My '88/2.9 has been sitting for a while. I had it running briefly today. Then, it went from trying to run for a few seconds at a time, to sputtering and trying to start, and now it won't even try.

It has spark. It has gas in it. I can hear the fuel pumps run. There is fuel pressure but I haven't measured it. The plugs I pulled to check for spark didn't seem wet, just sooty.

I've been reading some and thought that it may be a bad inertia switch because of some intermittent problems that I have had in the past. But now I'm questioning that. Should I buy a fuel pressure gauge and test it?

Any good starting points on this one? Thanks in advance!

 

Your inertia switch would cut off power to the fuel pumps. If you hear them run, your
switch is on. Be sure to check your codes, if nothing is revealed there, then check the
pressure. You may be able to rent a pressure gauge at your auto parts store, that could save money for a fuel pressure regulator, if it needs it.

 

"System Passed" is all I'm getting for codes. Raw gas fumes are coming from the exhaust when I'm cranking it. It's acting like it's flooded.

I hope the timing chain didn't snap. Thing is, I had it running for a good 5 minutes or so twice today and now It's not even trying to run. I just sprayed gas into the throttle body. Nothing

 

When my fuel pressure regulator failed, about the same thing happened, but the engine
was able to start. And the fuel vapor billowed out the exhaust. It was partially burned
so it didn't smell like raw gas. I would check the fuel pressure.

 

I guess that would be a more accurate description of what I getting. I'll see if I can scrounge up a pressure gauge.

The pressure regulator is located where exactly?

Another question: How much pressure/gas should be released when the ball valve is depressed on the fuel pressure access port (probably not the correct term)?

 

It is to the right of the aluminum intake. If you do not have one, I would suggest
that you get a manual. The Haynes manual shows the procedure for checking the
pressure and what levels to look for. The regulator should be right next to the rearmost of the three tubes of the intake. Do not remove any of the fuel lines
until you depressurize them! The manual explains how. I'd get that first, it can
help a lot.

 

If you don't have a manual, you can use the online repair guide on autozone.com, it has the procedures. Your fuel pressure should be between 30 to 40 psi. A bad regulator will show signs of gas in the vacuum line that connects to it. You may also want to clean up the spark plugs while you're at it. There are a couple of things to do to prevent hard starts as well. You can turn the key on/off 5-7 times and then try turning the engine over/starting it (this usually tells you if the check valve in the fuel pump isn't holding pressure very well, and there is a way to correct it without replacing the pump(s).). Another way is to (with a good working regulator) remove the vacuum line from the fuel pressure regulator and plug the vacuum line, then start it up normally... once it's started, reinstall the vacuum line on the regulator. This sometimes is a sign you may have a regulator going bad, but also affirms the check valve issue. There is also another mod you can do, which is install an adjustable regulator. Anyhow, hopefully I didn't ramble on with too much useless information, and hope you get it fixed soon.

 

No signs of gas in the vacuum lines.

It seems like it trying to start but just not catching. A fuel pressure gauge is about $40 bucks and none are available for loaners. I'm off to the parts store to get one.

 

I just tested the fuel pressure and it's about 11 lbs.

Am I looking at the high pressure pump, the regulator, or both? Any way I can test them?

 

Update; I tried to crank it with the pressure gauge attached. It still won't start but the pressure jumped up to 40 psi.

So, I'm guessing it's not a fuel pressure problem after all???

 

Update: I cleaned the air bypass valve assembly and pulled the codes again and got a 53. "Throttle position sensor above maximum range".

 

Did you test for spark? If you're not getting any spark at all, the TFI module on the distributor or the pickup inside the distributor may be at fault. As far as codes, the only true way to pull 'em is with the engine already warmed up, otherwise you may get a lot of false codes / signals. You may have a bad throttle position sensor, but make sure you got correct fuel pressure and spark, then go from there. There are procedures for testing all the sensors and modules, etc. in the "Read First / Tech info" section of this forum. Lots of good info. Check everything out really well, then see what you get. You may also want to check all of your ground connections, including the entire negative battery cable, as well as the positive cable and all the electrical connections and connectors in the wiring harness under the hood. Could be something as simple as a loose connection causing all sorts of hate and discontent. Hope this helps

 

If there is a vacuum leak to the fuel pressure regulator, it can cause a malfunction also.
if you are certain it has spark, don't rule it out.

 

I have spark.

Questions: What controls the injectors? If the TFI module was bad, would it still get spark? I'm thinking it's one of the electronic controllers or the timing got off somehow.

 

did you check to see if your distributer was loose? and like the fly says the pressure regulater must be working that vacuum hose should not have gas in it.