1991 3.0 Vulcan trouble

Nafets · 03-27-2008, 01:48 PM

Hey all,
I've got a 1991 Mercury Sable Wagon with a 3.0 Vulcan engine 175k miles. This thing just won't start! Well, let me rephrase that, if I shoot some starter fluid into the intake it'll start and run for a few seconds. I've been able to get it to run once or twice for about 30 seconds without starter fluid. From what I can tell, it's a fuel issue. Plenty of gas in the tank, replaced fuel filter, still won't run. The few times that I actually got it to run, I had to pump the gas to keep the RPM's between 1000-1500, and as soon as I let off the gas it sputtered out. Seems like the fuel pump is ok, since the times that it was running the pump was responding to the pedal. Maybe the pump is weak? Anybody have any ideas? I though I might have had moisture in the lines, but I have added 3 bottles of Gas Line Antifreeze (Alcohol) and a bottle of fuel system cleaner, and that hasn't helped at all.

Thanks!
-Nafets

kycowboy2 · 03-28-2008, 09:21 AM

Check for vacuum leaks and then check your mass air meter if you see nothing odd unplug the MAF sensor and turn the key from off to run a few times leaving it in the run position about 10 seconds each time , then turn it off again and try starting it , if it starts your MAF
sensor might be out of calibration badly or contaminated . Other than that run it for codes and see what comes up .
John