No Fuel To Injectors

[colonelcobb]

Hi All ! It's been awhile.
My 2000 Windstar is inconviently "parked" in a position where it is impossible to tow.
It won't start. I've replaced fuel pump, fuel pump fuse, fuel pump relay. Fuel at the spray rail doen't have much force, sorta "dribbles" out.
It's got spark and runs if I pour a little raw gasoline into the intake manifold. I don't have a code-test-meter and cannot afford to buy one right now. My Windstar has nearly put me in the "poor-house". No matter what I do or replace, my "Check Engine" light stays permanently ON. The light only goes off when I turn off the key.......LOL

[wiswind]

Fuel filter?
If you pull the vaccum line off the fuel pressure regulator, and plug the vaccum line, you will have MAXIMUM fuel pressure.
Just do this as a temporary check.

I also wonder if you may have some air in the system?.....

[12Ounce]

I know its not important .... but how on earth did you replace the fuel pump in a car that is awkwardly parked? When I first dropped the tank in my '99 Winny, I required all sorts of space in all directions ... and had to jack the rear of the van about 2 ft up.

??

[colonelcobb]

Wiswind, thank you. I already changed the fuel filter, but I also just put in new fuel pump this morning. There definately was/is air in the fuel line.
I did do some purging with the purge valve. How long does it take to get all the air out? Perhaps I haven't purged enough or cranked the engine long enough.
I will disconect the fuel pressure regulator and try that.

[12Ounce]

Under normal start-up the fuel pump is turned on just a few seconds ... if the computer sees that the engine has started, the pump command remains on ... if the computer does not see the engine running, the pump turns off after those few seconds. I have forced my fuel pump to stay on, during diagnostics, by jumping out the fuel pump relay and having the ignition on. On my '99 model the fuel pump relay is #207 ... and I just remove the relay and temp jumper the heavy base power terminals together.

This would be one way to prove the pump is working ...but this is very dangerous stuff ... you've got gasoline and the potential for making a spark!! Don't even think about doing something like this if you don't have the skill set for doing it safely... or if conditions can't be made safe!!!

[olopezm]

Every time I've replaced a fuel pump, I always prime the system by turning the key to the on position 5 or 6 times without starting the engine. The engine sputters a little at the beginning but eases after it.

Oscar.

[wiswind]

On my '96, the fuel system would retain fuel pressure for quite a while after the motor was shut down.
With this in mind........use a big shop towel or rage......at the fuel rail pressure test point.
Use a small screw driver blade, etc...something that you can press the "needle" in the middle of the fuel pressure test point......and if gasoline squirts out.....you should be "primed"
If air hisses out.......you are not yet primed.....
If no pressure.....then that is another problem....verify that the fuel pump is running....etc.

[colonelcobb]

Thanks again for everyone's help, and, no new thread ! LOL

OK, first, I had the #302 and the #304 relay's backwards (I was reading the inside cover diagram backwards).

I now have a new #304 relay installed. The #302 (start interrupt) is the one that is missing and where the jumper wire is located to crank the engine from the dash mounted push-button.

I disconnected one fuel injector plug and attached my multi-meter, turned the key to the "on" position, and cranked the engine. The test meter showed voltage activity. I couldn't get an exact voltage reading as the meter would not respond fast enough to read the brief pluse.

I have purged all the air out of the line with the fuel-line purge valve and have fuel.

The engine cranks and runs with gasoline injected directly into the intake manifold.

The engine will not continue running nor start, without an initial prime.

I've checked for any "massive" vacuum leaks and found none.

What could I be overlooking? Please help.

[tomj76]

I'd say get to the basics...

If you can, disconnect the fuel lines from the fuel rail connections, put them in cans, and turn on the pump. Is there fuel coming out of one? Of course, use great care to avoid causing a fire.

If fuel is coming out then it's not the pump, the filter or the lines, but if not you know you have an upstream problem. Do the same back at the fuel filter. Divide and conquer...

When the engine isn't running there should be ~ 45 psi of fuel pressure at the fuel rail valve. Once the engine runs, the fuel pressure is regulated to maintain constant pressure drop over the injector input/output. Therefore when the engine is at idle the absolute pressure is lower.

If the flow was good out of one of the fuel lines, then you may have an issue with the fuel rail, or possibly the return line.

[colonelcobb]

Thanks tomj76,

The fuel pump (complete unit) was replaced just this past Sunday. The fuel filter was replaced less than a year ago.

Here is what initially happened; A week and a half ago, the van was parked and left for 1-1/2 days, then it would not re-start. I immediately thought "fuel pump", checked the old one and found that it was sometimes NOT running or would sometimes run with the speed fast then slow.

I then replaced the pump, the pump relay, and the #304 relay. I have not yet actually measured the psi of the fuel pressure, but it does "spray" out rather healthy, from the fuel-rail valve.

[mxlplx]

Hi Colonelcobb.

I have this same problem.
Did you ever resolve it?
If so how did you do it?

Thanks.