Have not checked regulator yet the tester I have will not test it,cheap tire gauge I will have to find a different one,seems like core is down to far in for gauge to work.Should I do this with it running or just with switch on and not running?

 

To test the fuel pressure regulator just pull off the vacuum hose on it and check for signs of fuel leakage - visible or smell should be nonexistent. Engine should be off

To test the fuel pressure buy a fuel pressure gauge, they are not expensive. Screw it on the schrader valve and secure it before you start the engine.

 

I am new to this formum. I am 55 years old and I just bought a 95 Aerostar Extended AWD with 135K. My wife thinks I am losing it, but, there is something about the aerostar's utility and simplicity that appeals to me. I was a little worried that my wife might be right until I found this forum. I find that I am not alone in my fascination with the little beasts.

I have to ask a question about the no starting question because this is fascinating. I assume from all the threads that the engine is turning but not firing. I see by your state code that you are in Minnasota. How cold is it when you say the car won't start if left outside? If the car is in -30 f and won't start there may be a whole different set of issues than if it is in +30 f. If it will start if you leave it with the hood open in the sun, it is later in the day (after sunup and warmer than before dawn). Did the car start when left outdoors in the warmer seasons? Do you have the starting problem when the weather gets warmer. When I lived in northern Michigan, I installed an oil pan plug with a heater element in it (block heater) for my jeep that was parked outside. This was the only way to make sure it would always start in the cold. How cold is it when you are having this problem? thanks

 

Engine is turning over very good,it will fire somewhat and sputter and try to run just a little bit,push in warm building for few minutes and it will start up at start up will run like very flooded. Once running it has no more problems till next day. Then cycle switch a few times and it will start,if you dont cycle switch it will go in to the not start thing again.Temp when this is happening is warm out 0 to about 20 above.The day I opened hood for sun it was 20 degrees above.It starts great in the summer used to start earlyer in life at 25 to 30 below with no problem

 

I know you have probably covered all of the following, but, I offer it anyway.
You just replaced plugs. Are they the right heat range and more importantly in cold weather, are you sure they were gapped tight enough? Is there any relationship to your new plugs and the problem? Did you replace your plugs BECAUSE of the problem, or before it (like in the fall)? Don't want to start you down an ugly trail because I understand the idea of pulling a plug to see what is happening is not a fun one on this vehicle. I had a cracked coil behave oddly. I have had an auto choke mechanism actually get water trapped in it and then freeze so the linkage was stuck until it thawed. Any chance of fuel line icing? Are you running any cold weather fuel supplements? Just thoughts from a guy that has had to chase some very strange rabbits down their holes.
thanks

 

reliable cold weather starting also depends on high quality winter fuel with a higher fuel vaporization than summer fuel blends...this booze gasohol ethanol agribusiness welfare system has ruined winter time fuel....ethanol has poor vaporization and volitility in cold winter temps...ok for those in Florida and Ca.

Distillation by ASTM D3710 or ASTM D86 –The "distillation" standard is one of several tests used to address gasoline's vaporization characteristics. Gasoline is metered in liquid form, through the fuel injectors (or carburetor), and mixed with air and atomized before entering the cylinders. Therefore, it is very important that a fuel's tendency to evaporate is controlled to certain standards. A fuel's ability to vaporize or change from liquid to vapor is referred to as its volatility. In gasoline, the distillation characteristics, along with vapor pressure, define and control starting, warm-up, acceleration, vapor lock, crankcase oil dilution, and, in part, fuel economy and carburetion icing.
The tendency of a fuel to vaporize is also characterized by determining a series of temperatures at which various percentages of the fuel have evaporated (boiling temperatures), as described in ASTM D86, Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum Products. The temperatures at which 10%, 50%, and 90% evaporation occurs are often used to characterize the volatility of gasoline.
The 10% evaporated temperature is directly affected by the seasonal blending of the gasoline. This temperature must be low enough to provide easy cold starting, but high enough to minimize the vapor lock and hot weather driveability problems. Most cool weather driveability problems occur from the use of summer season gasoline in the winter months. This is especially true in premium grades, which normally have a high 10% evaporated temperature.
The 50% evaporated temperature must be low enough to provide good warm-up and cool weather driveability without being so low as to contribute to hot driveability and vapor locking problems. This portion of the gasoline greatly affects fuel economy on short trips.
The 90% and end-point evaporation temperatures must be low enough to minimize crankcase and combustion chamber deposits, as well as spark plug fouling and the dilution of engine oil.
If the end-point temperature exceeds the ASTM maximum requirement, it is usually because of the presence of a distillate fuel such as No. 2 diesel. This contamination can be directly attributable to the delivery of diesel prior to the delivery of the gasoline. This problem is avoided if care is taken in handling the product.<O> </O>

 

Okay here's one nobody has mentioned: How is the compression when it's cold? Poor compression as a result of worn rings will be hard to start. Warming the car up expands the metal and closes the tolerances. Also could cause it to run rich if the mixture isn't compressed enough to fire right. Just a thought.

Do the fuel test first.

 

My guess would be your idle air control valve is bad or going bad, you can remove it and clean it out maybe this will help.