My wife's car has had a problem not starting. It's a 2000 Taurus SES with the 3.0 Vulcan V6 engine. It has 64,000 miles on it and is completely stock. It started back in December, and I figured that it was just ice in the lines. It was definately a fuel problem, I was getting spark but no fuel pressure.
I thawed the car out in a warm garage and it started. I dumped in a bunch of isopropyl and called it good.

A week or so later, it again wouldn't start. So, I replaced the fuel filter, and we have been dumping in 1 or 2 bottles of isopropyl at every fill up since then. She usually fills up when it gets down to half a tank to minimize the chance for condensation to form inside the tank. Since then, it has been fine.

Today however, it decided to act up again. It's not particularly cold today, maybe 10 degrees F. I fired up the furnace in the garage and let it warm up for an hour or so, then tried to start it. It didn't start after trying it a few times, so I started just cycling the key off and on and listening for the fuel pump. After cycling it several times, the pump finally came on and then it started.

Now, I find it hard to believe that that the fuel system is frozen again since we have been keeping the tank fairly full and always using isopropyl. This leads me to believe that it's either the fuel pump or something that manages it like a relay or module of some sort. I'm hoping it's something other than the pump itself, because I am sure that's going to be a huge pain to replace.

Anyone have any ideas? Yeah I know I need to get a good shop manaul for the car, but I haven't been able to find one at any of the local parts stores yet.

 

Before the fuel pump on my taurus failed, I had similar hard starting issues. I would check the fuel pressure, the pump may be failing. Changing the pump is not hard, just time consuming.

 

I also suspect a fuel pump problem or maybe a fuel pump relay if it has one. I've had or worked on vehicles with this problem 3 times and it doesn't show up on the computer and when it is intermittent, it is hard to find. I finally replaced the pumps and hoped that was the problem and it was each time. The problem seems more common on GM vehicles with very expensive pumps.

 

Next time it happens, get underneath and beat on the gas tank with a stick Not TOO hard ...

See if it starts right up. If so, it's the fuel pump. The brushes/commutator get glazed or cruddy and do not conduct electricity like they should. A little temperature change is enough to get the brushes to contact better and it'll start.

It can even be enough to slam the driver's door after you give up trying to get it to start. Then, next time you try it, starts right up. Annoying.

If it doesn't start right away after hitting the gas tank, it can still be the fuel pump, but is more likely the fuel pump relay/fuse/inertia switch.

art k.

ps: Did I say not to hit it too hard?