Where should I look for complete dead starting?

[race bannon]

'91 4door XLT 2wd 4L Automatic. Turned key on, fuel pump wine, turned key engine started, ran for about 3 seconds, shut down. This is not typical but sometimes it does happen. When it does another try and engine cranks and runs fine. However on the second key turn, the fuel pump did not whine, it sounded like a swoosh. Then when I started the key, it was dead. No click, no sound whatsoever.

After engine cooled I tried again and fuel pump whines when I switch it on but when I turn the key to start, it's completely dead, no click, no sound under the hood.

Where should I try to look to see whats going on? Tried jumping battery and that made no difference.

 

[Anime]

Likely the fuel pump relay going out if there's no other issues when it does run. If it would crank crank crank but not ever start, it'd possibly be fuel or ignition, if it just didn't start at all it'd be a dead battery or possibly bad solenoids or connections. If it just doesn't start sometimes it's usually just a sticky or worn out relay.

You can swap the fuel pump relay with one of the others in the fuse box under the hood that isn't being used, like the A/C relay, to test it out and see if that fixes it.

 

[Maniak]

Since the OP has a '91 he has to "look" for the relays..

They are "under" the fuse box that is under the hood. They put them next to the fuses starting in 1993..

~Mark

 

[race bannon]

Got engine to crank easily when I jumped both posts on the solonoid. So I then ran a jumper wire from the positive terminal on the battery to the smaller terminal (12v from ingnition) on the solonoid and turned key to start with no luck at all.

I replaced the solonoid with one from Advanced Auto yesterday morning and it fired right up. So bad solonoid it was. Happy to be rolling again.