My 2006 taurus won’t start. I can hear the fuel pump kicking in and we already replaced the battery and fuel filter.
A mechanic told me before that it had a vacuum leak but it was still running until two days ago. Wednesday it didnt start. Thursday it did. Today it wont.
I found a hose with a hole but I can’t tell where the other end is. One end of it runs behind the intake manifold. Do I have to remove the intake manifold to replace the hose? Also, is this enough of an issue to make the car not start?
Unless it’s a huge vacuum leak, it shouldn’t prevent the engine from starting. Something else is likely going on. But try temporarily blocking off the leak and try to start the car.
Btw, I am not entirely sure that it is a vacuum hose. It is a rubber hose with a sheathing on it. I noticed a tear in the sheath and pulled it back a bit and saw that the hole is in the hose too.
The fuel pump will run for a couple of seconds when the key is turned on, but it won’t run nor will the injectors function when the engine is cranked over because the computer doesn’t see crankshaft rotation.
as far as the vacuum hose. you can go to the auto parts store and pick up vacuum hose connectors cut it where the hole is and connect it back up with one of these…
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Take the bus or a cab to work. In the meanwhile let a pro mechanic solve this problem for you. Cars are very complicated these days, often having dozens of individual computers all talking to each other. You might get lucky & be able to do this yourself, but also a chance you’ll end up making things worse, possibly thousands of dollars, or even injuring yourself.
If you decide to do this yourself anyway, first step is to take a photo of the vacuum hose routing usually located on the underside of the hood, post the photo here, showing on the diagram which hose you are noticing has the hole. Also post any diagnostic codes stored in the drive train computer. Some auto parts stores will print those out for you for a small fee, or even gratis.
There are many reasons a car won’t start. A hole in a vacuum hose is one of them, but not a common reason for no starts. Explain what you mean by “it won’t start”. Do you mean it cranks ok — that rrr rrr rrrr sound – but it doesn’t catch and run? Or does it not even crank?
I read that I can see if the engine is getting fuel by taking off the air filter housing and smelling for gas, so I am going to try that tomorrow. Also if I can get to an auto parts store I am going to try to get a fuel pressure tester and a spark tester. Or at least borrow them if they will let me. Maybe I can narrow down the problem.
Given the lack of tools and mechanical expertise you may have to go to back yard basics.
Take a can of aerosol carb cleaner and spray a healthy shot into the intake. Try to start it. If it runs for a few seconds or tries to then you can assume it has enough of a spark to function.
Next step is find a black/pink wire at the inertia switch.(Right side of trunk??) Run a jumper wire with battery power to that black/pink wire. If the pump runs and the engine starts then there is a pump controls issue which needs to be sorted.
The controls issue could be worked around if desired but is not recommended. Federal statutes are why those controls exist although the law is not going to come after you for modifying or eliminating them.
