Intermittent no start ?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 787
Likes: 22
Intermittent no start ?
94 E150, Club Wagon. E4OD 5.8. 132,000 Miles.
New Battery, New Plugs, New Wires. Rotor and cap are not very old. IGM is only a few years old, (not that it could be faulty) IAC valve only a few years old. New fuel filter.
A few months or so ago the van would not start, took a few cranks then she started up.
I dismissed it as a fluke.
Took it on a long trip a few weeks ago and ran like a champ with no issues starting.
Today, I was very far from home
and it would not start, Turned over great 6, 7 times, starter cranking away, but getting this loud hollow sound out of the exaust. I put my foot on the brake, put the key to acc. and cycled the shifter all the way up and down through all the gears and it started right up.
As soon as I got home, turned it off, turned the key and it started right up.
This is my daily driver. I drive it every day to work and all over.
Anyone have any advice on this one?
New Battery, New Plugs, New Wires. Rotor and cap are not very old. IGM is only a few years old, (not that it could be faulty) IAC valve only a few years old. New fuel filter.
A few months or so ago the van would not start, took a few cranks then she started up.
I dismissed it as a fluke.
Took it on a long trip a few weeks ago and ran like a champ with no issues starting.
Today, I was very far from home
and it would not start, Turned over great 6, 7 times, starter cranking away, but getting this loud hollow sound out of the exaust. I put my foot on the brake, put the key to acc. and cycled the shifter all the way up and down through all the gears and it started right up.As soon as I got home, turned it off, turned the key and it started right up.
This is my daily driver. I drive it every day to work and all over.
Anyone have any advice on this one?
Freshman User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Pike, NY
I had a similar problem which I threw a few hundred dollars worth of parts at, only to find out I had a bad ground strap somewhere (shop fix, guy didn't say where exactly).
It might be worth a look.
It might be worth a look.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
Likes: 1,656
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
The ground strap could certainly be an issue---rethink the times it won't start first time recalling the weather that day. If the won't start thing pops up at certain temperatures etc that might be a suggestion something electrical looses contact with temp changes.
Could also be a fuel pressure issue----has that been checked?
Could also be a fuel pressure issue----has that been checked?
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 787
Likes: 22
Vandemonim, Ground strap(s) could very well be the issue. I will give that a look over.
JWA, Have not had the fuel pressure checked but am taking it in for other work, I will see if they can check the pressure at the same time.
The last time it had a hard time starting, the temps were high and the van was hot. This time its cold out and van was sitting for a while.
Thanks.
JWA, Have not had the fuel pressure checked but am taking it in for other work, I will see if they can check the pressure at the same time.
The last time it had a hard time starting, the temps were high and the van was hot. This time its cold out and van was sitting for a while.
Thanks.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 2
Hi,
A few years ago I experienced a similar situation with my 94,E350,5.8. It all came down to the ICM. The weird thing about it is that I had to tried a few ICM's until I found the "right one" . Is it the grey module or is it the black module? When I did my research, I found out my truck needed the black ICM. When I bought the black Motorcraft ICM and installed it, the truck did not start. I tried the grey Motorcraft ICM and the truck did not start either. I happened to have and new ICM which I had bought a few years back but never use and when I installed that one the van started. Go figure. It is a grey ICM . I bought it at O'Reilly. 80K miles later and that ICM is still running in my van. I tried to track it down base on the numbers on the part but not luck. My two cents. Good luck fixing your rig.
A few years ago I experienced a similar situation with my 94,E350,5.8. It all came down to the ICM. The weird thing about it is that I had to tried a few ICM's until I found the "right one" . Is it the grey module or is it the black module? When I did my research, I found out my truck needed the black ICM. When I bought the black Motorcraft ICM and installed it, the truck did not start. I tried the grey Motorcraft ICM and the truck did not start either. I happened to have and new ICM which I had bought a few years back but never use and when I installed that one the van started. Go figure. It is a grey ICM . I bought it at O'Reilly. 80K miles later and that ICM is still running in my van. I tried to track it down base on the numbers on the part but not luck. My two cents. Good luck fixing your rig.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 787
Likes: 22
HandyAl,
When I changed out the ICM several years ago I had bought one but dont remember the color but I knew there was a black and a grey one. I returned it to oreillys without installing it after finding out it was the wrong color.
I dont remember wich one I installed but It has been working ok since. Unless its going bad again.
Econo93, Thats what I was kind of wondering also. I am going to check it out.
Thanks guys.
When I changed out the ICM several years ago I had bought one but dont remember the color but I knew there was a black and a grey one. I returned it to oreillys without installing it after finding out it was the wrong color.
