Cranking and seemed to start once for five seconds

Tiny
GARBEAR44017
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 MERCURY MARQUIS
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 60,000 MILES
The car was sitting outside for two months in the driveway and was not started. At first, it seemed to sputter start for five seconds, but now after repeated cranking it is not even sputtering. I have a battery charger to maintain good cranking ability. I have tried pumping the gas pedal and putting the gas pedal to the floor, but this is having no effect. There is no smell of raw gas so I do not think I am flooding the engine or drowning the spark plugs. In the old days, I would have opened the carburetor and put some fuel in, sprayed some starting fluid in, but I think this car has no carburetor, but instead fuel injectors. Please help.
Thursday, February 21st, 2019 AT 12:12 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Make sure battery has a full charge and connections good. Have a helper crank it while you visually check for spark at the plugs. If you have spark everywhere, use a gauge and check proper fuel pressure and fuel injector pulse. Any applicable trouble codes?
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Thursday, February 21st, 2019 AT 1:22 PM
Tiny
D6SPAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 58 POSTS
It sounds like you are having a fuel delivery system problem. One way to check is to take out the air filter and with a helper trying to start the car, spray a little carburetor cleaner into the air intake. If it starts as long as you're spraying the carburetor cleaner in, then you're not getting fuel. Of course, you can always pull a spark plug and do a visual inspection. Smell the spark plug and see if you smell fuel on it.

If there is no fuel, test the fuel pump. Here's an article on how to do that:
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator
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Thursday, February 21st, 2019 AT 1:30 PM

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