1985 Ford Mustang GT Won't Start

1985 FORD MUSTANG
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BRAT WITH A BRAT
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My buddy has a 1985 Mustang GT and he has been working on it for 2 years trying to get it to run! he has replaced everything in the fuel injection system but the trotle bodi itself. he has replaced, the computer,fuel pump, injectors,ect. it is running 19 lbs at the rails which we think that is what it should be running right? it will crank over but wont start unless we prime it and that only keeps it running till it burns the gas out of the trotle body. it has a full tank of gas but nothing. the injectors are getting power we know that much but they arent opening and they are getting the recomened power but nothing. the fuel shut of valve has been cut out of the system but that didnt help anything! Geez i hate computerized vehicles! we would like to just get rid of all the electronics and replace it with a carb set up but its his grandma`s baby and she wants to keep it 100% origanal!
Feb 21, 2006 at 8:48 PM
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2CARPRO BOB
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Your car is equipped with a computer controlled engine management system. Scan your computer for fault or error codes. The information should pinpoint the malfunctioning components. With the fuel injection system functioning properly it will outperform a carburetor especially if you have to pass a smog test.
Feb 22, 2006 at 12:27 PM
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BRAT WITH A BRAT
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I should of thought of that myself because thats what i told my mother to do with her 97 seabring. and luckly i live in kansas we dont have smog tests or even inspections! :lol:
Feb 22, 2006 at 7:02 PM
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'85MUSTANGII
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I have an old 85 Mustang II where I had a lot of problems and ended up finding that one of the distributor gears had a tooth missing. I would get spark and everything "looked" fine. So I bought a distributor, cap, rotor, and ignition coil. Reset the timing and put in stock Motorcraft Spark plugs and it fired right up.
Mar 11, 2006 at 7:13 AM
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BRAT WITH A BRAT
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it will start if gas is poured directly into the throtle body and will run till that gas burns up and it has damn near a full tank
Mar 11, 2006 at 8:32 AM
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OLDBAY
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AFAIK, the 1985 Mustang GT came with a 4bbl Holley. Fuel injection was first offered on the 86 GT. Is this a custom rod or am i just remembering incorrectly?
Mar 12, 2006 at 6:52 AM
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BRAT WITH A BRAT
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this is a completely stock 1985 mustang gt with a stock electronic throtlebody. my friend would like to switch it to a carb setup but his grandmother who owns the car wont let him because she thinks that the gt with the trottle body is rare.
Mar 12, 2006 at 3:17 PM
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OLDBAY
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[quote:c603b0fd23="Brat with a BRAT"]this is a completely stock 1985 mustang gt with a stock electronic throtlebody. my friend would like to switch it to a carb setup but his grandmother who owns the car wont let him because she thinks that the gt with the trottle body is rare.[/quote:c603b0fd23]

Sounds rare to me... at least here around Washington, DC it is. It's her car.
Mar 15, 2006 at 12:02 PM
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Suggested Repair

Scan the engine computer for fault codes to identify why the injectors are not opening. Keep the original fuel-injection system rather than converting to a carburetor if it can be made to work properly.

Conversation Summary

A 1985 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 cranks but will not start or keep running unless fuel is poured into the throttle body, then dies when that fuel is burned. Fuel pressure was reported at 19 psi, and the injectors have power but are not opening despite replacement of the computer, fuel pump, injectors, and other parts. Removing the fuel shutoff did not help, and the owner wants the car kept original rather than converted to a carburetor. The expert advised scanning for computer fault codes and said a working fuel-injection system is preferable to a carburetor. Other replies mentioned a missing distributor gear tooth on a similar car and questioned whether a stock 1985 GT used throttle-body injection.

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