96 Cobra only tries to start with dead battery

Ness · Dec 15, 2023

You read that right lol. I have a 96 cobra bone stock that was parked running about 6-8 months ago because I was in a motorcycle accident. Recently I went out to the car to get it going again to go back on the road. I had no fuel so I replaced the fuel filter which was completely clogged. After that I had no fuel pressure at the fuel rail. I replaced the FPR and boom now the rail is finally building pressure. So after all that car still will not start every once in awhile it'll try and fire, but dies right away like its just loosing spark, but its right away. The weirder thing is it will only even TRY to fire off when the battery is hardly able to spin it over. Then if I hold the key and play with the throttle it'll fire die fire die fire die like right away. Me typing it doesn't do it justice which sucks, but I'm trying my best lol. So with a fresh battery or the charged up one that was in it, it'll just crank and wont even attempt to cough. Once whatever battery is in the car is dying or about to literally not be able to turn the car over then the cars tries to start still dies right away but it's trying.

Things I've checked.
Fuel pump-good
Fuel filter-brand new
FPR-brand new
Ignition wires-brand new
Sparkplugs-brand new
injectors-brand new
coil packs both have 12+ with key on at the center wire of the plug I know it has a green tracer I forget to be honest but were good there.
Ground plug by the battery that makes your fans go nuts when its unplugged I checked and its fine.
I redid the + and - cable ends to the battery.

I'm lost to be truthful I thought maybe PATS, but my light goes out after three seconds and I don't think the car would even try to fire at all if it was PATS locking me out. I'm not 100 percent though.

hotcobra03 · Dec 15, 2023

Download a manual,,

Manual has steps to follow for this.

You will need to read on how it works to under how to fix ,,

Example here.

Check all fuses. Some will only power with key on.

The engine electrical diagram will show fuses and what they power.

Both engine bay and cabin have a fuse to engine controls.

Than you having 12v at coil with key on is 1 of them ,
On this the pcm sends ground to spark..

Now the coil gets it's signal from another engine sensor,
Without that no spark but power at coil..

Fuel injectors are the same ,
Power wire with key on,the other is pcm ground signal to fire .

It's really simple,for basic beginner with basic tool box

Be more detailed on what you know,have and how you tested

Post back and see how site can help with understanding

I_like_turtlez · Dec 16, 2023

When you changed the fuel filter you lost fuel line pressure, all you had to do was cycle the key about 5 times to have the pump produce the volume needed to build pressure again

You also answered your own problem, your tank has old bad gas in it; typically after 90-120 days gas becomes gummy & stale without additives causing the exact symptom you described(your tank could very well be ruined causing the pump pickup to become clogged)

This is why you should never throw parts @ a vehicle.. you already knew the starting and ignition circuits were functioning; the PATS would've kept the car from starting at all

Always use logical deduction and start at the most simple point:

-You have electrical in the starting/ignition circuits
-You have airflow
-You have (decent enough)compression since the engine runs

Therefore the problem must be fuel related

hotcobra03 · Dec 16, 2023

Adobe Acrobat

acrobat.adobe.com

Adobe Acrobat

acrobat.adobe.com

Pin test for no start normal crank

And description

Ness · Dec 16, 2023

I_like_turtlez said:
When you changed the fuel filter you lost fuel line pressure, all you had to do was cycle the key about 5 times to have the pump produce the volume needed to build pressure again

You also answered your own problem, your tank has old bad gas in it; typically after 90-120 days gas becomes gummy & stale without additives causing the exact symptom you described(your tank could very well be ruined causing the pump pickup to become clogged)

This is why you should never throw parts @ a vehicle.. you already knew the starting and ignition circuits were functioning; the PATS would've kept the car from starting at all

Always use logical deduction and start at the most simple point:

-You have electrical in the starting/ignition circuits
-You have airflow
-You have (decent enough)compression since the engine runs

Therefore the problem must be fuel related

checked fuel and i have the things needed i put a injector tester on they all get pulse also i pulled the injectors and tested them on a bench they work fine. Its a spark related issue. No one "answered their own question" I knew the gas was bad hence why i replaced all fuel related things aside from the rail itself. So how it would be a fuel issue is beyond me. Also i keep checking the plugs and they're plenty went enough for me to replace them from being fuel fouled.

Ness · Dec 16, 2023

Also i know i lost prime and had to cycle the key i did that PLENTY of times i only came here after trying all the "basic" steps you guys love to mention. Seems to me you read half of what i said and drew your own conclusions.

I_like_turtlez · Dec 16, 2023

03cobra#694 · Dec 16, 2023

Ness said:
Seems to me you read half of what i said and drew your own conclusions.

Replies like this will get you nowhere, and I'm sure a bunch have already dismissed replying trying to help due to this arrogant post. Good luck dude.

COOL COBRA · Dec 16, 2023

Solution to how to **** yourself on SVTP in post #6.

