Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting 2001 Cougar Will Not Start

A friend of mine has a 2001 Cougar with a V6 auto trans. which ran out of gas the other night. After putting gas in it, it just continues to crank and not turn over. I suggested trying the emergency fuel shut off switch. Does any one have any ideas which may help?

Thanks,
Eurythmian

Come on guys... any ideas?
We have a car sitting here...

Thanks,
Eurythmian

try checking the fuel pump fuse under the hood

I should have thought of that...
Any one else have any suggestions in case neither the fuel shut off switch and the fuse thing doesn't work?


Thanks for your help,
Eurythmian

Hard to know what to suggest. I've always heard that running out of gas is not good for a fuel-injected engine; supposedly, the crud that collects at the bottom of the gas tank will clog up the injectors.


If the fuel pump and everything else seems to be working, I wonder if you threw a can of some kind of injector cleaner into the tank and then cranked it for awhile?

Well, I know on some cars the fuel pump will burn up if you run out of gas. The pump is lubricated and cooled by the gasoline in your tank, so when you run it out of gas the pump kills itself. Not sure if this is true of the Cougar or the Contour for that matter, but it's something to look at. I'm sure there's a way to check fuel pressure in the Haynes or Chilton manual somewhere. Good luck!

If the cougar is like the 'tour, you should be able to hear the fuel pump run for a second when you first turn the key to on. (i.e. just before the start/crank position) You could also pull the output side line off the fuel filter and see if the fuel pump is pumping gas throuogh the filter when you crank it.

I dont think he really ran out of gas? My guess is a fuel pump relay went bad just when his tank was really low,and NO you dont burn up fuel pumps by running out of gas,and there is nothing wrong with running out of gas on a fuel Injected car.Used to be on old fuel injected cars if you ran out it had to be primmed back up.But todays cars dont have to have this done.You will just have to crank a second or two longer to get it to firew up.
Under the hood where you hook up a fuel pressure gauge(schrader valve),while someone is cranking over the engine,push the valve in,use a rag to cover it so it wont get in your eyes.If fuel comes out of there,you got pressure.If not you have a bad pump relay,fuse or fuel pump.
But just a guess!
Also if you have a funnel,you can use it as a megaphone by putting it into the fuel filler pipe,as someone cranks the engine,or cycles the key off and on(not starting or cranking it)use the funnel to listen into the tank for a running fuel pump.

Originally posted by Journie:

---

Under the hood where you hook up a fuel pressure gauge(schrader valve),while someone is cranking over the engine,push the valve in,use a rag to cover it so it wont get in your eyes.If fuel comes out of there,you got pressure.If not you have a bad pump relay,fuse or fuel pump.

---

This is NOT the safest tip I have ever read. Better to spend the $$$ on a fuel pressure gauge, rather than risk fire like that. Any auto parts store should have a gauge for sale.

Now that I think of it, aren't returnless vehicles (like the 01 Cougar) using fuel rails that lack the schraeder valve? Just something that I seem to have read before ..

Thanks guys...
I'm printing all of this out and giving it to my friend with the Cougar. It's his teenage daughter's car... he knows nothing about Fords or any other make of car for that matter and this will be a huge help.

I will let you know what the out come is.

Thanks again for all your help.

Eurythmian