Why is my car starting hard?

[Evil5oh]

This morning I left my girlfriends apt this morning, and my SHO started fired right up just like normal. I got out o my haouse, was inside for maybe 45 minutes, and when I left to go to work, and it started really hard. It turned over fast, but turned over for a REALLY long time before it started. Then once it started, it ran really rough, like it was running out of gas, idling on like 4 cylinders. I gave it a rev, and it smoothed right otu and then it was fine, until I had to start it on my break at work. Now it is doing it every time I start it. I have a coil pack going bad, but I don't think that is it. It is alomost like when I turn the key to the on position the fuel pump is not priming the system, so the car is not getting any fuel when I try to start it.

How can I check this. Are there any wires in the trunk that go down to the tank that I can test with a test light -- and if so what color are they? Or does anyone else have any ideas of what it could be? Thanks.

jesse

 

[tqmx1]

Has the fuel filter ever been changed? Easy to change and cheep to.

 

[Evil5oh]

I am not sure, I neve changed it, idk about the guy before me. I'm gonna change it, but if it was the fuel filter wouldn't it be acting up all the time?

 

[bigred56k]

Mine starts hard too, its like the fuel pump is going bad or something. It has always done it. I just turn the key to the on postion and let the pump build pressure for a couple of seconds. Then turn it over and she fires right up really easy. But if i just jump in and crank it then its a hard start.

Tony

 

[Ian Macoomb]

Or fuel pressure regulator. Mine's been weak for a year. I've got a gauge mounted on the fuel rail and the fuel pressure will only go up to 30 psi with the key in the on position. I can get it up by cycling the key a bunch of times.

 

[Evil5oh]

Where is the fuel filter located on these cars?

 

[bigred56k]

passengerside of the car under the rear door

 

[Evil5oh]

Now I'm not sure...when the car finally starts, it really smells like raw fuel. I am not sure, maybe it is flooding.

 

[Ian Macoomb]

I would definitely check the fuel pressure. That sounds like a regulator problem to me.

 

[Evil5oh]

Well now the car is getting worse. When I first get it started, and start driving, at low rpms it feels like it is running out of gas, once it is warmed up it is fine. But also when i come to a light or a stop sign. if I sit there long enough, it slowly starts dropping cylinders until it is idling real rough on just half of the cylinders.

How hard is the regulator to change?

 

[SHOZ123]

A fuel pressure test would confirm whether that's the problem or not. If you can find a regulator they are easy to change. Just a couple of metric allen screws. And if you don't know when the fuel filter has been changed do that too.

I would change the cam shaft position sensor if the fuel pressure was OK.

 

[Evil5oh]

Well I am done fixing everything on this car. I can't really afford to keep putting money into it right now, no matter how I much I like it. Thanks for all the help guys. But it needs subframe bushings, one of the coil packs on the front bank is going out(the back are new), and now this problem. Oh well. I am trading the car in tomorrow. Later guys.

Jesse

 

[KILLA]

I guess ill pick up were Evil5oh left off.

From what ive read, all of these symptoms match the problem i am having right now. I had hoped that this thread would reveal the cause. i guess thats not the case.
Anyway, i plan on doing the fuel pressure test but i dont know how. Can this be done on a WDS at my work?

 

[Mr Anonymous]

I guess ill pick up were Evil5oh left off.

From what ive read, all of these symptoms match the problem i am having right now. I had hoped that this thread would reveal the cause. i guess thats not the case.
Anyway, i plan on doing the fuel pressure test but i dont know how. Can this be done on a WDS at my work?

No, but if they have a WDS they sure must have a fuel pressure gauge!

All you do is disconnect the vacuum line from the FPR to the surge tank and cap off the surge tank ******, hook up the gauge to the schrader valve and start the car. Should read a steady 39PSI at idle. When you shut off the car, it will probably drop to about 36PSI, but it should stay there for several minutes before slowly leaking down over the course of several hours. If it drops right to zero then you've got a bad FPR or check valve in the fuel pump.

Most modern Fords for the past ~20 years are tested this way (not sure about the new generation returnless systems but that's kind of moot here), so any tech should be able to do it for you in about 3 minutes.

 

[KILLA]

No, but if they have a WDS they sure must have a fuel pressure gauge!

All you do is disconnect the vacuum line from the FPR to the surge tank and cap off the surge tank ******, hook up the gauge to the schrader valve and start the car. Should read a steady 39PSI at idle. When you shut off the car, it will probably drop to about 36PSI, but it should stay there for several minutes before slowly leaking down over the course of several hours. If it drops right to zero then you've got a bad FPR or check valve in the fuel pump.

Most modern Fords for the past ~20 years are tested this way (not sure about the new generation returnless systems but that's kind of moot here), so any tech should be able to do it for you in about 3 minutes.

You sir, are the man

 

[KILLA]

So. i finally got around to doing the fuel pressure test yesterday. I borrowed a gauge from a technician, but the only fittings he had were for the valve located directly on the fuel rail. so thats where i connected it.
Started the car and read a steady 32 psi. I thought it might be a clogged filter resulting in the low pressure, so going to change it just in case. Then I turned the car off, and it went down very gradually over the next minute or two until i disconnected it at 29psi. This rules out the FPR so I guess its my fuel pump? Whats my next step/test?

 

[SHOZ123]

Well I guess it's back to the camshaft sensor.......... Symptoms of a bad cam shaft position sensor are hard=long crank times and rough running once started. Does the check engine light, light up when you are cranking and the car isn't starting?????

And people who throw money at the problems of their cars, then give up saying they can't afford to keep "fixing" the car get what they deserve. IMHO It's always best to follow a logical course of repair instead of jumping around doing the easy/common things.

 

[KILLA]

OK, so here the scoop. I got off work today and hopped in the SHO. to my suprise i tried to start it and it was running like complete crap. even tried to die right after it started. So logically i decided to pull it in the shop and have a tech give me a hand. Since my car was running fine when i did the last fuel pressure test, i thought i might be able to catch it in the act so i tested it again. Aside from it being a little lower than normal, pressure was steady, even as the idle was fluctuating. Next thing i could think of without getting in to deep was to clean the MAF, so Wade (tech helping me) pulled out the filaments and noticed that one of the wires was a little caked so he cleaned it off and examined it very thoroughly before reinstalling it.

Here we go..... started up and the problem was still there, but it wasnt any worse. That is until i decided it could wait till tomorrow and went home. As im heading up the street, i immediately new it was lacking power. Then right as the secondaries open it has almost no power, but begins to smooth out as i approach redline. It also has a sound like something is rattling around in the engine compartment. This sound happens as i initially press the gas, but goes away as i stay on it.

This problem started as a nuisance, but quickly became a major concern. I dont want to drive it any longer than i have to like this but i dont know were to start now. It has not set a SES light so could it be that bad?

 

[SHOZ123]

Are the cams welded?

 

[nik97]

Uh oh. Hope so. If they are, I would focus on the CMP or check for excessive EGR flow. You may want to hook up the WDS's scope to your CMP.