So I have a pretty odd predicament here. I bought my 87 FC a few months back and ever since I bought it I thought ok its not that bad. But after a little while it turns out something might be wrong with the car.

The car has 120k on it and the PO did some mods on the engine.

He currently has the fuel pump wired into a toggle switch to help get the engine started. You have to leave the pump on until you hear it starting to kick then turn it off until the engine starts up (and then turn on the fuel pump again ) otherwise I think the engine gets flooded. I know this isnt normal.

What might be causing this to happen normally? I was told by the PO it might be the injectors but im curious to see what you all think about it.

I changed out the plugs and wires so it isnt them.

 

Normally, to prevent flooding upon starting you would have the switch off and then when the engine fires up you then turn the switch to the on position. Never heard of it doing it your way. If too much fuel is causing flooding then that is why you would want the fuel supply switch to the off position to begin with. Leaky injectors could be the cause of your flooding problem. An aging engine is also more likely to flood. And improper fuel pressure could also flood an engine.

 

Do a compression test. Hard starting is normally a sign of poor compression.

 

No, it isn't.

The switch was installed either as a theft prevention measure (because no one has ever thought to disable the fuel pump before) or more likely, because the injectors leak and flood the engine.
The $5 Radio Shack toggle seemed like an easier fix than removing the injectors and spending the $100 to get 'em serviced.

Send your injectors out for reconditioning and get rid of the switch.
The stock system has enough failure points without adding in another.

If you're lucky (and do you feel lucky today, punk?) that will solve your hard start issue.
If not, at least you'll have fresh injectors to put on your newly rebuilt engine.

 

PO did some "mods".NO..he was lazy and never fixed what was broken.In this case dirty injectors as Clokker pointed out.

You know if you don't fix it..it will not start..
then CLINT will say..."Get off my Lawn"..

 

I would do a compression test. If compression is ok, then start checking other things. It only takes 10 min to do a compression test