Need help on a ford aspire, it will not start.....

[muleskinner]

.... Its not getting fuel, here are the things I have tried. -I replaced the fuel pump, the fuel filter, the fuel relay. and even the brain. Still no start. The problem is the pump is not priming the system when you turn on the key. When you try to start it you can hear the fuel pump working.
The Aspire is a 5 speed with a/c. I am stumped at what it could be now. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[1990new]

If you have replaced the fuel pump and filter and know the pump is running and yet there is no fuel getting to the fuel rail my guesses would be that you have installed a defective fuel pump or you have an obstruction in a fuel line or a pinched fuel line or you have hooked up the hoses backward somewhere. Or you could be out of gas:p

[muleskinner]

If you have replaced the fuel pump and filter and know the pump is running and yet there is no fuel getting to the fuel rail my guesses would be that you have installed a defective fuel pump or you have an obstruction in a fuel line or a pinched fuel line or you have hooked up the hoses backward somewhere. Or you could be out of gas:p

LOL! It has gas. This is the third fuel pump from Oreille's, thinking the other 2 were defective. I know the fuel lines are hooked up correctly. As for an obstruction or pinched fuel line, It has not been checked because nothing has happened for that to be the problem.
Last time it ran, it ran fine then came out to the car later and it wouldn't start. It has stuttered a couple of times since then but no go. That was a month ago.

[1990new]

OK so:
About a month ago you drove the car and it was running fine. You turned the car off and left it for a while.
Then you came back out later and tried to start the car and it would not start.
Since that time you have been trying to find out why.
I assume you removed the fuel line to the fuel rail and discovered that it was not charged with fuel.
You replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump with one from OReiley and it made no difference so you figured it was a defective fuel pump and took it back, got another one and replaced it and it still made no difference.
If all this is correct, my next guesses are It's not likely a defective fuel pump. I believe you did say that you did hear the fuel pump run when you turned on the ignition (is there a test jumper like on the Festiva?). To confirm that the fuel pump is pumping fuel, can you temporarily hook a hose to the pump outlet and let the other end go outside the car and on the ground?
A wild guesses for the original no start issue: A neighbor got mad at you for some reason and dumped something sticky in the tank that is blocking the fuel pump screen, the filter and the lines or all three.
If there is no fuel pressure at the rail, you will just have to start at the pump and work you way forward. If there is a plug to drain the gas tank you might want to try that first.
These are just suggestion of things I would do. Others probably have other experiences with this same issue and hopefully will offer their solutions.

[drddan]

Sounds like an electrical issue? Is there power to injectors?

[WmWatt]

On the Festiva the rubber fuel line where it leaves the engine compartment and goes under the body is a place where it can collapse with age. Don't know if that's also a problem on the Aspire.

[drddan]

88/89 Festy issue only. Its a carb thing

I was the one to introduce this issue to ya all ... heh heh!

But it wasn't funny when it happened to me ....

[muleskinner]

OK so:
About a month ago you drove the car and it was running fine. You turned the car off and left it for a while.
Then you came back out later and tried to start the car and it would not start.
Since that time you have been trying to find out why.
I assume you removed the fuel line to the fuel rail and discovered that it was not charged with fuel.
You replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump with one from OReiley and it made no difference so you figured it was a defective fuel pump and took it back, got another one and replaced it and it still made no difference.
If all this is correct, my next guesses are It's not likely a defective fuel pump. I believe you did say that you did hear the fuel pump run when you turned on the ignition (is there a test jumper like on the Festiva?). To confirm that the fuel pump is pumping fuel, can you temporarily hook a hose to the pump outlet and let the other end go outside the car and on the ground?
A wild guesses for the original no start issue: A neighbor got mad at you for some reason and dumped something sticky in the tank that is blocking the fuel pump screen, the filter and the lines or all three.
If there is no fuel pressure at the rail, you will just have to start at the pump and work you way forward. If there is a plug to drain the gas tank you might want to try that first.
These are just suggestion of things I would do. Others probably have other experiences with this same issue and hopefully will offer their solutions.

When I turn the key to on position, aren't you suppose to hear the pump run for a few seconds to prime the fuel system? The only time I hear the pump running is when the engine is cranking. That is what is making me think it's electrical. I have taken the fuel lines off at the filter and gas would come out. what is confusing is it has started a few times but would sputter and die in a few seconds. That happened like on 3 different occasions. It almost seems like it wants to start too, but doesn't.

[muleskinner]

Sounds like an electrical issue? Is there power to injectors?

I have not checked that.

[howe]

Are you absolutely sure it isn't getting fuel? How did you confirm that?

Do you have spark?

[shadetree]

Start at the beginning !!
Roll over switch
fuses
grounds

[1990new]

According to my Festiva EFI EVTS Manual:
Power to the fuel pump is first triggered when you turn the key to the start position.
Then when you release the key back to the on position, the relay no longer powers on the pump, but power is then triggered by the VAF sensing air flowing through it. If it does not sense air flowing (which indicates the car is not running) then the ground to the pump is broken and the pump stops. When you jumper the test connector under the windshield wiper motor, you are completing the ground that is triggered by the VAF sensing air flow, so the pump will run in the on position even if no air is flowing through the VAF. So if you have the test connector jumped you will hear the pump start as soon as you turn the key to the on position and it will continue to run until you turn the ignition to acc or off.

I suspect that the Aspire may operate the same way but I do not know for sure.

[FestYboy]

Aspire doesn't have a prime circuit.
Verify the intake tube after the MAF is leak free.

[muleskinner]

Are you absolutely sure it isn't getting fuel? How did you confirm that?

Do you have spark?

Yes on the spark.

Smell no gas after trying to start it for a bit.

[muleskinner]

Start at the beginning !!
Roll over switch
fuses
grounds

checked them all twice.