Job one for the weekend was to get the engine running with the full wire loom, fuel tank, transmission and PATS ( passive anti theft system). There are many stories on the web about failed attempts in getting the engine running with a PATS system. We are trying because the alternative is expensive and we are stubborn and really want to learn, even if it means failing. We can always pay for someone to clean up our mess, but for now, it's both scary and exciting. We had all three boys in on the fun.
Saturday was all scary - after we hooked up the fuel tank and fuel pump lines ( Issac went for gas), David circulated the trans fluids - since we didn't hook up the radiator, and Jacob hooked up the remaining modules we thought were required to run the engine.
A little background is required, this engine has a computer and a few safety and security mechanisms that can prevent getting the engine started or remain running. Base on a research of the 4.6L DOHC engine from a 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII, we knew that if we didn't get the anti-theft warning light to go out thus letting us know the key ignition registration process was successful; the PCM (engine computer) would not enable the fuel pump - specifically, it would cut off the power to the fuel pump. The car also has a safety feature called an inertia switch that in the event the automobile is in and accident, it shuts down the fuel pump to prevent an explosion or raging fire from the continued pumping of fuel after a collision.
So after an hour of getting things ready, which also included hooking the battery up to a charger, David turned the ignition key, good news it turned over, the anti-theft light went out, but bad news no fuel was pumping. Was it the PATS system or something else. Immediately we checked the inertia switch. It had blown, obviously removing it from the car trigger it. So we reset it( it's mechanical), all the time thinking we solved the issue. David turned the key again, same result engine turns over, anti theft light goes out while the fuel pump is not pumping. Since we were convinced it must be that the inertia switch was defective, we decided to by pass the switch and tried again. Same result no start.
We then decided to see if we could get power to the fuel pump. We jumped a known power signal to the fuel pump driver module, the fuel pump started to hum and when we turned the engine over it started right up. This bothered us a bit since we now knew the fuel pump worked, the PATS looked ok, the inertia switch signal was ok, we drove the car just a few weeks ago, but we couldn't figure out how to get power to the fuel pump. We spent the next few hours probing that fuel pump driver module and getting nowhere except frustrated.
Now we started to question our plans to use the PATS as we were sure it was the issue, even though the anti theft light went out. Too many Internet stories of its issues. We started to think maybe we could just put in an independent from the computer fuel pump and run it off the ignition key. Being frustrated, and tired we decided to sleep on it, but before we actually went to sleep, might as well see if the Internet had any answers.
Many fuel pump related issues, but none exactly like ours, but they highlighted that the signals we thought were 12volt into the fuel pump module, they were all over the map, we also found out that power isn't switched through the ignition but switches a relay that controls the power signal - now we knew why the fuel pump relay was good but still now power to the fuel pump.
Sunday Morning - 3/13/2016
Since yesterday we had a lot of connectors that we thought did not have anything to do with starting the engine not hooked up, we decided to hook everything we could up, even if it was an air ride sensor or an audio speaker. During this process of identifying every connector and adding all modules, we found a few unconnected grounds, an in-line connector not mated correctly, a much better understanding what directly hooked up to the computer and the fuel pump.
We tried again and now it turned over and started - Hooray!!
Check it out - our engine running on the floor and ready for wires not needed to be eliminated.
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