94 explorer wont start sometimes

yomamas · 08-04-2010, 07:21 AM

my son has a 94 explorer Eddie Bauer edition and it runs fine till you shut it off. sometimes it starts up fine, than other times it wont start unless you spray starting fluid in the throttle body and sometimes it starts or let it sit for an hour or so. we have changed the fuel pump ,filter,throttle positioning sensor,fuel pressure regulator,plugs,wires. its driving me crazy trying to figure this thing out. is there any other sensors that would make it do this? my daughters 95 sunfire is doing the same thing and i replaced all the same parts but hers starts every time with starting fluid.is there anyone on here that can help before i buy anymore parts i dont need?
thanks

mawrazen · 08-04-2010, 02:07 PM

I had a similar no start issue. I isolated mine to an electrical issue in the main power distribution box. The contacts were burnt and not passing power through the fuel pump relay.

Do you hear the fuel pump prime when you turn the key in your no start condition??

yomamas · 08-04-2010, 03:22 PM

yes you hear the pump run when you try to start it. sometimes it will start fine on its own ,other times i can spray starting fluid in it and it will start.but sometimes it wont start unless i let it sit for a hour or so and than it stars on its own..where are you talking about on the main power box? thanks for trying to help

brianmc · 08-04-2010, 10:33 PM

I also had this problem with mine. I've been stranded in a few too many places because of it to! I would switch out the fuel pump relay a couple times and wiggle the relay around in the box and it would USUALLY start shotly after. I now have a couple extra brand new relays in my glove box just in case.
EDIT: Pop the hood, main power box is on the passenger side back towards the firewall and you'll see all the relays and whatnot. next time it happens try switching out the AC relay for the fuel pump relay

Scout Az · 08-06-2010, 06:10 PM

My 94 sport does the same thing. Still can't figure it out. But like you said let it sit for an hour or so and it fires right up.

EDIT: swapped out the fuel pump and filter and she starts great now!

awdsixbolt · 08-07-2010, 05:29 PM

both my 1st gens did the same thing, all you have to do if it is the same problem i had is replace your contacts on the batter and clean up the wires, or if your in a hurry twist the terminals and tighten them down, and if your really in a hurry contact something from the positive battery terminal to the secondary starter sylonoid(small wire one) with the key turned over and the truck not in gear, or park wich ever, and keep doing that while jiggleing the postive and negative terminals, mine still does this some times, but that was the problem with both mine. hope that helps.

iheartbeams · 08-07-2010, 09:16 PM

i was going to say the same thing. My old 94 did the same thing, all the lights worked, the fuel pump was working so i eliminated the battery. Took the wires off the battery, cleaned the posts and worked good as new.

awdsixbolt · 08-07-2010, 09:20 PM

Yep, i have to do it not all the time but i would say every few months i have to do it.

bustedknuckle · 08-11-2010, 09:55 PM

Hi everybody just wanted to let "ya,ll" ( I'm from NC) know that I am having kind of the same problem. It will have a hard time starting after it sits for a while and when it does this the cel will stay on while I crank it and then after about 3 or 4 sec. it will go off and the thing will start....... sometimes. I had a bud stand up there and mess with the box and the eec relay and it would sometime start and sometime not, also once it does start it will start faster if you start it right back up.

CCvikes11 · 09-08-2010, 10:10 AM

im my 94 there is a little tab just below the base of the steering colum. the tab if pulled out kills all the electronics to the engine. i recently realized that mine was loose and i was having similar problems, but once i put the tab back on it started up just fine every time i would check that before getting too deep in the power box.

tomhilbil · 09-08-2010, 02:29 PM

i had same problem. got in and truck would turn but not fire. i replaced fuel filter and relay and no help. replaced the fuel pump for 300$ and was fine for 2 days but then same thing. my buddy and i jumped the fuel pump relay with a wire and still no start. we jumped the EEC relay and it was fine. i took the old fuel pump relay and stuck it in EEC relay and she has not had any problems since. turned out to be a 7$ relay on the EEC

irrig8r · 07-02-2012, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCvikes11

im my 94 there is a little tab just below the base of the steering colum. the tab if pulled out kills all the electronics to the engine. i recently realized that mine was loose and i was having similar problems, but once i put the tab back on it started up just fine every time i would check that before getting too deep in the power box.

