Starting issue, need some help

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sKunk

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OK, Ive done some searching on here and google, and not really gotten anywhere. Maybe I missed something obvious tho?


Anyway, heres the problem. Once the car sits for more then 10 mins or so, it takes about 5 secs to start. It usually kinda spits and spudders for a sec then runs fine, usually some smoke too and can always smell fuel. If it sits for more then like 24 hours it usually starts up fine too? Which is weird.


Working on cars is nothing new to me, but this problem has me kinda stumped.. Im not sure where to start. I feel like its a fuel problem? Fuel pump relay maybe? I need to change my fuel filter anyway so Ill probably do that, although I highly doubt that would cause this. Maybe like a fuel click valve? I have no idea where that would be. I can hear the fuel pump priming also. I spose it could be ignition too?


Any help? This problem is really annoying :(


Oh btw, 2002 LS V8, stock 119,000 miles.
 
Start with the fuel filter then see what happens, relatively inexpensive and easy fix.
 
I have a somewhat similar problem. When getting in my car in the morning it cranks and cranks and cranks then finally starts, I then smell fuel and have heard that smoke comes out of the tailpipes. However, if i park my car for a short period and come out it fires right up. It seems it is when it sits for several hours or overnight. Other times when it sits overnight when I start it up it fires up immediately but is revving way too high as if my foot is on the accelerator. Same 2002 LS V8 but with ~76,000.



I've read or seen somewhere that it could be caused by a leaky injector or several and the delay in starting is due to the engine burning off the extra fuel before truly igniting so it doesnt damage itself.

I'll allow the more knowledgeable to chime in to verify or denounce what I've said but I am also curious on what could be causing this because I'm in a mood to finally address and fix it.

Sorry sKunk to potentially hijack your thread but this could benefit us both! haha
 
Hard Start Issue

I have the EXACT same issue in my 2000 V-8. It has been doing this for approx. 20,000 miles. It cranks, cranks, cranks, and then starts...smells like gas...and a puff of smoke. I usually hold down the gas pedal now before turning key to help. 2 times this summer it had a 'pop' and then started.

I have good fuel pressure on the rail. I put in new injectors and no change in the problem. Everyone claimed injectors last summer.

I have changed:
Injectors - this didn't work
oxygen sensors
cam sensor
crank sensor
MAF sensor
changed all of the relays in the front engine compartment
put the wiring harness on underneath the dash
all new coils
all new spark plugs
valve cover gaskets
new fuel filter
IAC Valve
Differential Pressure Feedback EGR
EGR valve

Also took it to the stealership and after $334.29 and $64.96, they didn't fix anything last summer. The Lincoln/Ford mechanic is reputable but only changed the relays...they admitted I had done everything that they had thought of and he said to put the gas pedal down when cranking to get it started. Runs good once it is going down the highway. When it sits for 2 days, it fires right up.

I have 3 codes:
P0175 - Bank 2 sys too rich
P0442 - Evap leak - this was on last summer too
P0306 - cycl 6 misfire

I may try to put a new injector in #6 and also a new coil and see what happens, but this isn't going to be until next spring when I get the car back out after winter.

My email is michaelghenry@yahoo.com if you have any questions or find a culprit to your problem. Please keep in touch as I don't get to this site very often due to work.
 
Yikes. I know, Ive been afraid its injectors. Like i said, Im going to do the fuel filter and maybe the fuel pump relay, if those dont do it Ill pull the injectors out and have them tested. Also, I need to figure out more about the valve.

Keep the ideas coming. Im going to keep effing with it, I wont be spending much money on it tho in the next few weeks as next week I goto Cali for a 8 days.. woo! haha.
 
2000LSMichael said:
I have the EXACT same issue in my 2000 V-8. It has been doing this for approx. 20,000 miles. It cranks, cranks, cranks, and then starts...smells like gas...and a puff of smoke. I usually hold down the gas pedal now before turning key to help. 2 times this summer it had a 'pop' and then started.

I have good fuel pressure on the rail. I put in new injectors and no change in the problem. Everyone claimed injectors last summer.

I have changed:
Injectors - this didn't work
oxygen sensors
cam sensor
crank sensor
MAF sensor
changed all of the relays in the front engine compartment
put the wiring harness on underneath the dash
all new coils
all new spark plugs
valve cover gaskets
new fuel filter
IAC Valve
Differential Pressure Feedback EGR
EGR valve

Also took it to the stealership and after $334.29 and $64.96, they didn't fix anything last summer. The Lincoln/Ford mechanic is reputable but only changed the relays...they admitted I had done everything that they had thought of and he said to put the gas pedal down when cranking to get it started. Runs good once it is going down the highway. When it sits for 2 days, it fires right up.

