[kvouty]

Hi folks, I really appreciate this forum. I am not a car expert but I learn so much.

When my car is cold it seems to start up okay, but after running it awhile, then turning the engine off to go to the store, usually 2 stops will do it, mainly after the engine is hot , then the engine will crank, turn over and then die. When I'm stuck like this its sometimes taken up to an hour for me to restart it by gunning the gas pedal to pump the gas into it especially on a hill here in SF and if the amount of gas in the tank is low, but it happens on totally flat ground too, when the tank has 6 gallons, like today. At first I thought i had flooded it but it seems the opposite has taken place. no gas coming in. I read the forums about the fuel pump and pressure testing and so forth. I understand that the fuel pump is inside the gas tank and it has to be dropped to change it.I checked the fuses and the error codes - one says _distributor signal interrupt E053, could that be related to the problem? Can mechanic do anything short of dropping the gas tank to check out the fuel pump?

All the mechanics I talk to either don't want to figure this out, tell me to get rid of the car cause it has so many other nickel and dime problems, or to just wait til the part goes completely bad and I'm stuck somewhere. I can't afford to take this to the dealer cause they charge $200 just to diagnose. I have changed the fuel filter once. Is there anything else I can do while waiting for the whole part to go bad?
Thanking you all in advance if you have any advice to offer.

 

[basscatt]

Hi folks, I really appreciate this forum. I am not a car expert but I learn so much.

When my car is cold it seems to start up okay, but after running it awhile, then turning the engine off to go to the store, usually 2 stops will do it, mainly after the engine is hot , then the engine will crank, turn over and then die. When I'm stuck like this its sometimes taken up to an hour for me to restart it by gunning the gas pedal to pump the gas into it especially on a hill here in SF and if the amount of gas in the tank is low, but it happens on totally flat ground too, when the tank has 6 gallons, like today. At first I thought i had flooded it but it seems the opposite has taken place. no gas coming in. I read the forums about the fuel pump and pressure testing and so forth. I understand that the fuel pump is inside the gas tank and it has to be dropped to change it.I checked the fuses and the error codes - one says _distributor signal interrupt E053, could that be related to the problem? Can mechanic do anything short of dropping the gas tank to check out the fuel pump?

All the mechanics I talk to either don't want to figure this out, tell me to get rid of the car cause it has so many other nickel and dime problems, or to just wait til the part goes completely bad and I'm stuck somewhere. I can't afford to take this to the dealer cause they charge $200 just to diagnose. I have changed the fuel filter once. Is there anything else I can do while waiting for the whole part to go bad?
Thanking you all in advance if you have any advice to offer.

============================
one says _distributor signal interrupt E053,
could that be related to the problem?
sure -
no spark - no run -

could be a failing ignition module -
cheap and easy to change -

Is there anything else I can do
just for kicks -
check the fuel pressure at the fuel rail -
key on - engine off -
then with the engine running -
post your results -

 

[Ranger]

check the fuel pressure at the fuel rail -

Isn't the 4.5 TB injected?

 

[Harry Yarnell]

8
88 was fuel Injected.
my bad. thinking the wrong car..MC is right.

 

[MoistCabbage]

Yes, TB injection until '90.

 

[carnut]

The code is probably because the set timing connector has been unplugged in the past. Erase it and see if it comes back. I doubt it will. Moving the throttle has nothing to do with injecting gas. It's basically an "air" pedal. You're giving it more air, the computer is supplying the gas. You can't flood it. I'm thinking the idle speed motor is not working correctly or is misadjusted. When you shut this vehicle off, the shaft on the idle motor should extend to anticipate another restart. If it doesn't extend the engine will start and most likely die. Simply have a friend shut the car off while you watch the idle control motor under hood. I recommend you purchase a factory service manual. If you're not mechanically inclined, at least you'll understand how the idle and fuel delivery systems interact.

 

[Ranger]

Yeah, forget pumping the go pedal. That's an old carburetor trick that does absolutely nothing on fuel injected motors. Try starting it by simply holding the pedal partially down (throttle plate partially open).

 

[kvouty]

Thanks everyone , for the tips. I'll try them out and let you know what happens.

 

[drewsdeville]

Always start with the basics quick, simple basics. Don't even need tools.

Car doesn't start? Remove the air cleaner housing and watch the injectors while cranking.

Fuel sprays? Diagnose ignition problem (as your DTC suggests).
No fuel spray? Check for tandem ignition problem by trickling a little fuel down the throttle body and try again. You should get some pops even if it doesn't start. Diagnose fuel problem.

 

[kvouty]

Thanks again for all the comments. It turns out that the car needed a new ignition cap which was a pretty simple fix. \
So far I haven't had any, or very little trouble starting the car since this was replaced.
I do have one other problem with the car, unrelated to the starting issue.
A rather loud humming noise while driving. Its very hard to describe the sound. Two mechanics thought it was the smog pump, which I replaced and the hum
continued. The noise varies in tone based on turning the steering wheel while sitting idling, but also the noise changes when accelerating whether or not
the steering wheel is turned. The mechanic has checked out all the belts, idler pulley, etc. One mechanic suggested it was a water pump bearing, another the
power steering pump. Any thoughts? Thanking you all in advance.

 

[carnut]

Buy a stethoscope and place it on everything that is rotating. I think the power steering pump is the culprit.

 

[kvouty]

Hi carnut,
I've had the power steering pump replaced and the smog pump. The noise doesn't go away, it sounds like a noisy bearings to me, but what do I know. Its getting louder and louder as time goes by. And I've taken a video of it, used a stethoscope, which by the way, makes a number of parts sound really noisy. In the video I thought maybe the bearing on the generator might be the culprit, but the remanufactured power steering pump, which I got from Napa parts, and was just installed, sounds pretty loud. Can I send you my video? offline from the forum? My mechanic can't figure this out. I'm going to try someone else, but my mechanic owns a couple of these old caddys and knows alot. The dealer charges $200 just to look at the car. Maybe I should go that route and give it up. Any further thoughts?

 

[carnut]

Its OK send the video. I had that issue years ago and it was a restricted high pressure steering hose. Also make sure the steering hoses aren't touching the frame or touching each other.

 

[kvouty]

Hi Carnut,
here is the video at this link http://youtu.be/BJQRZD2GhC0
It seems like a part thats already been replaced is making the most noise.???
k

 

[carnut]

Best guess would be the idler pulley bearing. Serpentine IE Belt Tensioner bearing. With the belt off, you should be able to spin the tensioner pulley quickly by hand, it should produce no noise.

 

[kvouty]

thanks for this advice. sorry it took so long to get back to you. Recently I had to stop driving the car because of a manifold leak. Luckily its now fixed, at least temporarily. Another friend of mine
thought the same thing about the idler pulley, thanks for advice on how to check it.
k