Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Cranks but no spark. Insuficient power to the fuel

1996 Ford Countour SE
2.5L Duratec V6
Manual Transmition 5+1
Miles: 153,000

Hello all, I have been reading though your excelent boards for the last few days trying to figure out whats the matter with my car. Unfortunately my car resists all attempts to fix it. So, I will regress...

A few months ago, my car started bucking and loosing power at odd moments. It didn't seem to matter how much fuel was in the tank or any other thing that I could find. Fast forward a few weeks, and now my car is comming out of the shop where a mechanic has just charged me buco bucks to remove the (after market) alarm and to do some other electrical maintenance on my vehicle and the car is running well again. I am happy.

That is, until a few days ago when I am driving along on my way to work when, here we go again, the car is bucking underneath me and stalling once in a while at stops. Then just 3 days ago, my Contour dies on me and won't restart. I get a tow back to my place and I start to look at the things that I know about.

I grab my trusty multimeter and chack every single fuse in the thing, make sure all my electrical connections are tight and clean. Also, I check my brown relays with the horn (hey it works) just to make sure they are all working. And then, stumped, turn to you guys. With your help I got my MAF sensor cleaned up along with my fuel filter replaced. And I didn't neglect to clean out IAC sensor either (YUCK!). Oh and let's not forget the crank shaft sensor and the cam shaft sensor as well. Thinking it couldn't hurt I also stuck the probes for my meter into the connector for the fuel pump just to see what would happen. Both pairs return a voltage with the power turned on. So, here I am thinking I have a bad fuel pump and decide to just replace it and the hell with the rest. So, I spent some time yesterday doing just that. Unfortunately after I have replaced the pump and have everything put back together, stiull no joy. Suddenly there is a niggling along my back that is telling me something is still wrong! So, I get out my meter again and some copper wire to cause a few intentional shorts. First thing I do is short out the fuel pump relay and low and behold, my brand new fuel pump in now running! Won't shut off no matter what I do (Short of removing the short ), but hey I didn't break the pump that I was putting in to replace the broken one.... DERP!!! Man back to square one.

So, now I am thinking that this has something to do with the computer (PCM?). If this is the case, can I just replace it? I saw online a store that will sell me the new kit (Computer and Flash upgrades I think) for $200 US. Am I on the right track or is there anything else that I haven't thought of? Replies would be appreciated.


Other things wrong:
Power locks no longer function. (Burnt out by alarm)
Drivers control, only functioning, power window control.
Trunk won't release with inside lever.

Thanks,
Jason

One easy fast check to do; notice when you turn the key to run, all the lights on the dash should come on for a bulb check, including the check engine light. The CEL should remain lit untill the pcm sees a signal from the crank and cam sensors. So, when you crank the engine, the CEL should go out, telling you it is recieving the signals for proper spark and injector timing. If the CEL does not go out when cranking you have a crank/cam sensor or connection problem. If the CEL does not come on for a bulb check, you have a PCM power or ground issue... I will check tomorrow a work (I am ase certified auto tech) if that vehicle has a CCRM (constant contol relay module) or not, if it does, that is more than likely the case or your problem if the CEL doesn't not light at all. If the light does what its supposed to, come on with bulb check and go out during cranking, its more than likely the pcm as the pcm grounds the ignition coils for spark, and those transistors do burn out after time. Older cars have a seperate 'ignition module' which grounds the spark plug coils but most newer vehicle it is built into the pcm.

No CEL at all when the key is in the "On" position or the "Crank" position. I do however get the starter trying to turn the engine over and all the othe lights you would expect (Airbag, seatbelt, etc...)Thank you for the help. Currently this is my only vehicle ('94 Taurus had it's trany blow 2 weeks ago) and I have to have it to make the 15 miles to work.

Jason

OK it is definately a power or ground issue... Unfortunatly I cannot tell you exactly where to start checking untill tomorrow around 6 pm central time. We use a program called Alldata where I work that has all factory service manuals for most all makes and models of car/truck back to 1982 on computer. Again im not sure if it has a CCRM as I mentioned earlier, your 94 tarus does though, im positive of that. The CCRM is basicall just a bunch of intergrated relays in one box, and the contacts get corroded in the relays just like any normal relay. The CCRM on your taurus is located on top of the radiator fans, just the drivers side under the hood. It is usually under a black piece of plastic which has the underhood engine sticker and some other stickers on top of the upper radiator support. The CCRM looks like the pcm, only a little smaller. Locate the CCRM on your tarus if you can and try and see if you can find something that looks like that on your tour... beating the hell out of the CCRM sometimes knocks the relay contacts around enough that the car might start. You will here the fuel pump run, the CEL will come on, and maybe a warning chime will sound letting you know you were successful. Since you say the fuel pump has low voltage, I'm almost positive this is the problem, as the same relay that powers the pcm ALSO powers the relay for the feul pump.

Thank you,

If you notice in my first post I did replace my fuel filter and even though I didn't say it, I did put some HEAT in my tank. Not much moisture in SoCal to accumulate in a gas tank, but I thought, what the hell? Still, no joy.

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Welcome. Change the fuel filter. Put HEET in gas tank (or gas stabilizer). Then check if the starter is "shot".

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Changing the fuel filter (while it is a good idea and should be changed anyway) most definatly will not solve your problem.

A dirty fuel filter will not cause the vehicle to lose spark. If the CEL does not light as a bulb check when the key is first turned to the 'run' position, the PCM DOES NOT have power. Unless, of course, the bulb is burnt out, or that particular circuit is bad in the PCM - but those are highly unlikely.