Exhausted and broke after 2 weeks of getting my daily 88 sedan back n the road. It would stall at stops or at low idle but immediately restart until one day it wouldn't start anymore. I thought it was the fuel pump. Long story short, i've installed a new fuel pump, new main relay, new distributor, new wires, and plugs. It cranks but won't start. If i turn the key to position 1 the fuel pump doesn't prime, no cel light ever appears and brand new main relay doesn't click. When it cranks there is a spark and fuel gushes from a loose banjo bolt. All grounds have been checked and sanded, The only thing left is a bad ecu? Should it flash anything upon startup? Would the distributor spark like it does if the ecu is bad? Is there a way to test the ecu? Fuel pump works great while cranking. Out of ideas and pretty discouraged. Thanks for any advice.

 

You've eliminated a lot of issues. The only thing (that I can think of) that you don't mention is the injectors and fuel filter. Is this DPFI? If so you can pull the air chamber and look down the throttle body to see if the injectors are spitting fuel when the car cranks - I'm guessing they don't. That could be injector failure. Was the banjo bolt you loosened before or after passing through the filter? You also could be right about the ECU, but not sure if there's a way to test that with a basic multi-meter or not.

 

You said the fuel pump doesn't prime? That would be the to check, Why is it not priming? I believe the ecu is just one flash when it is starting to go bad

 

Double check you put the firing order for the plug wires correctly. Sounds like the pump is working since you said fuel comes out of the loose banjo bolt. I doubt it’s the Ecu or injectors. Also after cranking it a little what do the spark plugs look like?

 

Thanks for all of the advice. Agreed about the pump not priming. That's the strangest symptom. I popped open the ecu just to get the part number. Everything looked good inside, nothing swollen or blown or blackened. But I guess that doesn't mean anything. The fuel comes out of the banjo bolt only when cranking. Without the priming or clicking it makes me think something isn't being triggered to allow it to run? Double checked firing order a couple times along this process but will again tonight. New plugs look a little blackened after a week of trying. Going to take a peak at the injectors tonight.

 

It's looking like an ignition switch. If i keep cranking it and giving it gas it runs. This would explain the fuel pump not priming also. Off to O'reillys for a new one. Thanks for the help