Weird Starting Problem...Help!!!

jscrewu12

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I'm currently having starting problems on my 2000 Lincoln LS V8. Here is the deal: about 3 weeks ago I tried to start my car and it just wouldn't. Tried about 10 times and it just wouldn't start. So I decide to leave alone for a couple of hours. So then I try it again and it still wouldn't start, so I decide to use my OBD II scanner to see if it throws me any codes, but it doesn't. So i decide to fire it up again and there it starts up like nothing. That seemed kind of weird, but I was happy that it started again. So I started reading in the forums to see what causes starting problems on LS' and read it can be either fuel pump or fuel filter, so i decide to change the fuel filter since it was a quick fix.

So after I changed the fuel filter, the car seemed to be starting fine, so I was pretty happy because it seemed the fuel filter got the job done. But tonight, I was out playing poker at a friends' friend house and after we finished about 2:30AM, my car wouldn't start again. So I try it about 4 or 5 times and the car is not starting and I'm parked uphill, but I knew I had enough gas because I had 3/4 of a tank when I got there. So I'm pretty pissed by that time. So I decide to run the OBDII scanner again, since I carry it in my car, and again it doesnt throw me any codes. So i decide to try and start it again and there it starts again like nothing.

So now I'm pretty confused to what could be wrong with my car. I've had the car for a little over a year and have changed all 8 ignition coils along with gaskets and the car only has a little over 56,000 miles. I'm currently also having problems with my ABS and check advancetrac as they have been constantly on for about 6 months, but don't think that the ABS and advancetrac problems are related to starting problems.

So now I'm thinking about changing the fuel pump, but don't know if thats going to solve my problem. Need some advice as to what I should do. Thanks in advance to everybody.
 
1. when you say not starting do you mean.... crank with no fire, or no crank at all?

2. since you changed the filter, I assume you mean it cranks. Is the pats light (light on top of dash) strobing? If so, It could be related to your pats system, bad key or lock cylinder.

someone could correct me if I'm wrong, but if the fuel pump was going out, the car would run like ish when it did run
 
When i say it doesnt start... it means crank with no fire...and the cranking doesnt have a weird noise...cranks as if the car has no gas.
 
watch that light next time...see if it strobes, otherwise, the only way to see if its the fuel pump is to check your fuel pressure, although the pats system might shut off the fuel, being the reason why it wont start.
 
watch that light next time...see if it strobes, otherwise, the only way to see if its the fuel pump is to check your fuel pressure, although the pats system might shut off the fuel, being the reason why it wont start.

PATS normally disables the starter as well.
Next time, listen for the fuel pump.
 
really? dang, thats the problem I keep having...the car justr cranks and cranks, with the pats light flashing...have to cycle the key a few times, then it quits
 
really? dang, thats the problem I keep having...the car justr cranks and cranks, with the pats light flashing...have to cycle the key a few times, then it quits

Do you have more that one chip'd key on your keyring? That causes a problem on my 04 (never on the 06) every great once in a while. When the issue comes up on the 04, the PATS light flashes rapidly, and the starter won't activate. Maybe the gen I is different and allows the starter to run?
 
Do you have more that one chip'd key on your keyring? That causes a problem on my 04 (never on the 06) every great once in a while. When the issue comes up on the 04, the PATS light flashes rapidly, and the starter won't activate. Maybe the gen I is different and allows the starter to run?

No. It's the same on the Gen I
 
I remember reading a tread on this. The LS would crank and not start. Sometimes it wouldn't crank and other times it would start just fine. The problem was a bad connection with the ignition cylinder.

I think it's weird that it starts only after you run tests with your scanner. I understand you didin't get any codes but did you clear out the history?
 
Do you have more that one chip'd key on your keyring? That causes a problem on my 04 (never on the 06) every great once in a while. When the issue comes up on the 04, the PATS light flashes rapidly, and the starter won't activate. Maybe the gen I is different and allows the starter to run?

nope, just one key and the fob
 
Nope, I don't clear out any codes. I just run the scan and disconnect the scanner and it starts just fine. I also have 2 keys and 2 keyless entry remote controls but always use the same key, since the other one I have at as a spare key. Thanks guys.
 
