87' Cougar Won't Start

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87' Cougar Won't Start

July 04, 2011, 08:29:23 PM

I moved away last year and I moved my Cougar to my cousin's house. The understanding was that he would start and drive it around a few times every month to keep it up. Well he ended up getting deployed and the car has been sitting for a few months shy of a year. I went to look and it and it looks rough but nothing a wash and wax couldn't fix. I brought a battery for it and tried to crank it; since it hasn't been started in a little while I cycled the key a few times but all it does it spin. You can hear the fuel pump and smell fuel so I'm thinking it's probably ignition related. Where would you start looking first?

It's a 5.0 by the way.

87' Cougar Won't Start

Reply #1 – July 04, 2011, 11:51:58 PM

probably bad gas. Mine has been sitting for nearly a year and even though I start it somewhat regularly it still has problems getting going cause its still using that year old gas. Try siphoning your gas and putting a couple of new gallons in it, then cycle the engine a few times and see what happens from there.

Also if you think it is ignition related first thing to do is see if you're even getting a spark at all. Easiest way to do that by yourself without getting shocked is with a timing light. Just hook it up to any plug wire and shine it anywhere that you can see the light while you cycle the ignition over. Hopefully your cord is long enough that you can push the button on the light while still being able to reach the ignition lol.

87' Cougar Won't Start

Reply #2 – July 05, 2011, 02:53:20 AM

I'm fairly sure my cousin added some Sta-bil to the gas before leaving although I can't be 100% sure. I even added a gallon of premium just to be sure there was enough gas to move it.
I have a big lack of tools, lost alot of them when I moved, so I'm going to have to test for spark in a little bit riskier way. I'll pull a wire and connect it to a spare spark plug and see if I'm getting spark. That should also tell me if I have a problem with the coil or distributor if the spark is white and not blue. I used that method to diagnose a bad coil on my cousin's Mustang before he sold it and it worked then so hopefully it'll work for me. A coil isn't but $20 so I'm hoping that's what it is since I was planning on giving the car a major tune-up anyway.
What are the symptoms of a bad ignition control module?

87' Cougar Won't Start

Reply #3 – July 10, 2011, 05:20:14 PM

Well it turns out it is fuel related. After I tested for spark I ran to the store and picked up some starting fluid and sprayed some into the throttle body while I had someone try and start the car, it cranked right up. The fuel pump seems to be working, it comes on when you turn the key over. I'm not 100% sure the gas is good but at this point I'm going to go ahead and replace the fuel filter to make sure it's not clogged and get rid of the old gas. What's the best way to get the old gas out? Siphon it out?

87' Cougar Won't Start

Reply #4 – July 10, 2011, 05:32:19 PM

While you will have the fuel line disconnected when you replace the filter, turn the ignition to RUN and ground the fuel pump test pin at the self test connector. This will run the pump and pump out the tank.

87' Cougar Won't Start

Reply #5 – July 10, 2011, 08:16:31 PM

Thanks for the info. Where is that test connector located?

87' Cougar Won't Start

Reply #6 – July 11, 2011, 01:22:37 AM

It's the connector you use to pull trouble codes. It's near the left shock tower.