Hi. I'm a Newbie here.

Got my '94 Explorer (112K miles) back from the mechanic about 3 weeks ago, and it only acted up twice more before today. The problem is recurring, intermittent and driving me and my mechanic nuts.

I've been stranded a few times, sometimes just temporarily, where it will start again after sitting a while. Other time have had it towed.

Looked at the inertial cutoff switch (an AAA driver showed it to me once.) Seemed to be OK, not tripped. Haven't tested it with my mulimeter yet and wondering how.

Both times before today removing and re-installing the fuel pump relay "fixed" it, just as has sometimes worked in the past.

First replacement was from Kragen's. Bought two more from the Ford dealer and installed one and have a spare.

Can I use my multimeter to test the relay? Any idea what kind of resistance readings I should get or should I just be checking continuity?

Fuel pump was replaced a couple of months ago and seemed to fix it... but only temporarily. Returned the vehicle to the mechanic where he said his assistant cleaned all the electrical contacts in the fuses and relays, then kept it for a few days and started it several times.

I do not hear the whine of the fuel pump priming when I turn the key (as I do in my '91 Sonoma P/U).

This "tab below the base of the steering column" is something I've never heard of before though. What is it's function?

I was thinking maybe a loose wire connection under the fuses/ relays box...or between the relay and ignition switch, or the relay and the pump...?

paultjos · 08-29-2012, 10:17 AM

I have a 1995 Ford Explorer that is having the same type of problem. There are times when it starts right up with no problems. However, on occasion, there are times where it turns over great, but doesn't fire. Like others have reported, I can come back later and it'll start right up again. Needless to say, it's a very frustrating problem.

I'm wondering if anyone thinks this might be a gasoline problem? We had a report here of bad gas being sold to local service stations. Any thoughts?

This is my only vehicle so I really trust it to start when I need it. It really ruins my day when I go to start it and it's having one of its fits. I never no how long it's going to take before it starts again. Sometimes it's just a matter of minutes, other times it's hours.

I just wish I could get a definitive answer. I've replaced fuel filters, fuel pumps, have a new battery...and still have this issue! I don't have equipment or tons of money to throw around to try solving why this happens.

08-04-2010, 07:21 AM	#1
yomamas Wannabe Elite Explorer 94 explorer Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	94 explorer wont start sometimes my son has a 94 explorer Eddie Bauer edition and it runs fine till you shut it off. sometimes it starts up fine, than other times it wont start unless you spray starting fluid in the throttle body and sometimes it starts or let it sit for an hour or so. we have changed the fuel pump ,filter,throttle positioning sensor,fuel pressure regulator,plugs,wires. its driving me crazy trying to figure this thing out. is there any other sensors that would make it do this? my daughters 95 sunfire is doing the same thing and i replaced all the same parts but hers starts every time with starting fluid.is there anyone on here that can help before i buy anymore parts i dont need? thanks Last edited by yomamas; 08-04-2010 at 03:24 PM.

08-04-2010, 02:07 PM	#2
mawrazen Wannabe Elite Explorer Atlanta, Ga 94 Eddie Bauer Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 509 Vehicle Specs	I had a similar no start issue. I isolated mine to an electrical issue in the main power distribution box. The contacts were burnt and not passing power through the fuel pump relay. Do you hear the fuel pump prime when you turn the key in your no start condition?? __________________ Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, the substance of things not seen. Ford count: 94 EB Ex (303K miles) , 94 Mustang Convertible, "Don't touch the TRIM!" Freedom IS NOT Free! Sometimes I'm here, but mostly I'm gone.

08-06-2010, 06:10 PM	#5
Scout Az Wannabe Elite Explorer Tempe Az 94 Explorer Sport Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 38 Vehicle Specs	My 94 sport does the same thing. Still can't figure it out. But like you said let it sit for an hour or so and it fires right up. EDIT: swapped out the fuel pump and filter and she starts great now! Last edited by Scout Az; 08-31-2012 at 07:59 PM.

