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Fuel Pump not running, 86 CV

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    #1

    Fuel Pump not running, 86 CV

    I just bought a really nice and rust free 86 Crown Vic two door model here in south carolina for only $50, from a guy who just wanted it out of his yard. The car has a 5.0L EFI engine, which the guy said runs great, only the fuel pump will not turn on, so the engine cannot run. I have the car back home with me now, and am trying to diagnose what is wrong.

    I have been reading around some here about which things to check, and so far I have verified that the fuel pump relay in the engine bay is indeed clicking when I turn the key to On, but the fuel pump does not come on, and the engine will not start. I put my ear near the fuel tank, and had someone turn the key to On, and I can just barely hear the fuel pump trying to run. It sounds really muffled and strained, and I can just barely hear it. I also pushed the switch in the trunk that resets the fuel pump, and still nothing. Some people have told me that the fuel sock on the pump might be clogged, or that the old gas has turned to varnish inside the fuel lines. The car sat for over 4 years without being started even once before I got it, so that may be a possibility.

    Is there an easy fix somewhere that I am not seeing, or am I stuck having to pull out the gas tank?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    Last edited by jd386; 07-17-2010, 10:10 AM.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Change the fuel filter before you get further along. It might just be clogged solid.
    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

    Originally posted by phayzer5
    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

    Comment

      #3
      You got a great deal for just 50.00 for the car!!! congrats...we need to see your pics please!
      1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS - Current - June 2016 POTM Winner
      1996 Mercury Grand Marquis LS - SOLD
      1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS - SOLD
      1987 Mercury Grand Marquis LS 2dr - Long gone

      Comment

        #4
        +1 fuel filter. if it still won't go... replacing the pump will require taking the tank down since the access is on the back side (too bad they didn't make an access panel from the trunk behind the carpet... that would have been awesome).

        Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
        rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

        Originally posted by gadget73
        ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

        Originally posted by dmccaig
        Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

        Comment

          #5
          I didn't even think about the fuel filter being a possible cause. I will try replacing it next before doing anything else. I really hope that it is gonna be that simple. I'm not looking forward to having to remove the gas tank and replace the fuel pump, out in this 95-100* heat we have going on here, in my yard, with the car on shaky jackstands. Working underneath cars supported only by jackstands that are sitting on grass and soft dirt, kind of freaks me out, I don't have much choice here though. I'm hoping to get this car going soon, so I can replace my current unreliable pos, with this awesome old ford, which hopefully will end up being reliable after some basic maintenance.

          Thanks guys, I will let you know how it works out.

          Comment

            #6
            Just got back in from changing the fuel filter, and although it did still have the original 24 yr old filter installed previously, it did not help the pump any. I removed the filter afterward and turned the key to On, to see if any fuel would pump out of the line, and not a single drop came out. The gas has an old varnish smell to it, if you have ever been to the junkyard around the older cars, then you know this smell pretty well.

            Is it now safe to say that the fuel pump is dead and needs replaced, or is there something else that I should look into before going through all this work, like an electrical connection somewhere? I'm ready to buy a new pump, and drop the tank to install it, if need be.

            Thanks Guys.
            Last edited by jd386; 07-17-2010, 08:13 PM.

            Comment

              #7
              replace the fuel pump and the fuel tank.......new tanks are still under 100 dollars

              1986 lincoln towncar signature series. 5.0 HO with thumper performance ported e7 heads, 1.7 roller rockers, warm air intake, 65mm throttle body, 1/2" intake spacer, ported intakes, 3.73 rear with trac lock, 98-02 front brake conversion, 92-97 rear disc conversion, 1" rear swaybar, 1 3/16" front swaybar, 16" wheels and tires, loud ass stereo system, badass cb, best time to date 15.94 at 87 mph. lots of mods in the works 221.8 rwhp 278 rwt
              2006 Lincoln Town Car Signature. Stock for now
              1989 Ford F-250 4x4 much much more to come, sefi converted so far.
              1986 Toyota pickup with LSC wheels and 225/60/16 tires.
              2008 Hyundai Elantra future Revcon toad
              1987 TriBurner and 1986 Alaska stokers keeping me warm. (and some pesky oil heat)

              please be patient, rebuilding an empire!