I dont remember wich one I installed but It has been working ok since. Unless its going bad again.
Econo93, Thats what I was kind of wondering also. I am going to check it out.
Thanks guys.
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 414
Likes: 1
Not saying this is your issue, but it's a possibility. My 96 7.5 started to do that out of nowhere... always kicked right over after a couple cranks, never failed to start. Then one day we went to the zoo (I doubt that matters though), and it cranked and cranked but wouldn't start. Did that several times; I thought I would be stranded. But then it fired right up. Started fine again for a little while after that but did it again occasionally. Finally, it just pooped out. It was the fuel pump. I swapped out the fuel injector pressure regulator at the same time because it was cheap, for good measure. I'm not sure if it failed and wore out the fuel pump, or if it was even involved at all, but I changed it anyway.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 996
Likes: 5
From: Albany, Good Ol' USA
More than once, over the years I've found a situation where a mechanical gremlin would over torque the nuts on the starter solenoid, breaking the internal contacts, making for intermittent starting issues. The nut is large, but it's for continuity sake rather than torque. I've seen this on vehicles as late as '96's. This may not be your issue but it may be worthconsidering
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 787
Likes: 22
Well, It did it again today and I was suprised because it happened again so soon. Same thing........ No start after several cranks, starter sounds good and lots of power I grabbed the shift lever cycled it up and down a few times and it started. I am going to look at it this weekend. 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
Likes: 1,656
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
I have no direct experience with the Transmission Range Sensor but I understand there is an alignment procedure needed to have it function correctly. I'm sure there's a tool or procedure for this---I've seen several YouTube videos where other DIY's have developed work arounds to this. Here's an example:
I hope its nothing more than a quick adjustment or tightening loose bolts.
I hope its nothing more than a quick adjustment or tightening loose bolts.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 787
Likes: 22
Thanks JWA for the vid.
This morning I played around.......... Put it in N and it would start, then park and it would not then move the shifter up and down and it would start...
Drove it around and it started up evertime.
I checked the range sensor (or NSS switch) and nothing is loose or seems out of place, It was replaced about twelve years ago.
It could be bad. Considering changing it, Just to see if it is the culprit.
Thanks.
This morning I played around.......... Put it in N and it would start, then park and it would not then move the shifter up and down and it would start...
Drove it around and it started up evertime.
I checked the range sensor (or NSS switch) and nothing is loose or seems out of place, It was replaced about twelve years ago.
It could be bad. Considering changing it, Just to see if it is the culprit.
Thanks.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 787
Likes: 22
I am reconsidering weather its the NSS because today It would not start and it kept making the typical GLUG,
GLUG sound while cranking, sounding like its struggling for Air or Fuel, But then it starts after letting it sit a few
minutes. Ive checked before and get no codes. (OBD1)
The fuel filter is only a few months old. I am thinking Fuel pressure regulator or the pump.
After 25 years and 230,000 miles the rubber parts have got to be deteriorating.
I dont know if checking the fuel pressure would show much since it starts most of the time?
GLUG sound while cranking, sounding like its struggling for Air or Fuel, But then it starts after letting it sit a few
minutes. Ive checked before and get no codes. (OBD1)
The fuel filter is only a few months old. I am thinking Fuel pressure regulator or the pump.
After 25 years and 230,000 miles the rubber parts have got to be deteriorating.
I dont know if checking the fuel pressure would show much since it starts most of the time?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
Likes: 1,656
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Even though the van starts and runs more often than not your symptoms strongly suggest low fuel pressure. Pressures on the lower side of the spec still allow the van to start most of the time but when too low it'll run rough until or unless the fuel pump begins to produce an acceptable pressure the engine requires.
You really really need to check fuel pressure that's available at the fuel rails---that could be the culprit here.
HTH
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 787
Likes: 22
"most of the time........." is never good enough for me---every time or something's amiss!
Even though the van starts and runs more often than not your symptoms strongly suggest low fuel pressure. Pressures on the lower side of the spec still allow the van to start most of the time but when too low it'll run rough until or unless the fuel pump begins to produce an acceptable pressure the engine requires.
You really really need to check fuel pressure that's available at the fuel rails---that could be the culprit here.
HTH
Even though the van starts and runs more often than not your symptoms strongly suggest low fuel pressure. Pressures on the lower side of the spec still allow the van to start most of the time but when too low it'll run rough until or unless the fuel pump begins to produce an acceptable pressure the engine requires.
You really really need to check fuel pressure that's available at the fuel rails---that could be the culprit here.
HTH
I know its not that difficult to check and replacing the FPR looks pretty easy as well I just have nowhere to work on it.