Windstar Fuel Problems

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Location
Blue Springs, MO
My Car
1971 Mach 1, Grabber Blue w/Argent stripes. Original 2V 351C Auto, Tilt, rear defog, Black Comfortweave Interior. Under restoration. Original colors, 4V 351C, 4-Speed, Spoilers, Magnums, Ram Air. All Ford parts.
Thanks for looking, this one is killing me. NOT related to the mustang, but definitely keeping me from working on mine.

2001 Windstar 3.8 with 152K miles on it.

-Likes to foull plugs annually with significant buildup on the plugs

-New plugs about 500 mile ago, car was running great.

-Last Thursday my wife drove it all day long with no problems

-Thursday evening she backed it out of the garage, turned it off to go in and get her phone.(Go figure)

-Tried to restart and it would just start and die within 2 seconds

-I got home a few hours later and it would not fire at all.

I checked for fuel at the shraeder valve on the fuel rail. Only 2 drops came out.

-Replaced the fuel filter, got a lot more fuel at the fuel rail.

-Still wouldn't start.

I have checked for spark on the front cylinders with a timing light and the spark looks good.

-Checked the cam and crank sensors and they were performing fine electrically

-Popped a valve cover to make sure the valves were moving when the engine cranks

-Cracked the intake hose and sprayed starting fluid at the MAF. Van will fire and run on the starting fluid.

-Went back to the Schraeder valve and got no fuel out.

Where do I go from here. I am frustrated!

Fuel Pump? Fuel Regulator? another Fuel Filter? A Shotgun?

kcmash

 
i have a friend with a windstar it is a spark plug fowling machine i belive its a prob with them. i would think its your fuel pump i will bet its inside the fuel tank

 
Last edited by a moderator:
+1 on the fuel pump. Could also be the fuel pump relay, emergency shut off switch, the fuse or electrical connections. The regulator can cause problems, but not prevent at least some fuel pressure at the Schraeder valve.

 
Thanks for looking, this one is killing me. NOT related to the mustang, but definitely keeping me from working on mine.

2001 Windstar 3.8 with 152K miles on it.

-Likes to foull plugs annually with significant buildup on the plugs

-New plugs about 500 mile ago, car was running great.

-Last Thursday my wife drove it all day long with no problems

-Thursday evening she backed it out of the garage, turned it off to go in and get her phone.(Go figure)

-Tried to restart and it would just start and die within 2 seconds

-I got home a few hours later and it would not fire at all.

I checked for fuel at the shraeder valve on the fuel rail. Only 2 drops came out.

-Replaced the fuel filter, got a lot more fuel at the fuel rail.

-Still wouldn't start.

I have checked for spark on the front cylinders with a timing light and the spark looks good.

-Checked the cam and crank sensors and they were performing fine electrically

-Popped a valve cover to make sure the valves were moving when the engine cranks

-Cracked the intake hose and sprayed starting fluid at the MAF. Van will fire and run on the starting fluid.

-Went back to the Schraeder valve and got no fuel out.

Where do I go from here. I am frustrated!

Fuel Pump? Fuel Regulator? another Fuel Filter? A Shotgun?

kcmash
Kcmash,

Been a long time since I did drivability at the Ford store.

The fact that this puppy tends to flood out and leave deposits on the spark plugs leads me to the conclusion that the diaphragm in the fuel pressure regulator may be bad.

Find the pressure regulator on the fuel rail and remove the vacuum line (if it has one) and cycle the ignition and see if you get fuel out of the vacuum nipple. (carefull here it could really spray out of there)

If you turn the ignition on and check for pressure at the Schrader valve with a bad regulator, the pressure will have been all bled off by the time you get to the valve , cause the fuel pump is going to shut down till you get a crank signal.

the flooding/build up on the spark plugs could possibly have been from a leaking regulator all along.

Wife ever complain of smelling gas ?

What does the oil smell like ? has it ever been overfull ?

Boilermaster

 
Kcmash,

Been a long time since I did drivability at the Ford store.

The fact that this puppy tends to flood out and leave deposits on the spark plugs leads me to the conclusion that the diaphragm in the fuel pressure regulator may be bad.

Find the pressure regulator on the fuel rail and remove the vacuum line (if it has one) and cycle the ignition and see if you get fuel out of the vacuum nipple. (carefull here it could really spray out of there)

If you turn the ignition on and check for pressure at the Schrader valve with a bad regulator, the pressure will have been all bled off by the time you get to the valve , cause the fuel pump is going to shut down till you get a crank signal.

the flooding/build up on the spark plugs could possibly have been from a leaking regulator all along.

Wife ever complain of smelling gas ?

What does the oil smell like ? has it ever been overfull ?

Boilermaster

No gassy smells when it was running. I did replace upper intake gaskets last year and it made a WORLD of difference. I suspect the fuel pump went on it like others said. I ran out of time and had it towed to the dealership. There goes some hobby money!

 
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