04 5.4 wont start bounce some ideas?

[HawksWR37]

okay so ive finally got around to getting back on the mustang and we got everything wired up and went to start it and nothing.


Things to know:
2004 GT 5speed 5.4 2v
Battery is relocated to the truck.
Battery is fine and working condition
Starter is 3 hours old (Made AZ warrant my old one :) )
The engine runs if you jump the starter and sounds damn good.
Power to the starter is fine and the line to it is fine.
fuses were all fine
Its the factory PCM so it cant be PATS
Everything else in the car works
swapped the starter relay with the fog lights and the light on both.

I'm running out of ideas and need some help.

Does anyone know where/how the car knows the clutch is engaged?
because it doesnt do anything when you turn the key.


please let me know if anyone can think of anything... Thanks Guys

[IWRBB]

There's a switch up under the dash for the clutch pedal sensor. Won't start without the clutch in.

You can find clear pictures of it on the site that sells the WOT Box. They use the clutch pedal sensor to activate the WOT shifting feature- so in the WOT Box directions for a 2003 Cobra they detail that switch and how it works. If you can't find it let me know.

[akagreg3]

there is a fuse link that goes up under the Battery in the front of the car from the harness make sure its connected, then all grounds, have someone under the fuel tank to listen for the fuel pump when you turn the key, next check for fire from all plugs wires, 3 things a engine need to run (fuel-fire-air) and just cause its factory pcm dont mean the pats has not been activated, have you hooked a code reader up to it? is the theft light flashing?

[HawksWR37]

have someone under the fuel tank to listen for the fuel pump when you turn the key, next check for fire from all plugs wires, 3 things a engine need to run (fuel-fire-air) and just cause its factory pcm dont mean the pats has not been activated, have you hooked a code reader up to it? is the theft light flashing?

the engine runs fine if you put 12v to the starter

[wolverine8490]

Was the car originally an auto? As stated above, the neutral safety switch is located on the clutch pedal. If that is not hooked up or bridged, the car will not start. If would run however is jumped.

[HawksWR37]

Was the car originally an auto? As stated above, the neutral safety switch is located on the clutch pedal. If that is not hooked up or bridged, the car will not start. If would run however is jumped.

No it has always been a 5speed car. the car ran fine with the same exact setup a couple months ago.

[wolverine8490]

No it has always been a 5speed car. the car ran fine with the same exact setup a couple months ago.

I would try and bypass the neutral safety switch (paper clip, piece of wire ect.). If that doesn't help let me know and I will dig up a diagram for you to check stuff out with.

Make sure you bypass the right one. There are 2 switches. One is for the cruise and one is the NSS.

[HawksWR37]

I would try and bypass the neutral safety switch (paper clip, piece of wire ect.). If that doesn't help let me know and I will dig up a diagram for you to check stuff out with.

Make sure you bypass the right one. There are 2 switches. One is for the cruise and one is the NSS.

how would i bypass it and where would i find pictures of it? there is a sensor on the back of the quadrant and one on top of the pedal.

[wolverine8490]

Here is the switch:

http://cdn1.autopartsnetwork.com/images/catalog/brand/standard-ignition/640/NS63.jpg

Just unplug the connectors and bridge them with a paper clip or a wire. Or if you wanted to bridge them for good, you can cut the connectors off and twist the wires together (I would not recommend that)..

Just remember that one connector is for the NSS, and one is for the cruise cut off. They need to be bridged individually. I don't have a bunch of time ATM to find out which is which.

[HawksWR37]

On mine it only has one connector going to it and the other is open but i have never disconnected anything up there. is there a connector missing?

[wolverine8490]

On mine it only has one connector going to it and the other is open but i have never disconnected anything up there. is there a connector missing?

I have never seen them with just one, but then again I have always worked on 96-98's... Let me check the 02 and see if it has both. I am going to say it needs both of them.

What color wires does the connector that is plugged in have? I will try to get a wiring diagram later.

