03 Cranks, No Start, or Starts & Barely Runs

[Scndsin]

Didn't wish to hijack another thread, so begining my own. Our 03 LX 2wd with 80k+ gave us its first real trouble ever this past week. After about 10 miles interstate + 5 miles downtown driving on a 98 degree day, the wife stopped at a store for about 5 min. She parked in a space that was about a 20-30 degree nose-down incline. Tank was 3/4 to 4/5ths full of Chevron 87. Upon return from store, Escape would crank normaly & try to start, but wouldn't. After several tries, it would catch and barely run, but she couldn't get it in gear before stalling & dieing. After instructions from me on the phone to floor it while holding brake, she got it to move a few feet back & level, whereupon it stalled out again & would not start again. Tow truck was called. After about 20 min of waiting, she gave it a try. Bingo! Started, idled normaly & made the remainder of the 20 mile trip home fine. Once home, it started fine repeatedly. I hooked up my INNOVA scanner and the first communication attempt failed. Re-seated plug, tried again, established comm & promptly came back no codes in either KOEO or KOER, WTH??? All that piss-poor running & nothing recorded??? At any rate, the filter is original as far as I know & is on my list to change. The IAC is viginal & will get opened up for cleaning. My question for all that have had this happen is, was yours hot or on an incline? The day this happened, the heat index was over 100. Sounds like vapor-lock to me. Where do the fuel lines run? I've never had the reason to trace their path. Anyway would really like to explore this.

[sfcwoodret]

Sounds like some water was in your tank from some previous fillup(s) and worked it's way into your fuel line by the incline at park. Just a thought.

[scott91370]

I didn't see it right off but there is another thread with a little info. The computer won't throw a code on this for some reason. Most people think it's IAC. Mine will do it, but only in warm/hot weather. I may pull the IAC and clean it to see. Search through the other threads and you'll get a little more info (wish I could have found it).

[Trublufords]

Unplug mass air next time and see if it runs fine now-Can't run it with it unplugged forever But anything on the sensor wire will not let it hardly run----Fly wings found on wire causes truck to be towed and and a hard bump on road while towing will knock whatever was on wire off and sucked into intake leaving NOTHING to be found. LOL Blue