Cold start engine problems
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Cold start engine problems
My 1995 f150 351w has been experiencing some issues with the cold weather... the first problem happened one cold morning (20 degress or so). I started my truck up just fine and drove to the gas station a mile away. After filling up i went to start my truck and it would just continue to turn over but not start, so i left it there and caught a ride to class. After a few hours I came back and it fired right up, I drove it home, turned it off, and proceed to try and start it again but experienced the same problem as earlier...weird??
This problem only happens when the engine has not fully warmed up. This problem continued to occur for a couple weeks so i just wouldnt turn the truck off if it wasnt warm or if it needed to be restarted in small amount of time. At that time the truck seemed to run just fine...only starting issues.
Well now the truck has started to "hesitate" as well when cold. Not sure if hesitate is the right word to describe it but when I give it gas from a stop the truck will lurch forward kinda as if i were pumping the gas quickly (acting like its going to die). Most of the time I just let off the gas a little and accelerate more slowy and the truck will make it through it without dying. But on 3 or 4 occasions it has died in the middle of road. When trying to restart, it would only turn over (same problem as before) leaving me stuck in the middle of the road. Well in order to get it to start I have to let it sit for a while. If I try to start it 5-10 minutes after dying I can usually get it to just barely start by cranking it for 5-10 seconds and pumping the gas. The longer I wait after it dying the easier it is to start.
Just like the other issue the hesitating and dying only happens when the truck isnt warm. So it has become mandatory for me to warm the truck up for 20-30 minutes after it has been sitting in order to avoid problems. The truck runs fine when completely warm and hesitates less if only partially warm (as compared to completely cold when it hesitates the worst).
It seems very weird to me that the truck starts every single morning no problem but if I were to shut it off just a few moments later it wouldnt start. So basically I can only start the truck if it is warm or has been sitting. It is also very weird that the problems seem to be completely dependent on the temperature outside. The colder it is the worse the problem is and I'm confident this wouldnt be happening in the summer when temps are higher.
This problem obviously sounds like it is fuel related but I could definately be wrong. I changed the fuel filter just a couple months ago. Anyone have any ideas what the problem might be and how i can fix it?? Thanks in advance.
This problem only happens when the engine has not fully warmed up. This problem continued to occur for a couple weeks so i just wouldnt turn the truck off if it wasnt warm or if it needed to be restarted in small amount of time. At that time the truck seemed to run just fine...only starting issues.
Well now the truck has started to "hesitate" as well when cold. Not sure if hesitate is the right word to describe it but when I give it gas from a stop the truck will lurch forward kinda as if i were pumping the gas quickly (acting like its going to die). Most of the time I just let off the gas a little and accelerate more slowy and the truck will make it through it without dying. But on 3 or 4 occasions it has died in the middle of road. When trying to restart, it would only turn over (same problem as before) leaving me stuck in the middle of the road. Well in order to get it to start I have to let it sit for a while. If I try to start it 5-10 minutes after dying I can usually get it to just barely start by cranking it for 5-10 seconds and pumping the gas. The longer I wait after it dying the easier it is to start.
Just like the other issue the hesitating and dying only happens when the truck isnt warm. So it has become mandatory for me to warm the truck up for 20-30 minutes after it has been sitting in order to avoid problems. The truck runs fine when completely warm and hesitates less if only partially warm (as compared to completely cold when it hesitates the worst).
It seems very weird to me that the truck starts every single morning no problem but if I were to shut it off just a few moments later it wouldnt start. So basically I can only start the truck if it is warm or has been sitting. It is also very weird that the problems seem to be completely dependent on the temperature outside. The colder it is the worse the problem is and I'm confident this wouldnt be happening in the summer when temps are higher.
This problem obviously sounds like it is fuel related but I could definately be wrong. I changed the fuel filter just a couple months ago. Anyone have any ideas what the problem might be and how i can fix it?? Thanks in advance.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
My first guess would be to confirm fuel pressure when it fails to start. Go out to schrader valve on fuel rail and push it. Does it squirt fuel? No? then it's fuel pump related. Can you hear the pump cycle when you turn the key "on" but not start it?
Low fuel pressure will make it hesitate, no power.
Low fuel pressure will make it hesitate, no power.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
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