Lol - welcome to the 2000 LS V8 hard starting problem. I have been living with my for 2 years. I leave the car sit for a few days and it starts no problem. Drive it around for the day and then it cranks and cranks and cranks and won't start. One mechanic at a dealership told me to press the gas pedal down...which did help on occassion. However, this year I had a few bangs that scare people silly...actually saw a fire flash this fall.

I have changed almost everything possible. Spent $300 at the stealership to have them tell me it was electrical and a few fuses (in engine compartment) needed changed. That didn't help.

If you figure something out, let me know. Had some people tell me "leaky injectors." I took mine out and had them checked...they were fine. Good pressure at the fuel rail. Changed almost every sensor in the car, egr valve, etc. etc.

Spoke to a guy on the phone last year that had same problem and went to 2 Ford dealerships to try and solve with no luck.

Good luck...
 
Well...just updating... I haven't been able to start the car the last 3 days. Yesterday I killed the battery trying to get it started and took the battery to the zone to get it tested and they told me the battery was fine. I just got home and put the battery on, and still the car doesnt fire up. So now I'm really thinking that my fuel pump went out. Just can't find any other explanation.

I've read in other posts that I should be able to hear the gas pump when I try to start the car. If I take off the rear seat, what kind of sound should I hear for so I know whether my fuel pump is working or not? Thanks again
 
Just a low hum.
Have you changed the fuel filter?
 
When you turn the key to run, you should get a couple of seconds of humming, then it should stop. You could also get a fuel pressure gauge and check for proper fuel pressure at the rail. Some stores might loan the gauge out for a refundable deposit.
 
Thanks joegr for all your input. How would I go about checking the fuel pressure if I go and rent a fuel pressure gauge and what is the proper pressure that I should be getting?
 
There's a fitting to attach it to on the fuel rail. It looks kind of like a tire valve stem. (I don't know the exact location on a gen I.) Pre-start pressure should be around 40 PSI.
 
check the fuel pressure regulator, may need to replace it

Cars of the 80s and 90s (and some in the 00's) had return flow fuel systems. There fuel pumps pumped at full force all of the time, and the fuel pressure regulator would return all unused fuel to the tank.

The LS and newer cars use a returnless fuel system. It doesn't really have a traditional fuel pressure regulator. It does have a fuel pressure sensor, and that is probably what you are talking about. The PCM reads the fuel pressure (relative to the intake manifold absolute pressure) and then sends commands back to the REM (Rear Electronics Module) to speed up or slow down the fuel pump as required to hold the correct pressure. It's a somewhat more complicated system, and harder to troubleshoot.
 
There's a fitting to attach it to on the fuel rail. It looks kind of like a tire valve stem. (I don't know the exact location on a gen I.) Pre-start pressure should be around 40 PSI.

Gen I Driver side, on the fuel rail. Looks like a air fitting for a tire.
 
There's a fitting to attach it to on the fuel rail. It looks kind of like a tire valve stem. (I don't know the exact location on a gen I.) Pre-start pressure should be around 40 PSI.


Yes.
The valve is a Schrader valve, take your fuel pressure on the Schrader valve.
 
Fuel Pump Repair Kit on Ebay

Ok, well it seems that the pump isn't working. I don't here any sound of the fuel pump when I try to start the car or leave the switch in the on position. I'm thinking of buying this fuel pump since most of the auto parts here just want to sell me the repair kit just like this one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e..._trkparms=algo=LVI&its=I&otn=2&category=33555

The repair kit in the autoparts here range from $100-$150, so I'm wondering if anybody has used this repair kit on ebay? Also is there anything else I should be checking before I order the fuel pump besides fuses? Thanks again to everybody for all their input.
 

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