Ness · Dec 17, 2023

look how mad yall get when you're wrong is that what this site is? bunch of grown men crying when they get something wrong? Not my fault homie read two sentences and then tried to answer. How that falls on me not sure he also thought this was 100 percent a fuel issues which he was also wrong again. Bad ground killed the coil packs she's fixed and ripping. Go back and read how i was responded to before even saying a word and youll see why i got tight. Thats the problem no one scrolls up and yous only read like a portion and than go and beat the shit out of your keyboards. so cool

Ness · Dec 17, 2023

the first guy sitting here assuming i didnt do this and that and i did and i have the tools to test lol. Second dude is dick hard on fuel issues and i apparently "answered my own question" lol so tell me how ANY of that was me being a dick i didnt say shit sideways till they came at me for asking a ****ing question shits crazy they were both wrong as **** anyway so idk where the over 9000 confidence is coming from.

98 svt · Dec 17, 2023

Ness · Dec 17, 2023

98 svt said:

you like that dragon ball reference buttcheese?

98 svt · Dec 17, 2023

I have no idea what you're talking about, but you're coming at this place all right guy.

Gooooood luck!

Ness · Dec 17, 2023

03cobra#694 said:
Replies like this will get you nowhere, and I'm sure a bunch have already dismissed replying trying to help due to this arrogant post. Good luck dude.

how are you MOD ? how in the shit are you coming to the conclusion that HIS answer wasn't the issue? I posted with as much detail as humanly possible and was respectful in everyway. So when someone answers with a smart-ass answer for no reason, obviously i'll getting a little heated. would you not? Did you also not read what i wrote you just saw my response to him and went off that? Assuming after i listed that i didnt do the basic steps and then saying "IT'S FUEL" when i stated everything fuel related was checked and either replaced or fixed. I put in my post i now KNOW it's NOT fuel related. Its obviously something electrical the main thing being it only doesn't ANYTHING when the battery is about to die. Go back reread look at his answer and obviously he was taking a jab and got one back.

Ness · Dec 17, 2023

98 svt said:
I have no idea what you're talking about, but you're coming at this place all right guy.

Gooooood luck!

obviously i have to just be a dick since thats how people want to answer the OP. Did this dude just dm people like look at what this dude said and no one read how he answered my OP which i put as much effort into that i could to avoid issues but say whatever couldnt care less

Ness · Dec 17, 2023

its obvious no one read the whole thing because i just realized i put the whole "it only tries to start when the battery is dying" towards the end. Which maybe would have led him to push me towards grounds related to ignition rather than saying i'm dumb its fuel. Again car wouldnt do anything with a full charge, about to die then it starts. i poked around after realizing i wasn't going to get any actual help here and found a bad ground. Fixed it and the car started. After choking on alllllll the fuel that fouled the plugs it cleared up and sounds great. Thanks buttholes

LS WUT · Dec 17, 2023

Hey man, just relax. Congratulations on finding the problem and fixing it. Process of elimination is awesome. Sometimes it’s the stupid things we over look. As stated above often times we throw parts at things and it’s something we never expect. We’ve all been there. Obviously the 3 rules of starting are Air, Fuel, and Spark. When we heard the car sat often times its fuel related just due to poopy gas.

hotcobra03 · Dec 17, 2023

This site requires you to be more detailed on what you did find that fixed your car,not just found a bad ground.

I was the 1st to respond,

In no way was I assuming any thing.

You joined for help. Your first post.
Listed just things you changed, nothing on testing untill reply to second help .with use of a mood but nothing on I used a spark tester that had no spark
Than three went to shit,

Many come here and ask for help ,than hope it's right,
Or ask for help but don't understand what was told to do.

I rather have them have the manual to have the right answer and help understand what information is given.
When I say manual not repair,,
Power train control and emissions diagnostic

,PCED Manual is what Ford techs use.

I'm interested now in what you found to see if it was connected to what was replaced and to cause.

And if it was tied to c1000 and c1001

03cobra#694 · Dec 17, 2023

Ness said:
how are you MOD ? how in the shit are you coming to the conclusion that HIS answer wasn't the issue? I posted with as much detail as humanly possible and was respectful in everyway. So when someone answers with a smart-ass answer for no reason, obviously i'll getting a little heated. would you not? Did you also not read what i wrote you just saw my response to him and went off that? Assuming after i listed that i didnt do the basic steps and then saying "IT'S FUEL" when i stated everything fuel related was checked and either replaced or fixed. I put in my post i now KNOW it's NOT fuel related. Its obviously something electrical the main thing being it only doesn't ANYTHING when the battery is about to die. Go back reread look at his answer and obviously he was taking a jab and got one back.

You really need to back off, before I back you off. You come in here as a newb and start blowing up long time members willing to help. I read your shit, makes no sense. Does this really make sense? "