              Comment

                #8
                yeah, its shot. Oh well, it would have needed the fuel filter anyhow. Agree on replacing the tank, pump, and sock in one shot. If its that stinky, the inside of the tank is probably crapped up along with the fuel sock.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment

                  #9
                  Ok, thanks guys, sounds good. Definitely not interested in trying to clean the gunk out of that old gas tank. So, looks like I'm off then to purchase a new Tank & Pump. Hopefully my local Advance has them in stock. We are having a cloudy day here today thank god, so hopefully I can get it done before the sun rears its ugly head again. Can't wait to hear her fire up for the 1st time.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Originally posted by jd386 View Post
                    Ok, thanks guys, sounds good. Definitely not interested in trying to clean the gunk out of that old gas tank. So, looks like I'm off then to purchase a new Tank & Pump. Hopefully my local Advance has them in stock. We are having a cloudy day here today thank god, so hopefully I can get it done before the sun rears its ugly head again. Can't wait to hear her fire up for the 1st time.
                    Make sure to get Gas Tank Straps as well. Replace the float and seal for the sending unit as well. That's separate from the fuel pump assembly.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      would you want to replace the fuel lines also?
                      What, btw, gums up the fuel system; isn't gasoline a wonderful solvent? Not trying to be a smartass here; I figure the fuel system must be one of the cleanest there is in a car.

                      For the jack stand, definitely lay down a sheet of plywood. I was doing my work on asphalt, and the jackstands cut 1/4" down into the asphalt... I hate to think what they'd do on dirt. Sink over an inch? But plywood seems harder than asphalt, strong enough to distribute the weight a little.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Originally posted by BerniniCaCO3 View Post
                        would you want to replace the fuel lines also?
                        What, btw, gums up the fuel system; isn't gasoline a wonderful solvent? Not trying to be a smartass here; I figure the fuel system must be one of the cleanest there is in a car.

                        For the jack stand, definitely lay down a sheet of plywood. I was doing my work on asphalt, and the jackstands cut 1/4" down into the asphalt... I hate to think what they'd do on dirt. Sink over an inch? But plywood seems harder than asphalt, strong enough to distribute the weight a little.
                        Its the additives in the fuel that break apart after time and cause lots of deposits. I personally wouldn't want to mess with the fuel lines themselves. Putting nice clean gas through the lines should clean out the lines nicely. Though I would recommend a couple of fuel filter changes every other oil change. That way you don't clog the filter too bad to make the pump work to hard. Remember, pressure and flow are the key...
                        I've used plywood under jackstands and found that they do help distribute the weight from the feet of the jackstands without going into the ground.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          The gasoline itself works well as a solvent, but it also evaporates. When it does that, it leaves behind all the additives and other BS, which gum up or turn to a solid (called varnish) inside the tank or wherever it was laying. Ethanol gas has a different neat trick called phase seperation. Basically it absorbs water to a certain point, and then the alcohol and water will bond together and split out of the gasoline, leaving a layer of unburnable crap at the bottom of the tank where it gets sucked into the pump.
                          86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                          5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                          91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                          1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                          Originally posted by phayzer5
                          I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                          Comment

                            #14
                            BEFORE you get too carried away with replacing half of the fuel system, you just might want to check out the inertia switch in the trunk....look for a black plastic box, with a white push button on the top. Disconnect that switch, and use a paper clip to jump the two wires, make sure it can't contact any metal, and then see if the pump works.

                            Beyond that, I'd still replace it all, anyway, but I would check this part out first, as I've had a few fail on me, especially with cars that have been sitting a while....

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Finally got the Fuel Tank & Pump replaced today. Filled it up with 87 gas, turned the key to on, purged the air from the fuel rail, and then it fired right up no problem. It ran shitty and smoked out the tailpipe for around 5 minutes, then out of nowhere it somehow cleared itself up and started running great, no smoking or anything. I took it for a ride afterward, and it does run and shift damn good for a 24yr old car, which has probably never been maintenanced in its entire life. The plug wires say 1986 on them. After some maintenance, hopefully this car will be a good daily driver for me, for at least a few years to come.

                              Thanks for all the replies guys.

                              Comment

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