Hi all! Well, as stated, my conversion van won't start. 1996 E-150, 5.8, 80,000 miles. I was headed home from a road trip, and it was running fine. stopped for snacks and drinks, got back in the van, started it, backed out of the parking space, and pulled onto the road. When I started to pull onto the road, it started spitting and sputtering. Since it was still running, I drove it further down the street, so I could find a good place to pull over, about a mile. The whole time I drove it, it would be ok under light throttle, up to about 30MPH. above that, it spit and sputtered. There was never a CEL. I parked it and shut it off, thinking maybe the PCM just had a brain fart, and needed reset. Went to restart, and it just turns over, but won't start. I pulled a plug, and it was totally dry, not even a smell of gas on it. For good measure, I checked the spark, and it was fine. The fuel pump runs for about 2 seconds after I turn on the key, and sounds normal, and there is fuel to the fuel rail. I don't have a pressure gauge for fuel, but when I pressed the pin on the schrader valve on the fuel rail, it sprayed out pretty good. I left it sit for a few minutes, and tried it again, still nothing. I disconnected the battery for about 5 minutes, no change. I left it set for about 2 hours, while I waited for my oldest son to come pick us up, still no change. The next day(yesterday) I went and picked it up with my 66 F100 and a rented trailer, so it's home now, at least. I had the battery disconnected since Sunday night when I left it, and this morning, it still wouldn't start. Still no CEL, and there are no codes. The battery is cranking it over plenty fast, just no gas to the plugs. I just replaced the PCM about a year ago, when it wouldn't turn on the O2 sensor heaters.

Any ideas on where to start?

Thanks!

 

Yea, I would start right Here.

Go down about 1/2 way on page one and read the "No Start" first.

If it cranks, but not starting, and the plugs are dry, I would check the MAP sensor first, as this will cause the ECU to shut down the fuel pump if there is no reading of vacuum in the intake manifold. No fuel = no start/run.

 

does it have a crank position sensor? Sounds like my 2000 Jeep Cherokee when it died.

 

Did you change the fuel filter ?

 

Well, I guess i didn't pay close enough attention. It was getting gas, but I guess it just didn't build up on the plug like i figured it would. I ran a compression test, just for grins, and got 160psi. When I released the pressure from the gauge, I definitely smelled raw gas. Checked the spark again, and it still had it. I was in the shade, so I could see it a lot better than the first time I checked it, and noticed it looked pretty weak. A new coil at the parts store was only $30, and I figured if it didn't fix it, at least I'd have it replaced, and one less worry for down the road. Now it fires right up.

Next question, 80k miles on a coil?!? Seems like a pretty short life. Is that normal this type of ignition?

Thanks for everything, guys!

Wildman25, I will definitely save that troubleshooting page for future reference, it seems pretty darn handy!

Thanks again for everyone's responses, I love this site!!

 

Coils can go bad that soon. I replaced the O.E coil on the 351 in my 95 van and it didn't last a year before it came apart. That box the engine's confined in is hell on parts. I'd change the spark wires while at it. The Ford Racing 9mm sets hold up well in these boxes, they'll out last the stock sets they come with.

 

Glad to here you got it going with a simple repair.

 

Glad to hear it was that simple. I was going to suggest checking if the distributor jumped timing.

Sixto
93 E150 Chateau 5.8 191K miles

 

...but NOW I have a CEL, it's a little hard to start, and idles like crap. P0171 and P0174. Lean on banks 1&2. One of the suggested things to check is the O2 sensors. I'm thinking that while it was barely running, and while I was trying to start it, it was dumping raw fuel down the exhaust, and fried the O2 sensors.

Concur?

 

Take them out and clean them with spray carb cleaner then try them again.

 

OK, thanks! I'll give it a shot.