Engine in, Cranks but no Start

[Ovrclck350]

Hi all; I'm new to the forum but came here in hopes to get some help.

I am formerly a big F-body and Vette guy so Mustangs in general are pretty foreign to me.

I picked up a 1996 Cobra. When I bought it, the block was cracked and already pulled with wiring, etc already on it. The engine, radiator, everything was pulled.

Since I had no clue how everything went back in and was in the middle of a long stretch of OT at work, I threw it in a friend's shop around here that primarily does LS1 vehicles since they'd seen a few 4.6's come through and I felt they were the best bet to get everything installed back correctly. I picked up a Mark VIII engine and used the block/heads from it with the Cobra intake swapped over.

They did get everything installed back correctly (it seems). All the connectors are connected, the vacuum lines are routed. The problem is that the car will not start. The car will turn over, but it seems that I'm not getting spark or fuel pressure. I never even here the pump prime up. The theft light blinks rather fast as well.

I had them pull it off the rack and over to the side so that I could try to troubleshoot what's wrong myself and they were a bit backed up at the moment anyways.

I've only been out there probably a total of 30 minutes or so, but here are the troubleshooting (if you want to call it that) steps that I have done:

1. Tested all fuses
2. Tested voltage on each post of each fuse in both the engine bay and under the dash.
3. Verified that all sensors are plugged in.
4. Tested the middle wire of each coil connector plug to verify it was getting voltage.
5. Checked the inertia switch (car hasn't been wrecked, just checking).


The car still just turns over, no fuel or spark.

I'm not sure if there's a ground missing somewhere, or if there's a fusible link. I do not know where the fuel pump relay is at so I'm not sure how to test there.

I read an obscure note about jumpering an EEC connector to trick the fuel pump into coming on....but I'm not sure if that was only for 1994-1995 cars and I'm not sure where that connector is at.

I'm looking for recommendations on where to start looking next. Any information would be helpful.

These are a few other items I could use some assistance on (and pictures):

If anyone could take a picture of their fuse box under the hood I'd be eternally grateful. I want to make sure that the wires screwed in on the side are supposed to be there and that they don't accidentally have a wire that needs to be grounded hooked up there.

There is a connector near the front of the engine that has vacuum lines plugged into it, but looks like it's missing a piece on the top of it. I could use a picture of that connector. It's the one labeled THERM in the picture below...which I have a question about. There are 2 vacuum diagrams I found online, one for 1996 and one for 1997. The lines hooked up to mine are hooked up like the 1997...and that's how they were pulled off the prev. engine. Here's the 1997 diagram I found:

and the one that was 1996:

So I'm not sure if they were labeled wrong or what is going on.


When I turn the key on, I hear a clicking coming from the passenger side fender well. I'm assuming it is the AIR pump, but I'm not sure. The Coolant Fan immediately turns on when I turn the key to on...but I'm not sure if it was jumpered or hard wired that way somewhere or if it is a function of what's going on with the car.



Thanks again in advance for any help!!!

 

[94venomV8]

I had this happen when I put in my new trans and stuff, I finally figured out that the security ring that goes around the ignition. I found out there was a little nick in it and once that happens the security light will sit and blink when you try and turn it on. It sounds like you may have more then one issue to me but just giving you a heads up on that security light you said blinks.

 

[Ovrclck350]

I had this happen when I put in my new trans and stuff, I finally figured out that the security ring that goes around the ignition. I found out there was a little nick in it and once that happens the security light will sit and blink when you try and turn it on. It sounds like you may have more then one issue to me but just giving you a heads up on that security light you said blinks.

If you leave the key in ON...it will stop blinking after a minute or so.

When that happened to you, would the car turn over? I thought that for 1996, the PATS system would disable the starter.

And I did forget to mention, the guy I bought it from bought it with a cracked block...but pulled the car up onto a trailer under it's own power. When he got home, he started pulling the engine. I know sensors, etc randomly go bad...but at this point I'm trying to stay away from those...since I know the car ran prior to the engine being pulled.

And thanks for the reply!

 

[94venomV8]

Yeah your correct, my starter was disabled but the symptoms sound the exact same, yes it did stop blinking after a minute or so. Like I said it is more then likely more then one problem. Have you ohm checked the coil packs, I know you said you checked for voltage but what about spark to the plugs you could ground out the spark plug and see if you have a spark while turning over.

Also have you checked the fuel pump relay in the engine compartment? If so check the fuel pump safety switch mounted on the drivers side right behind the tail light, it is accessible through the trunk just take the matting off the back and you will see a little red switch, if it is popped the pump wont run but the car will turn over.

 

[Ovrclck350]

Where is the fuel pump relay? I couldn't find it.