'91 hatch wont run, please help

'91 4-cyl hatch · August 6th, 2007, 01:27 AM

buying a 1991 4-cylender 2.3l mustang hatchback from one of my dads coeworkers, the reason why he is selling it is that it wont start. the problem is that it started off having trouble starting over time, but once it had started it ran great (so he said, hes not much of a car guy), and it slowly worked it way to where it wouldnt start. we have checked the battery, it cranks over, checked the gas pump and put a new one in, fresh gas, but still nothing. does anyone have any ideas on things that have happened to be wrong with these?

or at least could you tell me/help me out with were to check the timing on the timing belt? we thing the timing may be so far off it doesnt want to start, but then if tthat were the problem once it started wouldn't it have ran like crap? it would be the starter, but i dont think so... its got spark, its got fuel preasure, its cranking over fine, every once in a great while it will half-a$$ fire.

thanks for the help

TurboLX · August 6th, 2007, 01:32 AM

sounds like it needs plugs, that or the starter is no good

hellion_79 · August 6th, 2007, 03:50 AM

It probly needs a good tune-up (cap, rotor, plugs, wires, fuel filter, and a airfilter)

'91 4-cyl hatch · August 8th, 2007, 12:59 AM

ok, we bought a manual for the car, and we have come down to pretty much one conclusion.... the piston is not getting any gas. i'll tell you why...

1. has fuel preasure, fresh gas, gas is priming.
2. getting spark
3. engine is turning over when cranking it over
4. as it is cranking over, it is good and strong, but it acts like it is not getting any fuel since every once in a while (every 10 secconds) it sounds like it gets just a hint of fuel in the piston and barely fires up, only to start dry-cranking again.

so, does anyone have any suggestions only on what could be going wrong with the pistons not getting gas, what to check? the manual tells everything in sort of a confusing fassion, and doesnt help as far as what happens when something goes out (as far a i have read).

thank you, i know im kind of being stubborn just getting so frustrated, damn fuel injected engines!!!!

MSO · August 8th, 2007, 01:13 AM

i'll take a wild guess here:

bad injector?

TurboLX · August 8th, 2007, 01:19 AM

+1 on injectors

hellion_79 · August 8th, 2007, 01:43 AM

injectors or your timing might be off not letting fuel get to the cylinders.

MSO · August 8th, 2007, 11:09 AM

OMGZ

i made a (semi) tech post!!

TurboLX · August 8th, 2007, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by hellion_79

injectors or your timing might be off not letting fuel get to the cylinders.

do exlain this

hellion_79 · August 8th, 2007, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by TurboLX

Originally Posted by hellion_79

injectors or your timing might be off not letting fuel get to the cylinders.

do exlain this

on the compression stroke, the timing could be messed up and letting air and fuel in one the way up.

TurboLX · August 8th, 2007, 11:21 PM

ok but do you know how badly the timing has to be messed up for that

hellion_79 · August 8th, 2007, 11:34 PM

perty bad

Thats how my car was when i got it

TurboLX · August 9th, 2007, 12:10 AM

wow dude thats pretty bad,

here's a nice HP trick for ya

first what you need is a timing light

then start your car and unplug the spout, make sure the distributor is loose so you can turn it

put the light on the crank pulley and look for the notch, turn the distributor till it's about 10* advanced, then out the spout back in and it should be around 20* advanced, tighten the distributor back down again and you made about 4-5hp with advancing the timing like that

'91 4-cyl hatch · August 9th, 2007, 01:02 AM

well, we took out one of the spark plugs and cranked the engine over... no fuel whatsoever

TurboLX · August 9th, 2007, 01:08 AM

so up, bad injectors

August 6th, 2007, 01:27 AM	#1
'91 4-cyl hatch Newbie Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 reviews	'91 hatch wont run, please help buying a 1991 4-cylender 2.3l mustang hatchback from one of my dads coeworkers, the reason why he is selling it is that it wont start. the problem is that it started off having trouble starting over time, but once it had started it ran great (so he said, hes not much of a car guy), and it slowly worked it way to where it wouldnt start. we have checked the battery, it cranks over, checked the gas pump and put a new one in, fresh gas, but still nothing. does anyone have any ideas on things that have happened to be wrong with these? or at least could you tell me/help me out with were to check the timing on the timing belt? we thing the timing may be so far off it doesnt want to start, but then if tthat were the problem once it started wouldn't it have ran like crap? it would be the starter, but i dont think so... its got spark, its got fuel preasure, its cranking over fine, every once in a great while it will half-a$$ fire. thanks for the help

August 6th, 2007, 01:32 AM	#2
TurboLX I Post Entirely Way Too Much 1988 Mustang LX Turbo Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NY Posts: 8,778 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	sounds like it needs plugs, that or the starter is no good __________________ 1988 LX Coupe 2.5L, GT35R, 44mm WG, 32psi, C16.

