Moody 2001 Cobra

[01svtcobradude]

Ok, I browsed through threads but couldnt find anything exactly what i have going on. I just bought my 01 cobra on 5-16-17. The first day i had it, it didnt want to start back the first time i shut it off. Just cranking over but not hitting a lick. Called the previous owner, and as soon as he showed up, the car fired up like a new one. Didnt have any other issues until today... It did the same thing. Running late for work and didnt have time to look at it, so i left it. Just got home, and it fired up. Never even popped the hood to check out anything, and it somehow fixed itself. I could smell fuel when ot wouldnt start, but not extremely strong. Its just odd that i literally did nothing to the car, and it fixed itself while i was gone. Car has 80k miles, k&n c/a/i, and offroad xpipe with flowmasters. Check engine light is on, but assumed it was from the catless exhaust.

 

[ashleyroachclip]

Assume nothing .
Get a reader , and determine exactly why the check engine light is on .
Off hand , if you are smelling fuel , press the gas pedal to the floor , crank the engine , see if it starts.

 

[01svtcobradude]

Its was suggested to me earlier that it could potentially be the cam sensor going bad. Ill go get the code read later today

 

[01svtcobradude]

02 sensor code and 02 bank 2 sensor 2 codes are all that popped up on diagnostic

 

[ashleyroachclip]

Just O2 codes?
Can you get the car started and monitor the pids with the scanner ?

 

[01svtcobradude]

Yeah it started running fine later that night. It wouldnt start before work, and when i got home from work it started fine and hasnt had issue since. 2nd time thats happened in roughly 1000 miles

 

[01svtcobradude]

I called a ford dealership and they said basically they wouldn't be able to fix it unless it was acting up while they looked at it. Thats gonna be hard considering that both times it wouldnt start, it fixed itself within a Few hours

 

[286rocks]

Mine kind of did something similar when the fuel pump was on its last legs. I was lucky though, the pump gave out completely within a couple weeks of the intermittent starting. It had about 75k miles on it at the time.

 

[PhaidOut]

I am with ashleyroachclip - get a good reader. I use the ODBLink MX from Scantool.net for just an inexpensive reader. You can also by some really nice diagnostic software add-ons from them. Base MX has nice features for the price (I went wifi). I know most if not all the hand tuners will read as well.

When it does this you are saying it is not firing at all? If it fires but won't keep running the Idle Air Control (IAC) could be gummed up and that is very common. I have had those gum up enough times... If it does fire try cleaning that and your Throttle body.

What mods does the car have? A faulty mod could be the issue as well. For example Mass Air Sensor wiring issue if you have a JLT in the fender well.

 

[01svtcobradude]

I am with ashleyroachclip - get a good reader. I use the ODBLink MX from Scantool.net for just an inexpensive reader. You can also by some really nice diagnostic software add-ons from them. Base MX has nice features for the price (I went wifi). I know most if not all the hand tuners will read as well.

When it does this you are saying it is not firing at all? If it fires but won't keep running the Idle Air Control (IAC) could be gummed up and that is very common. I have had those gum up enough times... If it does fire try cleaning that and your Throttle body.

What mods does the car have? A faulty mod could be the issue as well. For example Mass Air Sensor wiring issue if you have a JLT in the fender well.

 

[01svtcobradude]

Its only done this twice in roughly 1100 miles. It seems like it doesnt fire at all, just cranks over. I can faintly smell fuel when it does this. Then after you leave the car alone for a few hours, it seemingly fixes itself. Car has 81k miles. Mods are k&n cold air intake, offroad h-pipe and flowmaster exhaust.

 

[lilbuddy]

My car did same thing. Crank and crank and then it would fire up. Started happening more and more and then finally quit firing up. Fuel pump was bad.

 

[RX1Cobra]

I'd but fuel pump too. When it happens pop the cap off the schrader valve at the rail and see if you have any fuel pressure. If you don't hit the tank a few times with a rubber mallet and try it. If it starts new pump time.

