Fuel pump problems... Or fuel pressure... I NEED HELP!

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Trrrex92

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So I bought I 2000 lincoln ls v6 with 181k about a week ago. When I went to look at it, the owner was having problems starting it. His friend who was a mechanic came and ran diagnostics on the engine and it showed zero fuel level in the tank but the gauge said 1/4th.

We figured something was casusing the it to float at a quarter of a tank. Put afew gallons of gas in and it ran fine. I bought the car and went and filled it up and made the two hour trip home. Ran fine although the engine light was on(which he told me the engine light was on previously)

after getting home I noticed that the car would start to stall then die when left idling, it also took a second to start every once in awhile. I was giving my mother a ride to pick up her car yesterday and when I dropped her off my car wouldn't start back up, it was at a half a tank. Went and got a gallon of gas and it started fine. Put in 6 more gallons and the tank read full. Looked at the fuel pump later that day and I really had a full tank and the fuel pump started fine also.
So at that point I thought maybe the secondary pump was on its last leg. Well today I gave her another ride and I start at the gas station for some cigs and the car was havin problems starting back up. It would start and then die and then wouldn't start at All and it finally started and was running fine. It was just under a full tank. I'm stumped!

Also right after I got home I went to autozone and had some codes pulled, they were p0401 p0171 p0174

I cleaned my egr valve and port and also my mass air flow sensor. I didn't notice any leaks in the vacuum hose leading to the egr valve either.
I'm lost and I'm been trying to figure this out on my own, but I want to get everyone's opinions before I buy a secondary pump for no reason. I don't know if its a problem with fuel pressure or a pump.
But I hope to be posting on this forum plenty in the future and looking forward to hearing all of your guys advice.
Let me know if you need any more information from me! Thanks!
 
So, why not measure the fuel pressure and know for sure if it is a fuel supply issue or not?
When was the fuel filter last changed?
 
I don't know much about this stuff and everything I know I've learned the last couple of days. I didn't know where to go from here. But thank you! I'll have to look up how tool check the pressure and I'm not sure when the last time the filter was changed. I know where it are. I'll check into it.
 
Could also be the PCV elbow under the intake manifold. That is a known issue and if the previous owner didn't have it replaced it is absolutely needed!
 
Okay. I'll check into that too. Just got back from Walmart And the car ran fine there and back. It's only sometimes it does this. Could it still be the elbow piece?
 
Trrrex92 said:
Okay. I'll check into that too. Just got back from Walmart And the car ran fine there and back. It's only sometimes it does this. Could it still be the elbow piece?
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Yes.
 
Okay. Thanks! I'll have to look into all of this tomorrow. But does anyone know if auto zone does rentals on a fuel pressure gauge? I know they do for some other tools.
 
I replaced the fuel filter and it fixed the dieing of the engine while idling although it still stalls.
I can't get my hands on a fuel pressure gauge but im starting to think its not that. But also I can find the pcv elbow for lincoln ls anywhere. Does someone know where to get on? And should I go ahead and replace the pcv valve and hose too?
 
I mean I can't find the replacment part. I've checked at autozone and no one there could tell me which elbow piece I needed ad I haven't been able to find anything online about the lincoln ls pcv elbow piece either
 
Trrrex92 said:
I mean I can't find the replacment part. I've checked at autozone and no one there could tell me which elbow piece I needed ad I haven't been able to find anything online about the lincoln ls pcv elbow piece either
Click to expand...

Try the dealer for the part number. Then price shop various dealers (Tasca, Chapman Ford, Ford Parts Giant) for the best price.


edit
From Rock Auto.........
MOTORCRAFT Part # KCV245 {#XW4Z6A664A}
Hose & Connecting PCV System.........$15.35
Click to expand...
 
Thank you! I also got the files and it contains the factory part number. All I know this is gonna be a fun DIY job for me. Definitely gonna take longer than 3 hours for me but I'll be able to do it.

Other then changing the spark plug in bank one and replacing manifold gaskets, should I do anything else while I have the manifold apart?

Can mass air flow sensor be used are EVERY electrical connector? Should I go should and clean them?
 
I wouldn't clean any connectors unless they have dirty contacts. A little dielectric grease on the connectors is not a bad idea (though it shouldn't be needed).
Personally, I would replace the coils too. Also, make sure the gap on the new plugs is correct.
 
So coils and plugs, and gaskets if needed. And clean connections if dirty. I'm going to try to find the pcv connector today locally and if I can't, or one later today.
 
