 

[Sonic Blue GT]

Drop a bottle of dry gas in the gas tank and wait a half-hour. Then try to start it. Sometimes when it sets for that long water forms in the tank similar to a "green-house affect" and then it mixes with the gas and it will not turn over. If this is the problem the dry gas will take care of everything and it should start.

I would try this as the very first thing before you start tearing into everything else.

 

[slick4_6]

Pull the intake off and squirt a shot of starter fluid in through the throttle body. Then see if it will start and run for a second. When the fuel pump went out on my truck that is how I diagnosed it.

 

[Sonic Blue GT]

Pull the intake off and squirt a shot of starter fluid in through the throttle body. Then see if it will start and run for a second. When the fuel pump went out on my truck that is how I diagnosed it.

Do this step after the dry gas step in case the gas has water as the problem. If no water in gas then the above tip is teh way to go.

 

[snkbitn]

I will try those ideas, thanks guys. I just got back from autozone, and they referred me to heat as the dry gas. Is there a brand of dry gas that you would use over others ? Also, wouldnt you think that if there was bad gas, that if the pump was working, and i pulled the hose off the rail, that gas would come out once i turned it over ? regardless of it havign water in it or not ?

 

[snkbitn]

just had another thought. what about the fuel pump relay. Where is that located and could it cause the pump to fail ? is there anyway to test it ?

 

[Sonic Blue GT]

I will try those ideas, thanks guys. I just got back from autozone, and they referred me to heat as the dry gas. Is there a brand of dry gas that you would use over others ? Also, wouldnt you think that if there was bad gas, that if the pump was working, and i pulled the hose off the rail, that gas would come out once i turned it over ? regardless of it havign water in it or not ?

OK I'm revising my answer. I just found out that somehow (density differences???) the water may still be able to hinder the fuel coming down the fuel line.......

I suggest doing the dry gas first because it is the easiest thing to do from a mechnaical standpoint (just pour it in) and easiest thing to eliminate first if it still doesn't work.

As for dry gas Heat is good stuff. No preference. Dry gas is dry gas. Let us know if the dry gas worked. If not then next would be the fuel pump test

 

[Sonic Blue GT]

What's the latest news? Did you get it started yet?

 

[01greycobra]

well once you do promise me you will drive it a little more often. I hate to hear that it sat in storage for over a month.

 

[snkbitn]

heet didnt work, and since the Emergency cutoff switch only cost $16, i replaced that also. Hasnt started yet. Its gotta be the pump or maybe the filter is clogged ? I cant hear the pump, but I never have been, so im not sure how to tell if thats it or not?

I drive it when I can, I always store it once the first snow/ice hits to save my paint. (they use lots of sand here for slick roads)

 

[99COBRA2881]

Dang youre still fighting this??? Where in Kansas are you at? If youre somewhat close Id be willing to come help out.

 

[snkbitn]

Dang youre still fighting this??? Where in Kansas are you at? If youre somewhat close Id be willing to come help out.

Ya, with the Holiday being close and such I havent had much time to mess with it. Im in Wichita.

 

[99COBRA2881]

I'm west of Salina about 45 miles. So you're about 2.5-3 hours away from me.