Help please with diagnoses: 1999 Ford Taurus intermittent no-start. Now dead.

[john70t]

Background:
A decent young man with child recently laid off. This is his transportation.
"Once it started, it ran good."
The kid reported that it would start better with more gas in the tank and jumping on the bumper.
I originally thought the problem was debris floating around in the tank...occasionally blocking the inlet pickup screen.

Fuel Testing
He originally believed it was a bad fuel pump in the tank.
When KEY-ON there was no audible whine from the fuel pump priming.
Swapping relays had no effect.
Relay tested ok.

He cranked it over and I smelled strong raw gas at the tailpipe.
No sputtering at all when cranking.
I concluded the Fuel System = OK.

Ignition Testing
Now I'm thinking Crank Signal Sender--> Ig Control Module--> Coil Pack.

Bought him a new Harbor Freight DVOM with an inductive tachometer clamp attachment.
There was no ~200rpm tach signal from several of the plug wires when cranking.
I concluded there was no spark.

Checking the coil


The coil pack connector has 4 wires going to it from the ignition control module.
There are 3 yellow and 1 white.

I disconnected it, and put the DVOM across yellow and the white.
1). On volt setting, there was briefly flashes of 8-10V.
2). On dwell setting, there was nothing.
3). 'Hold' function didn't seem to work at all on this new meter.

Since I got voltage to the coil, I'm thinking the problem must be in the coil.
($60 bucks for a new one.)

Mystery Connector


Coming off the crank harness was a lone dangling wire with no home.
It doesn't seem to be from the sender.

We looked everywhere it could reach, but there didn't seem to be anything it could plug into.
It could easily get wrapped up in the belt or the half shaft.
Any idea what this goes to?

[Nostril Cheese]

Did you check the OBD codes?

[john70t]

Didn't bring the HF code reader and money is tight. I'm on 'vacation'.
Just trying to do what I can with limited time and equipment.

Hoping someone has worked on this model.

[HardDrive]

Did you try a different key? I have 2 Fords of this generation, and the anti theft can be sensitive.

Crank position sensor?

[Oracle]

There is a gas cut-off switch in the passenger footwell. It is there in case of a collision the fuel pump is immediately cut. As simple as a push of a button. You need to look for a tab or something similar

[john70t]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Did you try a different key? I have 2 Fords of this generation, and the anti theft can be sensitive.

Never thought of the key because it looked factory. Good idea. Thanks!
The column switch did seem a bit loose.

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Crank position sensor?

There is a geared ring with induction pickup on the outside.
(assuming that is the only one.)
If I had more time, I would have fabricated crimp connectors and directly tested that source well away from those spinning belts/pullys.

I went to the end of the ignition chain. To the coil.
Not sure if I tested it right. Pretty rusty.
Should have looked up resistance specs...

[Dansvan]

Pull a plug wire off the coil pack and set it a 1/4 inch or so away from it's well. Have some one crank the engine. You'll know right away if you have spark. After confirming that, put plug wire back on. Whack has tank with hammer or block of wood while cranking. If it starts you need a pump.

[john70t]

Great ideas, thanks all.

[1990C4S]

You should hear the fuel pump running with key on. If you have a spark go to the fuel pump next.

[fastfredracing]

The pump will only "prime" with the key on , it will run for 3-5 seconds . May want to "bump" the starter to make sure the pump is running, you smelled fuel, so you are probably good there.
Pull one plug wire, on each bank and visually check for spark.
All the coil failures I have seen on the Taurus have been 1 or 2 cylinder missfires, I cannot remember ever seeing a complete failure from the coil pack resulting in a no start.
I have however seen a handful of no starts from faulty Crankshaft position sensors. Would be nice to have a scanner to verify ckp signal while cranking to verify.

[calimedeiros]

sounds like its a spark problem the op smells raw gas when cracking so it's not igniting I would check spark
in my previous experience if your in a wet damp area if your coils or wires have a break or cracked then it will never start

[speeder]

It's going to be something simple, but you need to read code to know what it is. I think that it's admirable for you to be helping someone but you're spinning your wheels the way that you're doing it. My coin toss guess is the CPS.

[Tobra]

My guess is sketchy Ford electrical system

[MBAtarga]

Is this engine with the intermittent distributor problem that Ford never recalled?

[Dansvan]

no distributor on this one. Has coil pack. More clues if the OP is checking here. If the Check Engine light goes out while cranking the crank sensor is fine. If it stays on look at the crank sensor and wiring. My bet is it has a bad fuel pump. Hence the bouncing on the bumper to start it.

[Nostril Cheese]

There's always HF tool rental service. Done that plenty of times. You really need to scan it.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Dansvan

If the Check Engine light goes out while cranking the crank sensor is fine.

Perfect. This crowd is the best. My thanks again.

I will run this all by him later. I'm leaving tomorrow. Three days of journey through Dante's Inferno, cleaning/sorting organizing, two days of 850-fk'n-consecutive-red-fk'n-lights-in-a-row getting to his place, and just finished changing out a kitchen faucet.
I wouldn't call it a 'vacation' but it has been fun.

(btw: If you're ever in Sarasota FL eat at Walt's Fish Market, or Sharkeys in nearby Venice. Mildred's Big City Foods in Gainsville was a good meal as well.)

The kid has always been a bit of a sarcastic slacker by nature with a history of really stupid decisions, by I'm now thinking it's from a basic lack of confidence. He'd given up completely by this point and didn't know what to do, but I was impressed with what had already been accomplished.
Thanks to this board he now has a fishing pole and directions to the river.