86 mercury capri / ford mustang won't start?

T

thedrewyo

New member
I recently got an 86 capri with only 90k miles. First the car had a completely dead battery which was replaced with a Sears battery, since then the car will not start. At first it was turning over but would not start. With starter fluid it would stay on only while tapping the gas pedal constantly, completely failing to idle. I've replaced the fuel filter, repaired the fuel line, replaced the fuel pressure regulator. I disconnected the negative cable on the battery (the new battery keep in mind) and left it off for 24 hours in hopes it would reset and cpu coding, and when I reconnected everything today the car tried to turn over as I was pushing the gas pedal then completely failed... Now I get the rapid clicking sound of a dead battery. This is the new battery, and it powers the accessories completely fine and my charger read it at 100%. The alternator and solenoid are both new as well. I'm ruling out the fuel pump because it seems to prime okay, and I'm also ruling out the starter because that doesn't explain why the car failed to idle when started with starter fluid.

PLEASE HELP THIS IS GETTING FRUSTRATING
 
Check the distributor cap and rotor.
You don't say what size engine, if it is the 4 see if the cam belt is broken.
The starter could be out also, not to mention the starter solenoid, if the points are bad there you will hear a clicking but the starter will not turn. To check this I use a pair of pliers and by pass the points by touching then to the battery side across to the starter lead, They need to be bare metal pliers. If there is a bright blue flash and the starter does not spin then the starter is bad (short), if there is no flash the starter is bad (open, bad brushes) or the hot wire is broken maybe a bad ground wire.
With it cranking over yesterday and your being sure it has fuel pressure, that leaves an ignition problem. That is if the valve train is working right. New plugs, wires, cap and rotor are not a whole lot. At least pull a plug and see how they look.
 
Check the distributor cap and rotor.
You don't say what size engine, if it is the 4 see if the cam belt is broken.
The starter could be out also, not to mention the starter solenoid, if the points are bad there you will hear a clicking but the starter will not turn. To check this I use a pair of pliers and by pass the points by touching then to the battery side across to the starter lead, They need to be bare metal pliers. If there is a bright blue flash and the starter does not spin then the starter is bad (short), if there is no flash the starter is bad (open, bad brushes) or the hot wire is broken maybe a bad ground wire.
With it cranking over yesterday and your being sure it has fuel pressure, that leaves an ignition problem. That is if the valve train is working right. New plugs, wires, cap and rotor are not a whole lot. At least pull a plug and see how they look.
 
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