 

[PhaidOut]

I'd but fuel pump too. When it happens pop the cap off the schrader valve at the rail and see if you have any fuel pressure. If you don't hit the tank a few times with a rubber mallet and try it. If it starts new pump time.

I know where you are going but that doesn't tell you the whole story and be VERY careful doing that. He does smell fuel - could even be a spark issue. As for fuel - there may be pressure just not enough and you will get a stream of gas. Use a gauge to check pressure... There are several areas issues with fuel can happen. Could be the pump or the relay too - if it is fuel those are my first choices. After that it could be fuel rail fuel pressure sensor as those are known to go (doesn't sound like the symptoms though). A bad fuel pressure regulator can also cause similar problems. (They RARELY go...)

I had an 89 GT with a failing fuel pump - VERY frustrating to me back then. Modded to death (Heads, Intake, Cam, Trans, gears, etc) and barely kept up with a stock GT. This was back when I was new to Fuel Injection... Sure looked like a lot of pressure at the rail - put a gauge on it and I was running about 1/2 what I should have been. Change the pump and insta-beast. Also explained why I was get 33mpg on the highway...

@01svtcobradude - Infrequent / intermittent problems are the worst. Get a reader - I use it on all my vehicles. Mine shows fuel pressure and about 40 other things... I think it is in my truck so I will plug it in to the Cobra tonight and take it for a spin. Next time it happens if it is throwing codes or fuel you will know where to start... (BTW I purchased an add on for Ford vehicles for it that goes deeper into codes for about $5. The original purchase is $80 for the wifi Reader)

BTW - Do you HEAR the pump when you turn the ignition to the on position (not all the way to start)? Try it when it is running so you know what is sounds like and listen each time you turn the key on. Note what it sounds like now and whether or not you hear the pump when it doesn't want to start.

 

[01svtcobradude]

I know where you are going but that doesn't tell you the whole story and be VERY careful doing that. He does smell fuel - could even be a spark issue. As for fuel - there may be pressure just not enough and you will get a stream of gas. Use a gauge to check pressure... There are several areas issues with fuel can happen. Could be the pump or the relay too - if it is fuel those are my first choices. After that it could be fuel rail fuel pressure sensor as those are known to go (doesn't sound like the symptoms though). A bad fuel pressure regulator can also cause similar problems. (They RARELY go...)

I had an 89 GT with a failing fuel pump - VERY frustrating to me back then. Modded to death (Heads, Intake, Cam, Trans, gears, etc) and barely kept up with a stock GT. This was back when I was new to Fuel Injection... Sure looked like a lot of pressure at the rail - put a gauge on it and I was running about 1/2 what I should have been. Change the pump and insta-beast. Also explained why I was get 33mpg on the highway...

@01svtcobradude - Infrequent / intermittent problems are the worst. Get a reader - I use it on all my vehicles. Mine shows fuel pressure and about 40 other things... I think it is in my truck so I will plug it in to the Cobra tonight and take it for a spin. Next time it happens if it is throwing codes or fuel you will know where to start... (BTW I purchased an add on for Ford vehicles for it that goes deeper into codes for about $5. The original purchase is $80 for the wifi Reader)

BTW - Do you HEAR the pump when you turn the ignition to the on position (not all the way to start)? Try it when it is running so you know what is sounds like and listen each time you turn the key on. Note what it sounds like now and whether or not you hear the pump when it doesn't want to start.

See thats the thing, its fuel pump is very quiet. The only way id potentially be able to hear it is if i had my head directly by the fuel tank. Ive tried to listen for it with windows up and doors shut, and with doors open. Cant hear it at all, but the car will fire right up and run fine, so i know ita working. Any links to the reader to monitor while drivinf? Dont think ive ever even see one of those, just have used the lil diagnostic code readers like auto zone uses.