08-29-2012, 10:17 AM	#13
paultjos Wannabe Elite Explorer Bismarck, ND 1995 Ford Explorer Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1 Vehicle Specs	'95 Explorer with start problems I have a 1995 Ford Explorer that is having the same type of problem. There are times when it starts right up with no problems. However, on occasion, there are times where it turns over great, but doesn't fire. Like others have reported, I can come back later and it'll start right up again. Needless to say, it's a very frustrating problem. I'm wondering if anyone thinks this might be a gasoline problem? We had a report here of bad gas being sold to local service stations. Any thoughts? This is my only vehicle so I really trust it to start when I need it. It really ruins my day when I go to start it and it's having one of its fits. I never no how long it's going to take before it starts again. Sometimes it's just a matter of minutes, other times it's hours. I just wish I could get a definitive answer. I've replaced fuel filters, fuel pumps, have a new battery...and still have this issue! I don't have equipment or tons of money to throw around to try solving why this happens.

08-04-2010, 03:22 PM	#3
yomamas Wannabe Elite Explorer 94 explorer Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	yes you hear the pump run when you try to start it. sometimes it will start fine on its own ,other times i can spray starting fluid in it and it will start.but sometimes it wont start unless i let it sit for a hour or so and than it stars on its own..where are you talking about on the main power box? thanks for trying to help

08-04-2010, 10:33 PM	#4
brianmc Wannabe Elite Explorer Florida '94 XLT Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 52 Vehicle Specs	I also had this problem with mine. I've been stranded in a few too many places because of it to! I would switch out the fuel pump relay a couple times and wiggle the relay around in the box and it would USUALLY start shotly after. I now have a couple extra brand new relays in my glove box just in case. EDIT: Pop the hood, main power box is on the passenger side back towards the firewall and you'll see all the relays and whatnot. next time it happens try switching out the AC relay for the fuel pump relay

08-07-2010, 05:29 PM	#6
awdsixbolt Wannabe Elite Explorer hampton va 93 sport Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 131 Vehicle Specs	both my 1st gens did the same thing, all you have to do if it is the same problem i had is replace your contacts on the batter and clean up the wires, or if your in a hurry twist the terminals and tighten them down, and if your really in a hurry contact something from the positive battery terminal to the secondary starter sylonoid(small wire one) with the key turned over and the truck not in gear, or park wich ever, and keep doing that while jiggleing the postive and negative terminals, mine still does this some times, but that was the problem with both mine. hope that helps.

08-07-2010, 09:16 PM	#7
iheartbeams Wannabe Elite Explorer laguna niguel 1993 xlt Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 59 Vehicle Specs	i was going to say the same thing. My old 94 did the same thing, all the lights worked, the fuel pump was working so i eliminated the battery. Took the wires off the battery, cleaned the posts and worked good as new.

08-07-2010, 09:20 PM	#8
awdsixbolt Wannabe Elite Explorer hampton va 93 sport Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 131 Vehicle Specs	Yep, i have to do it not all the time but i would say every few months i have to do it.

08-11-2010, 09:55 PM	#9
bustedknuckle Wannabe Elite Explorer Candler, NC '94 Sport Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 24 Vehicle Specs	Hi everybody just wanted to let "ya,ll" ( I'm from NC) know that I am having kind of the same problem. It will have a hard time starting after it sits for a while and when it does this the cel will stay on while I crank it and then after about 3 or 4 sec. it will go off and the thing will start....... sometimes. I had a bud stand up there and mess with the box and the eec relay and it would sometime start and sometime not, also once it does start it will start faster if you start it right back up.

09-08-2010, 10:10 AM	#10
CCvikes11 Wannabe Elite Explorer Pittsburgh, PA '94 xlt Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 17 Vehicle Specs	im my 94 there is a little tab just below the base of the steering colum. the tab if pulled out kills all the electronics to the engine. i recently realized that mine was loose and i was having similar problems, but once i put the tab back on it started up just fine every time i would check that before getting too deep in the power box.

09-08-2010, 02:29 PM	#11
tomhilbil Wannabe Elite Explorer crystal lake , il 94 limited Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 18 Vehicle Specs	i had same problem. got in and truck would turn but not fire. i replaced fuel filter and relay and no help. replaced the fuel pump for 300$ and was fine for 2 days but then same thing. my buddy and i jumped the fuel pump relay with a wire and still no start. we jumped the EEC relay and it was fine. i took the old fuel pump relay and stuck it in EEC relay and she has not had any problems since. turned out to be a 7$ relay on the EEC