August 6th, 2007, 03:50 AM	#3
hellion_79 Regular Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Washougal, WA Posts: 287 iTrader: 0 reviews	It probly needs a good tune-up (cap, rotor, plugs, wires, fuel filter, and a airfilter) __________________ PM me if you want me to make you a sig

August 8th, 2007, 01:13 AM	#5
MSO Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: アメリカ Posts: 5,933 iTrader: 0 reviews	i'll take a wild guess here: bad injector? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] [SIZE="5"][FONT="Arial Black"]OBEY THE FACE![/FONT][/SIZE] Edited By Moderator. Next time will be a ban.

August 8th, 2007, 01:19 AM	#6
TurboLX I Post Entirely Way Too Much 1988 Mustang LX Turbo Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NY Posts: 8,778 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	+1 on injectors __________________ 1988 LX Coupe 2.5L, GT35R, 44mm WG, 32psi, C16.

August 8th, 2007, 12:59 AM	#4
'91 4-cyl hatch Newbie Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 reviews	ok, we bought a manual for the car, and we have come down to pretty much one conclusion.... the piston is not getting any gas. i'll tell you why... 1. has fuel preasure, fresh gas, gas is priming. 2. getting spark 3. engine is turning over when cranking it over 4. as it is cranking over, it is good and strong, but it acts like it is not getting any fuel since every once in a while (every 10 secconds) it sounds like it gets just a hint of fuel in the piston and barely fires up, only to start dry-cranking again. so, does anyone have any suggestions only on what could be going wrong with the pistons not getting gas, what to check? the manual tells everything in sort of a confusing fassion, and doesnt help as far as what happens when something goes out (as far a i have read). thank you, i know im kind of being stubborn just getting so frustrated, damn fuel injected engines!!!!

August 8th, 2007, 01:43 AM	#7
hellion_79 Regular Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Washougal, WA Posts: 287 iTrader: 0 reviews	injectors or your timing might be off not letting fuel get to the cylinders. __________________ PM me if you want me to make you a sig

August 8th, 2007, 11:09 AM	#8
MSO Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: アメリカ Posts: 5,933 iTrader: 0 reviews	OMGZ i made a (semi) tech post!! __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] [SIZE="5"][FONT="Arial Black"]OBEY THE FACE![/FONT][/SIZE] Edited By Moderator. Next time will be a ban.

August 8th, 2007, 11:21 PM	#11
TurboLX I Post Entirely Way Too Much 1988 Mustang LX Turbo Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NY Posts: 8,778 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	ok but do you know how badly the timing has to be messed up for that __________________ 1988 LX Coupe 2.5L, GT35R, 44mm WG, 32psi, C16.

August 8th, 2007, 11:34 PM	#12
hellion_79 Regular Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Washougal, WA Posts: 287 iTrader: 0 reviews	perty bad Thats how my car was when i got it __________________ PM me if you want me to make you a sig

August 9th, 2007, 12:10 AM	#13
TurboLX I Post Entirely Way Too Much 1988 Mustang LX Turbo Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NY Posts: 8,778 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	wow dude thats pretty bad, here's a nice HP trick for ya first what you need is a timing light then start your car and unplug the spout, make sure the distributor is loose so you can turn it put the light on the crank pulley and look for the notch, turn the distributor till it's about 10* advanced, then out the spout back in and it should be around 20* advanced, tighten the distributor back down again and you made about 4-5hp with advancing the timing like that __________________ 1988 LX Coupe 2.5L, GT35R, 44mm WG, 32psi, C16.

August 9th, 2007, 01:02 AM	#14
'91 4-cyl hatch Newbie Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 reviews	well, we took out one of the spark plugs and cranked the engine over... no fuel whatsoever

August 9th, 2007, 01:08 AM	#15
TurboLX I Post Entirely Way Too Much 1988 Mustang LX Turbo Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NY Posts: 8,778 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 0 reviews	so up, bad injectors __________________ 1988 LX Coupe 2.5L, GT35R, 44mm WG, 32psi, C16.

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