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Intermittent no start ???

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Old Feb 1, 2013 | 06:41 PM
  #1  
Matt 455 HO's Avatar
Matt 455 HO
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Intermittent no start ???

It's a '97 F350 5 speed, stock. When it doesn't start, It cranks fine. Then try again a little later and it starts right up. Batteries are good. Glow plugs/relay test ok. Block heater works. Fuses good. Fuel looks ok in the filter housing. No check engine light. Can communicate with ecm, has codes P0236 & P0237. I don't think these will result in a no start, but maybe?

Everything seems normal on start up (except the not starting part), except once. One time, when it wouldn't start, the dash warning lights flickered and the wait to start light didn't come on, when the key was put in the run position. Turned the key to crank, cranked fine. turned key off and tried again and dash lights were back to normal, but still wouldn't start. Thinking I had a loose/bad connection, I grabbed and shook the wire harnesses in the engine compartment tried again and it started. Tried that on another occasion with no luck.

Any help would be greatly appricated. Thanks,
Matt
 
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Old Feb 1, 2013 | 10:02 PM
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blageurt
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Have you changed the CMP sensor ?
 
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Old Feb 2, 2013 | 12:12 AM
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Redneckmorton
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Hows the oil? Is it full?

Is it only not starting cold? or does it not start hot too?
 
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Old Feb 2, 2013 | 04:54 PM
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No I haven't chaged the CMP sensor. what is it and what does it do?

The oil is full and in good condition. It has not started after it has sat for as short as 4 hours to as long as over night. the block heater is pluged in over night, and it has not started in the morning.

One more thing, it is just shy of 197K miles.
 
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Old Feb 2, 2013 | 05:02 PM
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mjunk1
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Originally Posted by Matt 455 HO
No I haven't chaged the CMP sensor. what is it and what does it do?

The oil is full and in good condition. It has not started after it has sat for as short as 4 hours to as long as over night. the block heater is pluged in over night, and it has not started in the morning.

One more thing, it is just shy of 197K miles.
The cam position sensor. Search this forum and you will see lots of results. Seems a finnicky thing...when it goes out trucks won't run. But seems Roche intermittent at times. Its on the front of the engine on passenger side. Replace within Ford one as aftermarket seem to cause problems
 
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Old Feb 2, 2013 | 06:34 PM
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Ok. the cam position sensor was replaced years ago at the dealer. it was a bulletin or something about an updated part. That being said, wouldn't no signal from that sensor leave a code in memory immediately? Still, since it's been years, wouldn't hurt to change it anyway. Thanks for the input.

any other ideas from anyone is still appreciated.
 
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Old Feb 2, 2013 | 06:52 PM
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Change it Immediately..I recomend International or Ford ONLY ......
 
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Old Feb 2, 2013 | 07:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Matt 455 HO
It's a '97 F350 5 speed, stock. When it doesn't start, It cranks fine. Then try again a little later and it starts right up. Batteries are good. Glow plugs/relay test ok. Block heater works. Fuses good. Fuel looks ok in the filter housing. No check engine light. Can communicate with ecm, has codes P0236 & P0237. I don't think these will result in a no start, but maybe?

Everything seems normal on start up (except the not starting part), except once. One time, when it wouldn't start, the dash warning lights flickered and the wait to start light didn't come on, when the key was put in the run position. Turned the key to crank, cranked fine. turned key off and tried again and dash lights were back to normal, but still wouldn't start. Thinking I had a loose/bad connection, I grabbed and shook the wire harnesses in the engine compartment tried again and it started. Tried that on another occasion with no luck.

Any help would be greatly appricated. Thanks,
Matt
None of that points to the cam sensor
 
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Old Feb 2, 2013 | 08:38 PM
  #9  
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mjunk1
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Originally Posted by Matt 455 HO
No I haven't chaged the CMP sensor. what is it and what does it do?

The oil is full and in good condition. It has not started after it has sat for as short as 4 hours to as long as over night. the block heater is pluged in over night, and it has not started in the morning.

One more thing, it is just shy of 197K miles.
Just a thought, but I wonder if there is something wrong with your anti-theft thing. I am not really sure if they are in this truck the same as my 01 F150, but in that vehicle if the dash doesn't recognize the key then you got no start even though it cranks fine - won't let it fire. Does yours have that built in alarm feature - anti-theft I think Ford calls it? When i replaced my brain box i had to have a locksmith come out and re-program the box to the keys. It took him a few tries because it is actually 3 parts - keys, brain and dash. Good luck as I have no idea how you would go about diagnosing it.
 
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Old Feb 3, 2013 | 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by mjunk1
Just a thought, but I wonder if there is something wrong with your anti-theft thing. I am not really sure if they are in this truck the same as my 01 F150, but in that vehicle if the dash doesn't recognize the key then you got no start even though it cranks fine - won't let it fire. Does yours have that built in alarm feature - anti-theft I think Ford calls it? When i replaced my brain box i had to have a locksmith come out and re-program the box to the keys. It took him a few tries because it is actually 3 parts - keys, brain and dash. Good luck as I have no idea how you would go about diagnosing it.

Nope, none of that stuff on my truck.
 
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Old Feb 3, 2013 | 09:53 PM
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My 96 wouldn't start. I wiggled the chip and it started right up.
 
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Old Feb 3, 2013 | 10:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Andeon
My 96 wouldn't start. I wiggled the chip and it started right up.
i wish it was that easy, no chip in mine.
 
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Old Feb 12, 2013 | 06:24 PM
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just an update, but still no solution. was starting fine until yesterday afternoon, left me stranded at work. when i went to start it today it did something funny, but started. while cranking it, for lack of a better word, it studdered a quick second and the wait to start light came on. i never stoped cranking it and it started. it wasn't an excessively long crank either. i would call it normal, like any other time you go to start it.

to try to rule out the cam sensor, i unpluged it and tryed to start the truck. no check engine light, but a code in memory for a cam sensor. another code was present as well, P0603 internal control module KAM malfunction. i wonder if it was related to the "studder" on crank or if it goes along with the upluged cam sensor. i'll do some research on it.

any other ideas welcome.
 
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Old Feb 13, 2013 | 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Matt 455 HO
P0603 internal control module KAM malfunction. i wonder if it was related to the "studder" on crank or if it goes along with the upluged cam sensor. i'll do some research on it.

any other ideas welcome.
That code comes on when the batteries are disconnected or when the pcm looses power I believe. I would take the PCM/fuel bowl heater fuse (#22) out and look it over real good, maybe take it in and out of the slot to work the contacts alittle in case of corrosion. If you don't have the fuel bowl heater disconnected I would do that too. I don't remember, Is there a PCM relay on these trucks?

Brooks
 
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Old Feb 13, 2013 | 01:49 PM
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blageurt
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Yes sir...there is also a IDM relay.....So you did not change the CMP sensor yet ? The fuel heater or wire to it could be shorting out as well as stated in previous post...is there a blown fuse ?
 
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