I have 3 codes:
P0175 - Bank 2 sys too rich
P0442 - Evap leak - this was on last summer too
P0306 - cycl 6 misfire

I may try to put a new injector in #6 and also a new coil and see what happens, but this isn't going to be until next spring when I get the car back out after winter.

My email is michaelghenry@yahoo.com if you have any questions or find a culprit to your problem. Please keep in touch as I don't get to this site very often due to work.
Click to expand...

Did the mechanic do a compression test? Since you ruled out the ignition system, I was thinking the problem might be mechanical.

This is assuming you have good spark, Full spray in the injectors and the white smoke from the exhaust is fuel and smells like rotten eggs.
The only other thing you need for combustion is compression.
 
sKunk said:
OK, Ive done some searching on here and google, and not really gotten anywhere. Maybe I missed something obvious tho?


Anyway, heres the problem. Once the car sits for more then 10 mins or so, it takes about 5 secs to start. It usually kinda spits and spudders for a sec then runs fine, usually some smoke too and can always smell fuel. If it sits for more then like 24 hours it usually starts up fine too? Which is weird.
Click to expand...

Take a look in your spark plug wells. I had the same problem and it was moisture getting into my spark plug wells. My ignition coils were shorting-out against the block via the fluid. I just pulled the coil and plug, cleaned the well out with a paper towl. When I put the cover on the well, I just went through and checked all the screws.
 
I would check cyl 6 in particular for the misfire and an EVAP leak can be something as simple as a gas cap, check and make sure it's properly locking to the filler neck. might need to reprogram the pcm for the rich mix...easy way is to disconnect battery and have the computer re-learn driving characteristics. Good luck
 
Need a little more info, as the car revs "high" normally on startup, about 2k rpm before it drops to idle and is there is the mil on? Any codes?
 
i do have a compression tester, i could do that, but honestly i doubt thats it. maybe tho, i think im at the point where it could be anything. haha.
 
Don't know if this applies to our LS's, but my old Ford Explorer had similar problems to where it could crank and crank then finally start.

Long story short, they replaced the Fuel Pressure Regulator (FYI, it was cheap).

Hope this gives a "new idea".
 
Dead Battery

Ok so.. I have an 03 ls v8 and my car wouldnt start whether it had been sitting for 5-10 minutes or overnight. All my measuring devices on the dash would hit max and the alarm would sound when trying to start it. She simply refused.. And I didnt think of it to be the battery because I could always open the trunk (which you shouldnt be able to do if the battery is dead, or so the manual says). But low and behold, once i replaced it with a 750 watt Motorcraft from Ford, my "girlfriend" started on the dot and with a louder growl than before! I couldve done a back flip for real! Now i just have to conquer the "hesitating" feeling, better known as DiOCOPs (Drowned in Oil Coil on Plugs). Its amazing what something so simple could do.. Id change the battery too anyway if its the original like mine was. Hope its as simply fixable as mine was! :D
 
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If your 03 has less than 100K miles, then the coils and leaking gaskets are 100% covered by Ford.

The trunk can be opened with the key, even if the battery is completely dead or removed.
 
What should the idle fuel pressure be at the rail? I believe mine may be too high @ 55psi because when attaching the guage to the port you could hear a lot of excess pressure being released. Am I right in thinking this? Also, if i am...would this point to a problem with the fuel pressure regulator or fuel pressure damper?
 
Kulow said:
What should the idle fuel pressure be at the rail? I believe mine may be too high @ 55psi because when attaching the guage to the port you could hear a lot of excess pressure being released. Am I right in thinking this? Also, if i am...would this point to a problem with the fuel pressure regulator or fuel pressure damper?
Click to expand...

If that reading is correct, then the pressure is too high. The pressure is electronically regulated on the LS. The issue could be with the fuel pressure sender (Connected to the fuel rail and the intake manifold), the wiring to it, the ECM, or the REM.

There's no fuel pressure regulator as such.
 
Keep us posted. I've meved seen that before. The fuel presure should be at 35psi. 55 to 65psi is the max the stock fuel pump can put out. I'd like to know what's causing this.
 
Yeah I'm going to try replacing the Fuel Pressure Sensor and see what it does. I'll let yall know when I do that. 97 bucks for a damn sensor, wtf.
 
i had a similar problem in a previous car, the problem was a valve that keeps the pressure in the line when the car was off wasnt sitting right or closing, so if the car sat for very long it would the fuel would run back into the tank and then take a little while to start up, maybe this same thing is happening to you fuel pump
 
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