2004 F250 V10, approximately 75,000 miles.

Here’s the story.

Last Saturday I go to Home Depot early in the morning, Stop the truck twice, get stuff, restart it and everything is fine.

Later in the afternoon, the wife takes my truck back to Home Depot to get something. I get a phone call a half hour later saying truck won’t start. I go over there and it’s dead in front of the store. I try starting it a few times. It cranks for about 2 seconds then nothing.

I end up pushing the truck into a parking spot away from the crowds and go back home. About 2 hours later I go back with some tools to try a few things including: swap A/C and FP relays. Check fuel shut off button, check all the fuses, fiddle with security system.

There for about an hour. The whole time the truck will crank forever but not start. Parking lot and busy road so I can’t hear anything let alone something like the fuel pump clicking.

Anyways, had enough playing parking lot mechanic. So I go home and end up having the truck towed to my house. After the tow truck drops the truck I try starting it and once again it cranks but no start.

The next morning I go out and start getting all the tools I left in the truck out. Have my keys in my hand so I figure let’s see what happens.

Damn thing fires right up. I end up leaving it running for 20 minutes or so including driving around the block.

So now I’m at a loss. I can’t diagnose a problem that currently doesn’t exist but I also don’t want to drive it because it might die somewhere again.

Any suggestions?

P.S. New battery, spark plugs and starter in the last 3 years. Other than when the old starter and battery died (2 separate occasions) I’ve never had any other problems in the 8 years I’ve owned it.

 

sure sounds like the fuel pump to me if it happens again you can try hitting the fuel tank and see if it will start or you can start turning the key on first without starting like waiting for the glow plugs in a diesel and see if you hear the fuel pump when it wont start you wont won't hear the pump if thats what it is if you buckle the seat belt the truck won't make all the annoying beeps when you turn the key on.

 

Thanks,

Certainly like to eliminate any other possibilities before going straight to the fuel pump. Not the easiest job in the world compared to some of the other possibilities.

So far I've read it could be several different things such as fuel pressure regulator or crankshaft sensor.

 

Crankshaft sensor should throw a code you can rent a fuel pressure test kit make sure it has the right adapter. If it's not doing it then there is nothing to eliminate currently while doing the fuel pump is going to suck there is no easier diag then turn the key and listen if the fuel pump does run then it would make sense to look at other possibilities but this sure sounds like its a fuel pump.

 

Just to update this problem.

Changed out the fuel pump and filter last weekend (after finally getting the right pump)

Started every time for 6 days in a row, let it run for 10-15 minutes in the driveway then shut it off.

Finally grew a pair and drove it back to the scene of the crime, Home Depot.

Drove fine and started each time.

So hopefully.....problem solved.

Thanks

 

I've also had this problem with my truck dying out for the last few months. Read through different threads that all pointed to the fuel pump. So I changed the FP, worked fine for about a month, then truck started acting up again. Took it back to the shop and they couldn't diagnose anything except "it's probably a bad fuel pump." Replaced the FP again since it was under warranty. Worked fine up until today where it died on me again while driving. I'm at a loss. But I will check the crankshaft sensor. ANy other suggestions? Thanks for any help.

 

I was going to say, you may also want to change the fuel filter on the rail underneath the truck if you havent done it yet. That filter collects a lot of junk over time, and now that you have changed the pump I would do the filter as well, this way you will get a filter that is running optimally because it will be new and it will also eliminate that as a source of any future starting issues.

They arent really expensive to do you can go aftermarket but I would recommend the FoMoCo OEM one because they are pretty worry free. Just a thought

 

If the shop is getting a parts store fuel pump, make them put a dealer replacement pump in it. Parts store pumps are notorious for being bad out of the box and short life spans.

 

Thanks for the response guys. I forgot to mention that I did replace the fuel filter as well. As far as the fuel pump, I purchased a delta fuel pump from rockauto.com. Anyone have experience with these? Any other suggestions? Thanks guys!

 

A friend's 99 gave me fits trying to find the problem. It would fail to start, sometimes start right up, run fine for days then die while going down the road. Often it would start right up, sometimes not til hours later. He had it towed in and the fuel pump replaced. Then after stranding him yet again, towed back to the shop. They looked it over and said the new fuel pump was bad and the pump was replaced again, it literally died on the way home from the shop.

He called and was only a couple blocks away so I towed him to my house. No power to the inertia switch so I replaced the fuel pump relay behind the radio. It started right up and it ran perfect for 3 weeks, til it died again and would not restart. No fuel pressure, no power to the inertia switch, no power to the relay.

Got some detailed schematics from the factory service manual, thanks to a friend that is a tech at a local dealer. Luckily the problem didn't correct itself right away this time, I traced backwards figuring how each circuit was powered from another, then another and finally found I didn't even have power to the ECM. I finally traced back to a 30 amp fuse in the under dash panel that seemed to power everything. As I tested it had power on one side and initially no power on the other. Figured it was just being difficult to get a good connection with the meter, as I moved the probe it suddenly it powered up and I heard a click and the fuel pump ran. Everything had power and the truck fired right up.

I had tested all the fuses numerous times on several occasions. I pulled the fuse out and it looked to be fine. Grabbed the terminals, one seemed a tiny bit loose in the fuse itself so I put in a new fuse. As I fiddled with the fuse I realized I could make and break continuity through it. I used a sharp wood chisel to split the plastic shell off of the fuse and the terminals fell apart. It had an almost invisible hairline crack right down the middle of the fuse link.

Thinking maybe I just broke it cutting it apart, I pulled out a new one and split it. A 30 amp fuse is tough, I definitely did not break it. New fuse in, the truck has run perfect for about 2 years now. He spent over a grand on towing, fuel pumps, labor and was left stranded dozens of times over several months, all over a 50 cent fuse.

 

Thanks for the reply iamrfixit. I will def check this out and chime back in with the results. Again, appreciate everyone's feedback!!!

 

Not sure if I am able to reply here but I have a similar problem in my 2001 F250 5.4. Usually my truck will start up first try when its cold and run perfect. If I shut the truck off and try to start it back up again, it will occasionally idle for a second or two and then die. It'll crank and crank but will not fire over. It only does it on start ups. It has never died on me while driving. Even at stop signs and red lights it idles perfect. I thought it was the IAC so I replaced it and it did not cure the problem. Now I'm thinking its fuel related. Iamrfixit; which fuse did you pull to address your buddy's issue?