Sometimes will start, sometimes won't.

[Devin Wright]

Hey there! I'm new here and really haven't found any other place to look. Didn't even know there was a forum dedicated to the Explorers and Rangers and others. But, pretty much, to keep this as short and sweet as I can. I could drag this out more explaining, but, I'll just touch on all the big points that need to be made.

I drive a 1995 Explorer XLT. I've had it for about six months now and it's not given me any problems until now. Pretty much what it is doing. Sometimes, it'll start and sometimes it won't. It all started when I was at a gas station after leaving class one day, put gas in my car and went to leave. But when I started up the car, it cranked up like normal, but idle's lower than normal, and it sputtered, shook and died. So, confused I tried restarting it again, and the same thing happened. I called my dad, and after talking with him and whatnot, as he was leaving to come and pick me up. I tried again, and what do ya know, started right up no problems. I went to work later that day and had no problems starting when I went to leave for work and went to leave heading home. But, the next day, I went to work, car started like normal, but when I went to leave work after my shift, the car started doing the same thing again as the day before. Start, sputter, shake, die. At one point it didn't even turn over, it just kept cranking. My dad came and we had to go somewhere in town anyways. So I went with him, and after we got done doing what he had to, we came back to my car, tried one more time, and it cranked right up. And it drove normally like nothing happened. Now, I will add, occasionally, when I would start it, it'll make a few more "cranking" noises than normal, and when it starts, it idle's low and sputters and shakes, but never dies. And it eventually levels out and goes to normal RPM and acts like nothing happened.

Now, at first when this all started with it cranking and dying. I thought "Okay, has to be the fuel pump." But, after a few days of looking around. I hear the relay clicking and hear the fuel pump engaging. (well, I assume the buzzing like noise coming from under my car where the gas tank is would be the fuel pump.) So, today at work a co-worker and I was talking, and he said it could be the coil pack (ignition coil). And that actually makes a lot of sense to me. I just wanted to get yall's opinion on this on what it could be. I'll admit, I'm not the smartest with cars, I mean yeah. I can do a tune up, change the oil and do other basic servicing. But, a lot of mechanical stuff I just don't know.

Thank's in advanced!

 

[MrShorty]

I had similar symptoms when one of my fuel pumps was going out (this particular pump did not like the heat, so it was always on hot days when it would do this). The pump would run, but it was not generating enough pressure. When the pump cooled off, it would generate enough pressure and the engine would run normally.
As a first diagnostic step, I would get a fuel pressure gauge and carry it with you. Next time it stumbles or won't start, hook up the gauge and see how much pressure the fuel system is generating. If the pressure is too low (below 20 to 25 psi), and carefully clamping off the return line does not increase the pressure, then the pump is likely going out. If the fuel pressure is normal (should be near 40 psi before starting, and should not drop much below 30 psi) and it won't start, then you can look elsewhere for the hard start/no start.

 

[Devin Wright]

I had similar symptoms when one of my fuel pumps was going out (this particular pump did not like the heat, so it was always on hot days when it would do this). The pump would run, but it was not generating enough pressure. When the pump cooled off, it would generate enough pressure and the engine would run normally.
As a first diagnostic step, I would get a fuel pressure gauge and carry it with you. Next time it stumbles or won't start, hook up the gauge and see how much pressure the fuel system is generating. If the pressure is too low (below 20 to 25 psi), and carefully clamping off the return line does not increase the pressure, then the pump is likely going out. If the fuel pressure is normal (should be near 40 psi before starting, and should not drop much below 30 psi) and it won't start, then you can look elsewhere for the hard start/no start.

I think I have figured something out, and along with what you posted has actually helped some. I know you posted this a while ago, but, you might have just gave me the right idea. See, something I have noticed is that now my explorer will start 9/10 when the engine is cold. It doesn't necessarily have to be hot outside or cold. It's that time of year here in North Carolina where one week it'll be 30 degrees out and the next be 70. And I've found, that as long as the engine is just cold, hasn't been running in a few hours. It'll start right up no problems. But, if the engine is hot, say, I go to a gas station and get gas. It might not crank up immediately and I'll have to try a few times. But, here lately it's been cranking up right after I put gas in it and it's cranked up for about a week and a half now with no problems now. I just recently bought the fuel pump and I am still planning on replacing it. I'll probably give the car a full tune up and go on ahead and replace the fuel filter while I'm at it replacing the fuel pump. Any more recommendations you'd do? This is my first car (new driver, though I'm 20, not everyone has money ey? lol) And I actually really like this car, and want to keep it as long as I can. Honestly, if I can at least get another year out of it I'll be pleased just because the car is older than I am and I just got a decent promotion at work so another car is in the foreseeable future, but, I wanna keep this car around for a while longer ya know?