sorry this is so long, no codes,no start, any suggestions please!!!

[gotsho?]

ive spent the last 7 hours searching and reading other post and trying things out but here it goes.... the last couple weeks my 92mtx has been running kinda crappy (pretty much since its been starting to get cold out) its had a light knocking coming from the engine, the heater barely works (warm at best and only after running for awhile), my mpg went to crap literaly 100 miles less than average on the last 2-3 tanks, 4 times it stalled on me when i was slowing down to take a turn or stop id push the clutch in the car would stall when id release it at a slow roll it starts back up like a rolling jump. i got a CEL for a 16 mile drive home from work a few days ago, the next day it was gone. ive been working 12-14 hours a day for the last two weeks straight and was finally planning on spending some quality time with it this weekend including running the codes unfortunately karma fate whatever you wanna call it has seem to have gotten the best of me. i ran down to the parts store today to pick up a thermostat for it since its been getting cold now i cant go much longer without heat, figured id start with that. when i was pulling out of the parking lot i stepped on the gas and the car started to go, then bogged real bad, then stalled. i tried to restart it and all it would do is turn over. fuel and spark right? first thing i did was check my shut off switch in the trunk no problems there, then i depressed the valve on the fuel rail and gas squirted out, figured fuel was good. then i tried to get a spark by grounding off one of the plug wires while the car was being cranked by someone else and got no spark. after a phone call to AAA and a ride on a hook im at home thinking i got the problem figured out i changed the DIS and the coil when i got home and suddenly i have spark only now it still wont start and and when i depress the fuel rail valve nothing comes out. so it went from appearing to have fuel and no ignition, to the exact opposite. now heres another weird thing i cant get any codes off it. it wont start so my only option is KOEO and i know how to do it, ive done it 3 other times successfully. after i connect the proper lines with a paperclip like ive done in the past I turn the key on and i just get a constant CEL the electric fan doesnt kick on and i cant hear the fuel pump, when i do try to crank it i get about 300-400 rpms and after a few seconds goes up to about 700-800. i have over 1/4 tank of gas i know for sure, i checked ALL the fuses, double checked the fuel shut off switch in the trunk, tried turning it over at WOT for 10 sec., no prob with the throttle cable, all wires seems to be connected and secure, my battery is fully charged and seems to be working fine. tried to get codes 3x's following literally step by step poenix project instructions for retrieving codes. tomorrow morning im gonna try and see if i am getting power to the fuel pump and if so im gonna change it out and see what happens, other than that im stumped and still dont understand why my CEL wont blink my codes. ive read a lot about the CPS but if i understand correctly i wouldnt be getting spark if thats what it was. thanks sooooooo much anyone that took the time to read this whole post and any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

 

[Russsho]

OK, you definately have a T-stat that's stuck open.

How's your fuel filter?

 

[ohfosho]

i would have said cps for sure...but you cant even check the codes, so that makes me think the ECU itself is at fault. cps gives these problems: code 211, stalling for no apperent reason, and only starting when it feels like it, hard starting...takes a while of cranking to find its groove, and then seems slow to get the engine really going. have you had the front 60k done? first i would keep trying the ECU test though...make sure you have it in the right pins. if that doesnt turn out, i think that ECU is cooked/malfunctioning.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Mike, you have a PM.

 

[gotsho?]

I didnt check the fuel filter, that was something i was gonna consider doing tomorrow along with the fuel pump, that may have been an obvious first step for some people but I'm kinda mechanically declined if there isnt a step by step guide with pictures how to do it i get a little overwhelmed. as far as the 60k, its way over due (131k) and thats partly the reason ive been working so many hours is to save up to get it done, or get a winter car so i can take it off the road and slowly learn myself. i bought the car from an older gentle man who was the original owner back in the spring. if you met this guy i'd be willing to bet the farm this engine never saw over 4000rpm before it came into my possession, but anyway all his service receipts were up to date but mostly they were from a ford dealership and ive heard they cheap out on the service without doing lash adjustments ect. its looking like a kind knowledgable member from the forum here is gonna stop by and give me a hand or atleast point me in the right direction hopefully tomorrow. thanks for the replys, ill post my progress and hopefully someone else someday might gain a little insight from my confusion.

 

[gotsho?]

spent the day in the garage today and finally got the thing going thanks so much to chris that came by and helped me out, what a life saver I would have been SOL this week trying to get to work. I started out changing the fuel filter which ended up being a good thing because i cut the old one open and it was FULL of crap, that helped with the fuel pressure but didnt fix the problem of no start. I was in the process of ripping my back seat out and getting ready to cut a hole in the floor to get to the fuel pump when chris arrived. he looked over a few things, and when trying to run the codes he pointed out the my CEL was dimmer than the others and immediately diagnosed it as the IRCM or the computer. luckily he had an extra IRCM. with a quick switch and just like that it started right up. later in the afternoon i took it for a ride to see how it was running (and return the fuel pump i didnt need) it was still running like crap, i almost thought it was gonna die on me again bogging and even stalled once but started right back up, same knocking sound under throttle too. when i got home i ran the codes for real this time and only came up with 172 and 136 and the cylinder test checked out. both of these refer to the o2 sensors and the car running lean. If the sensors are reading lean will they instruct the engine, via the comp, to add more fuel, just wondering if this is partly the cause of my sudden decrsss in MPG? either way I cant complain cuz atleast its running but i know im in for some serious maint work in the very near future. i'm just considering what my options are right now and how far i wanna go with this. i know i know... get used to it, ive spent enough time on this forum to see what im in for, but damn i love this car!!