2002 Will not Start after running for 5 minutes

Transporter

Transporter

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Apr 6, 2018
Thunderbird Year
2002
So we got a free Leaf to drive so I stored the Bird over the winter with a battery tender. After the first month, I started the car and all was fine. The rest of the winter we had too much going on and I forgot to start it anymore.
Today I took the tender off, got in, and it started up first turn. Backed out into the driveway to let it idle and warm up. It ran for 5 minutes then just quit. I have 3/4 of a tank of gas. It cranks fine but will not run. It doesn't even catch and try to run, it is just endless cranking.
Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?
 

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Transporter said:
So we got a free Leaf to drive so I stored the Bird over the winter with a battery tender. After the first month, I started the car and all was fine. The rest of the winter we had too much going on and I forgot to start it anymore.
Today I took the tender off, got in, and it started up first turn. Backed out into the driveway to let it idle and warm up. It ran for 5 minutes then just quit. I have 3/4 of a tank of gas. It cranks fine but will not run. It doesn't even catch and try to run, it is just endless cranking.
Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?
Click to expand...
You may need a new battery or did you use stabil or some other fuel stabilization additive?
 
Add 5 gals of fresh 93 oct, pref non-E, and try again. Good luck.
 
Georgia Cat said:
You may need a new battery or did you use stabil or some other fuel stabilization additive?
Click to expand...

It isn't the battery, I have a battery tester and my battery is fine (I could probably keep cranking the car for two hours). I filled the tank up almost full with Premium real gas with no ethanol without any Stabil before not driving it for 5 months. Besides, even if it were bad gas, it would still start, but it would run like crap missing and sputtering. The Bird ran smooth for 5 minutes or more before it just cut off so it had to have been on fuel from the tank as all the lines and rails had to be full of fuel because it immediately started when I turned the key the first time. And running for 5 minutes that would easily empty the little fuel in the rails needing fuel from the tank.

I am thinking 1) fuel filter, 2) fuel pump, 3) blown fuse to fuel pump but looking for ALL suggestions.
 
Transporter said:
It isn't the battery, I have a battery tester and my battery is fine (I could probably keep cranking the car for two hours). I filled the tank up almost full with Premium real gas with no ethanol without any Stabil before not driving it for 5 months. Besides, even if it were bad gas, it would still start, but it would run like crap missing and sputtering. The Bird ran smooth for 5 minutes or more before it just cut off so it had to have been on fuel from the tank as all the lines and rails had to be full of fuel because it immediately started when I turned the key the first time. And running for 5 minutes that would easily empty the little fuel in the rails needing fuel from the tank.

I am thinking 1) fuel filter, 2) fuel pump, 3) blown fuse to fuel pump but looking for ALL suggestions.
Click to expand...
Sounds like what happened to me a year ago. I had to replace both fuel pumps. I used OEM Ford pumps but I think there are some after market options available for less money.
 
Auto parts vendors sell pumps much cheaper than Ford. Good -better - worse? No experience, thanks to the piston gods!
Some will lend you the Ford Special Wrench you will need.
 
Hi.
Just stating the obvious, it's either fuel or ignition. Since the starter is working the battery is fine.
So, I would check the fuel pump fuses, fuel pump reset switch.
I don't recall in my T Bird, but in my other cars turning the key to on and listening, you can hear the fuel pump pressurizing the system. If you don't hear that, the pump is not running.
I will give it try it on my car.
Check these items first, then move to ignition if needed.

Good luck
 
There is a crank sensor on the bottom of the bell housing. that is what tells the computer when to fire the coils. Check that the connections aren't dirty or if the wires are lose. I had that problem a while ago changed the sensor and the problem went away. Good Luck Rick
 
hemiguy said:
Hi.
Just stating the obvious, it's either fuel or ignition. Since the starter is working the battery is fine.
So, I would check the fuel pump fuses, fuel pump reset switch.
I don't recall in my T Bird, but in my other cars turning the key to on and listening, you can hear the fuel pump pressurizing the system. If you don't hear that, the pump is not running.
I will give it try it on my car.
Check these items first, then move to ignition if needed.

Good luck
Click to expand...

Hi Hemiguy,

Do you know where the fuel pump reset switch is located? Does anybody know which fuse/relay number I need to check so I can check the fuse/relay (the better half took the manual out of the glovebox to make room for makeup and hair stuff for after driving with the top down and doesn't remember where she put it). If its not the fuse/relay or reset button, what is the best way to test a fuel pump to see if it needs replaced?

On a side note for Hemiguy, my dad owned a 1970 Daytona Superbird with the 426 Hemi and duel four barrel carbs. I got my first warning plus first three speeding tickets in that car!
 
Hi.
Yes the Superbird was quite a car!

The information is in the owner's manual.
Reset switch is behind the driver's footwell panel. There is an access hole for it.
Fuse #17 in the trunk power distribution box, 15amp.

Good luck,
John
 
Update:
The 15A fuse number 17 blows the second I crank the engine. When I turn the key to On, I think I hear the pump then it stops, all is silent, then when I turn the key to Start and the starter cranks the engine it doesn't start and the fuse is again blown. Anything else I should check before assuming it is the actual fuel pump?
 
Hi.
So I just went to see if I could hear the fuel pump when turning the key on. Sure enough you can hear a relay click and then the pump runs and shuts off. It's only about a second or so but it's there. If you hear it, then the pump is most likely ok.

John
 
You can use a volt ohmmeter to measure the current draw of the pump and see if it is within factory specified limits. If I was going to guess, I would say the fuel pump is bad and drawing too much. Of course it could be a frayed wire somewhere too that a mouse chewed. You don't know until you troubleshoot.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. Yes when I turn the key to on, I hear a few relays, and a quick one second whine like I would expect from a fuel pump pressurizing the line. If I don't do anything else and shut it completely off and go to On again same thing. But every single time I go one more key position to Start it blows the #17 15A fuse.
So I am following everybody's thinking that I have a bad fuel pump. I have a 2002 Tbird, does this model have one fuel pump or two? And if it has two, which one would you shotgun first?
Lastly, if it only has one, is it in or above the fuel tank? And if it has two, where is the second one location that I am assuming ISN'T in the fuel tank? Thanks
 
Hi.
Did you watch the video?
There are two pumps accessed from holes in the storage area floor behind the seats. Yes they are in the tank, the right one is the pump, the left is a transfer pump. The right side pump would be the first suspect.
 
Thanks Hemiguy. Don't know how I missed the video on my phone but I am now on my laptop and have watched it.
Question: Does anybody know if the pumps are wired in Series or Parallel? If they were in parallel, I could disconnect one at a time to see if one or both are blowing the fuse. Or is the wisdom of the Forum just to go ahead and replace both of them while everything in the back is uncovered?
 
Hi.
I read that the left pump is a vane pump powered by the flow of fuel from the right pump, so the only electrical connection would be the float?
 
Heres my recommendation. I have done this before and asked ford dealer for estimate. Those clowns wanted $2300 which included parts and labor. I did this myself watching that video in the previous post. I got a lifetime warranty on the pump i bought from o'reillys auto parts which cost only $109. The ford clowns would only give me 1 year warranty on parts and labor. Total time to do this job was 4 hours. The biggest headache is getting the plastic jar lid off. There is minimal to no room at all. I rented the tool to take jar lid from auto zone. I had to hold tool on the lid while my buddy worked the socket wrench. Painful but i got it done. I also learned a lot from this. Engineers could have designed a lid with nuts and bolts but then that would have been too easy. Best of luck to you. Phil
 
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