87 Taurus starting problem

[bebobullet]

My friends 87 Taurus with a 94 3.0 engine died in my drive way. It tries to start on starting fluid, but dies out quickly. Fuel filter OK. No pressure at fuel rail. Is the fuel pump on this Taurus in the fuel tank or above the fuel tank? Any and all ideas much appreciated.

[Intrepid781]

Could be something as simple as a relay I've had that happen on my S-10 and a bronco I had.

[shorod]

Right, first check the fuel pump inertial switch. I'm not positive where it's at on the '87 Taurus, but probably in the trunk on the driver's side. There's probably a 1 inch diameter hole in the side of the trunk liner with a button behind it.

The fuel pump relay is part of the Constant Control Relay Module (CCRM) which have been known to fail and also suffer from dirty grounds, so that would be another item to check.

The fuel pump is located within the fuel tank with no access to it until you drop the fuel tank, so make sure that's what needs to happen before you go to that effort.

If you're handy with a multimeter, you can probably find the wiring diagrams for the fuel pump at AutoZone's website in the "Repair info" section. They're free to view and print.

-Rod

[bebobullet]

Great information. I had forgotten about the inertial switch. Reset it and it started right up. Thanks for saving me a lot of time and him some money.

[shorod]

Thanks for the follow-up! Now he just needs to figure out why it tripped so easily. He won't want that tripping when he's running down the highway and hits an expansion joint or similar. Unless he was going too fast for the condition of your driveway....

-Rod

[bebobullet]

Shorod, Sorry I did not include the why in the post. The seal on the driver side of the trunk was leaking and he was doing some heavy hammering in that area. I think the switch is fine. It just did what it was designed to do. Thanks again for some really good information. bebobullet