Ok so today I bought my 2nd Fc ( 87 GTU) and I love it! Except for the fact that it's tricky to get started. The engine doesn't crank but once it cranks it starts up like normal. Both times I got it started I had pumped the pedal about 5 times, turned the key, and it cranked and it started up fine. They guy I bought it from told me that in the cold (I live in Minnesota) the fuel pump needs to be primed so he told me to hold the pedal down for 5-10 seconds and turn the key and it should start but that never worked for me. I'm not sure if it's a problem with the starter or I'm not doing something right when I'm priming the fuel pump.

Thanks

 

The fuel pump primes on it's own when the key is turned to "ON"... But I typically have to pump the gas a little bit when starting my car, too. (My engine only has about ~6,000 miles on it.)

As for your problem... It seems like a normally old FC to me. What do you mean by, "The engine doesn't crank but once it cranks it starts up like normal." ??

 

Are you pumping the Gas pedal, or the clutch?
It sound slike it's a bad clutch interlock switch or starter solenoid.

I'd start by checking the clutch switch. You can't miss it, it's right behind the clutch pedal arm. When you push the pedal down, it should depress the switch. Check the switch for continuity and do it a few times.

If you don't know how to check continuity, do a google or youtube search for "How to check Continuity". It will be much faster that someone on the forum trying to tell you how!

 

When I turn the key it won't crank but if I mess with the gas pedal for a little bit it cranks and starts like normal, basically I just have to figure out how to get it to crank and I'm fine.

 

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The gas pedal and the starting circuit are independent of each other so it is by pure coincidence that messing with the throttle affects the cranking of the car. If you have to depress the clutch to start the car then it would make much more sense that it is the clutch electronics which are causing your problem. Check the Interlock Switch as previously suggested by Molotovman.

You can bypass the switch by jumpering the Black/Red wire to the Black/Green wire.

 

Alright, so it turns out that Molotovman was right, I checked the clutch switch and it was barely getting pushed in because of the floor mat, I removed the floor mat and she started right up!

 

Good luck with the car. You just found out the PO didn't know what he was talking about.
There's also a little pad on the pedal arm there that likes to go missing, and then you have to get creative.

 

Thanks and the po was kind of an idiot haha, and the piece is missing so it won't work with the floor mat, I'm glad it was an easy fix. Thanks for your help!

 

A penny glued to the pedal works like a champ... after 7 years, Lincoln's still going strong

 

lol @ pumping the pedal. i envision starting my REPU by priming it.