[HawksWR37]

I'll have to check after i get off work. but i didn't see any other connectors laying there. so thats what was confusing me. because i have never disconnected anything under there

[wolverine8490]

Have you owned the car since it was new? Also, did you use the engine wiring that was in the car before the swap?

[HawksWR37]

no I have had it since 09 with 40k on it. its the factory wiring harness. This same engine was in it 6 months ago and it started just fine.

[wolverine8490]

K, yeah I just looked at mine, just one connector. Not sure when they changed that. Try to bridge that connector and see if it will start. Can't say I have ever seen a NSS actually go bad, but anything is possible.

[HawksWR37]

Where is this located at and could it be the culprit?

http://www.americanmuscle.com/ignition-switch-9904.html

[Blackout]

it is under the plastic on the steering column. there is a large harness that connects into it.

[HawksWR37]

Does that sound like it could be the issue?

[Blackout]

okay so ive finally got around to getting back on the mustang and we got everything wired up and went to start it and nothing.


Things to know:
2004 GT 5speed 5.4 2v
Battery is relocated to the trunk. This is 1 clue
Battery is fine and working condition
Starter is 3 hours old (Made AZ warrant my old one :) )
The engine runs if you jump the starter and sounds damn good. this is your 2 clue on whats going on.
Power to the starter is fine and the line to it is fine.
fuses were all fine
Its the factory PCM so it cant be PATS
Everything else in the car works
swapped the starter relay with the fog lights and the light on both.

I'm running out of ideas and need some help.

Does anyone know where/how the car knows the clutch is engaged?
because it doesnt do anything when you turn the key.


please let me know if anyone can think of anything... Thanks Guys

OK, after reading what you have wrote, if nothing else has changed then it has to be a ground problem. Your charging system and starter has the electric that it needs but it seems that the grounds are are not connecting. Do you have any pictures of the relocation of the battery under the hood? There are a couple different grounds that have to hooked up in order to make it work. I need to see what you got.

[wolverine8490]

Here is a wiring diagram. I would start checking each end for voltages.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm257/wolverine8490/2002%20GT/starting.jpg

[HawksWR37]

Here is a wiring diagram. I would start checking each end for voltages.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm257/wolverine8490/2002%20GT/starting.jpg

Well i have a 1/0 feed line that runs from the battery through a circuit breaker down the subframe rail and to the engine bay where it goes through a distribution block that splits it into two 4AWG which one goes 6 inches to the fuse box and the other goes directly to the starter.

i have a single 4Awg that runs from the Alt to the battery.

the three grounds where the battery used to be are grounded securly to the subframe rail (I even ran a 1/0 line from the negative to these grounds to see if that was the cause)

and the battery grounds to the subframe rail and strut tower with 1/0

I Can't really take a picture of it till the weekend so hopefully this gives you an idea. I followed the diagram above and the first place the power starts is at the ignition switch to the fuse box under the dash that goes to the (starter relay) Fuse and i put my multimeter there and it had 0v when i turned the key to start. so I'm leaning towards it being the Ignition switch.

This is quite irritating:bangwall:

[HawksWR37]

Also there is a block ground strap connected on the passenger side fenderwell

[wolverine8490]

Have you tried switching the 40amp fuse (Box under the hood fuse 3) with a known good one? You could also check it with your ohm meter to make sure it really is good? This is where your power is coming from and going to the IGN switch.

I have had fuses look good to the eye, but were actually bad. I have also had the contacts where the fuse pushes into somehow bend and not make good contact.

[HawksWR37]

Have you tried switching the 40amp fuse (Box under the hood fuse 3) with a known good one? You could also check it with your ohm meter to make sure it really is good? This is where your power is coming from and going to the IGN switch.

I have had fuses look good to the eye, but were actually bad. I have also had the contacts where the fuse pushes into somehow bend and not make good contact.

Yes i switched it with the fog light 40amp and tested them both and they were both fine. I didn't check to see if it had power and the fuse block spot though

[Jake]

just burn it and start over.

[HawksWR37]

just burn it and start over.

I'll burn you at the stake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp2pl4lO6Hs