Trrrex92 said:
So coils and plugs, and gaskets if needed. And clean connections if dirty. I'm going to try to find the pcv connector today locally and if I can't, or one later today.
Click to expand...

Just be careful removing the stuff on the back of the plenum. Don't lose any nuts or bolts; they are small and a lot of that back-of-the-plenum work is done blindly.

Just go slow and take your time. My first time changing the plugs and coils on the V6 took almost 6 hours!
 
So I still haven't been able to change out the pcv elbow. I have been waiting till I can afford to change coil packs and spark plugs while I'm at it. I drove it yesterday and its was cutting out on me alil. I was at 3/8ths of a tank so I put ten in gas and came home. I was just over a half a tank. I went out to run to the store earlier and the car will not start. It's cranks and that's it. Also after all the lights in the dash turn off, the battery and oil symbol looking light stay on. I'm not sure if its this problem is from the pcv elbow or something else. Also the interior lights dim when I'm trying to start it.
 
Trrrex92 said:
So I still haven't been able to change out the pcv elbow. I have been waiting till I can afford to change coil packs and spark plugs while I'm at it. I drove it yesterday and its was cutting out on me alil. I was at 3/8ths of a tank so I put ten in gas and came home. I was just over a half a tank. I went out to run to the store earlier and the car will not start. It's cranks and that's it. Also after all the lights in the dash turn off, the battery and oil symbol looking light stay on. I'm not sure if its this problem is from the pcv elbow or something else. Also the interior lights dim when I'm trying to start it.
Click to expand...


Sounds like the battery is giving up the ghost.
 
The first time I filled up I used 87, after I did that I used ocatane booster Have been using 93 ever since then. And also I tried to charged my battery and it wasn't seeming to help my car start, it would just crank and crank. I wingless my key in my ignition afew times and then the car started just fine. So I'm think I may have a ignition going out or a bad contact inside of my ignition.
 
What was the PATS light doing when it wouldn't start?
 
That's the anti theif light right? I believe it was sold when I for turned the key ad then turns off. And I believe it was off when I Tried to start the car.
 
Welcome to the V6 world

Trrrex92 said:
That's the anti theif light right? I believe it was sold when I for turned the key ad then turns off. And I believe it was off when I Tried to start the car.
Click to expand...
the codes relate to a vacuum leak. check all vacuum hoses for leaks and suction. I've owned the V6 for 12 years. It is really tempermental about vacuum leaks. Most likely you need to replace the PCV valve and the elbow, next check the vacuum line from the throttle body to the rear of the engine, it is hard plastic with rubber boots on both ends, the rear engine boot will split from engine heat. You can pull up on the boot to remove it and check. Also check the vacuum line that "T" under the plastic engine cover coming from the intake manifold, the "T" breaks and those lines crack. Get parts at rockauto.com cheap and they have all of them, you will need upper and lower head gaskets too, as these must be replaced with you replace the elbow. check all vacuum connects at rear of the engine, they split and crack from heat. Use high octane gas only! This car hates regular gas.
 
tireman said:
the codes relate to a vacuum leak. check all vacuum hoses for leaks and suction. I've owned the V6 for 12 years. It is really tempermental about vacuum leaks. Most likely you need to replace the PCV valve and the elbow, next check the vacuum line from the throttle body to the rear of the engine, it is hard plastic with rubber boots on both ends, the rear engine boot will split from engine heat. You can pull up on the boot to remove it and check. Also check the vacuum line that "T" under the plastic engine cover coming from the intake manifold, the "T" breaks and those lines crack. Get parts at rockauto.com cheap and they have all of them, you will need upper and lower head gaskets too, as these must be replaced with you replace the elbow. check all vacuum connects at rear of the engine, they split and crack from heat. Use high octane gas only! This car hates regular gas.
Click to expand...

Also, the lines themselves. The hard lines get very brittle and crack. I had to replace them on my '06. Just get vacuum line and connectors from your local auto parts store and replace your hard lines.
 
So now the LS hasn't started since thanksgiving.
I went into town and the car started and drove fine, went to get gas, filled it up. I was about the leave the gas station and the car would start but wouldn't stay on longer then acouple seconds. We tried jumping the car, it acted like it was going to startafew time but be the time we gave up, it was only cranking.
Still haven't did anything with the Pcv valve. There also isn't any vacuum pressure going into my egr valve. The lines looks fine
 
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