Fuel Pump Issues, Other Problems Pop-Up HELP!

[86GTdriver]

In my crusade to figure out why my car isn't starting, but to eliminate everything short of dropping the tank I've done some searching, but turned up other issues recently.

Firstly, What is this ground for and where does it ground to? It is one of many wires of the set that leads to the fusible links.
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z146/trunksv80/Problems/060308001.jpg

Now as far as the fuel pump, it's not turning on of course so I've done this so far:
- Made sure I had spark at the plugs
- Replaced and soldered the 18 guage fusible link using 60/40 tin/lead rosin solder.
- Replaced the fuel pump relay under the driver's side seat, which was hard to find even a Motorcraft version.
- Checked the Inertia Switch in the back (don't know if the button is supposed to be up or down and it's in the down position right now)

So what is the next logical thing to check for when troubleshooting a fuel pump problem in my case? The only thing that seems to want to make the engine even try to turn over is starter fluid or gas sprayed into the TB.


Secondly, another issue, after it being on the car for weeks now and despite me trying to start it many times during that period, when I replaced the fuel pump relay and tried starting it today, the ground wire coming off the negative battery cable got hot and slagged it's insulation. It's always been properly grounded before and the grounding spot on the body hasn't changed. Any opinions as to why?

I know it's blurry, but here's a shot of the ground wire for the Neg Battery Cable:
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z146/trunksv80/Problems/060308003.jpg

[86GT2go]

On the fuel pump issue, I hate to say it but you may have to drop the tank anyway. If you can get to the electrical plug, disconnect it and shoot the wires (requiring a wiring diagram and a multimeter) to see if voltage is getting back to the pump. If you have proper voltage, my guess is the pump (from sitting so long). If you are not getting juice back to the pump, that would sound like the equipment you already tried to change out (do you get fuel to the fuel rail?).
As for the ground-out of your negative cable, did you change any wiring that might have been associated with it or did this happen while you were attempting to crank the car (voltage/amperage draw could have been high and smoked the wire)?
The wire you hold up in the first pic ALMOST looks like a ground wire of some sort, but that one I do not know....sorry Steve.

[86GTdriver]

As far as the ground wire to the negative power cable, yeah it only hapopened when I tried to crank it after I changed out the fuel pump relay. I guess I can cut that wire off and run a new ground wire from the negative power terminal to that same ground screw. As far as that mystery ground, I'd sure like to know what it's grounding to. I'm not so sure if I have power to the injectors, but I know there's no fuel b/c the schrader valve there doesn't leak anything when I press on it with a tire guage.

[86GTdriver]

UPDATE as of 15:00-

At the Fuel Pump Relay plug; the org/lt blue wire gets 12v, the pnk/blk gets 12v, the red/blk is 12v and the tan/lt grn has continuity. When I switch the key on and hold the relay in my hand hooked up I can feel it click.

At the Inertia Switch; the two-wire connector there, appears to have a solid red and another red/blk wire. The solid red one shows 12v with the key on.

As well, I sprayed some starter fluid into the TB today, it was enough to make it run for about 3-4 seconds without a hitch and I repaired my negative batt cable ground wire before I did any of the above.

Is it safe to say yet I need a new fuel pump short of testing the harness of the pump itself for 12v?

[86GT2go]

Pretty safe to say the pump is dead. Only way to positively test the pump is to pull it out with it still hooked to the harness and try to start the car that way. If the pump does not engage, you have a pump issue.