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Cranks but doesn't start

dermonty

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October 20, 2012
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Year, Model & Trim Level
1995 4.0 v6 Explorer XLT
Hey there

So here's the situation, long time ago, my 95 explorer started to have issues when cranking, sometimes you needed to give it a rest before trying again.

It happens when the truck is cold and when it's hot, doesn't matter if you have driven it or it's first time in the morning, always cranks but sometimes it starts and sometimes doesn't.

When it doesnt want to start, you just wait... try again and it works. But now, it takes longer to get it running.

I performed the following diagnosis while it failed to start:
-Poked the little fuel pressure thing, fuel came out (didn't have a fuel pressure gauge nearby)
-Sprayed fuel right into the air intake, still didn't start

I tought bad spark so i started ruling things out, ended up moving the coil harness and the truck started. I replaced the wiring harness and it worked fine for a couple of days, but started to give the same issues.

I continued my diagnosis, removed coil, cleaned it, took it to Autozone to have it checked and performed a test myself with a multimeter, both test turned out good. So i placed it again back on the truck, again, ran fine for a couple days.

The symptoms came back, cranking, no start. I started checking online and stumbled across this post, so i went ahead and took off the Crankshaft position sensor, took it to Autozone and their tests concluded that it was in a faulty condition. $50 bucks later i installed the new CKP in place, but still no luck.

Tomorrow i'm putting some more gas on it and trying to see what's wrong, but any ideas would be helpful.

I have already checked the inertia switch, which wasn't active.

Thanks for reading and excuse me for any inproper english use, it isn't my primary languaje :)
 



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Ok, some quick update: i went ahead today and tried to start it, couldn't because the starter had no power, something is causing the battery to drain, i have to check that out.

I went under the truck and tried to see if there was any loose cable underneath, the harness was firmly in place but i went ahead and reseated it. I noticed little water underneath the truck so i tryied to search for the leak, i did disconnected the water hose that goes to the water pump, but it was firmly in place and the water seemed to came out of a screw, i'll take it apart and check that.

The thing is, the truck started. It idles a little rough but has a nice response, i do have a "check engine light" but the guys at Autozone said that they don't have a scanner powerful enough to diagnose that light, i'll see what i find out.

I'll keep you posted, i already cleaned the IAC valve, and i haven't found what i need to clean the MAF sensor. Any ideas on what could be wrong (with the starting thing, the water leak seem easily fixable)

Thanks for reading.
 






Some more info, i just finished working on the truck, the water leak is fixed now, it was a bad tightened hose.

The truck starts now without problems, but it idles poorly, even worse, there's a little tapping noise on the truck that goes away when you accelerate it. Time will tell what is wrong with it

Since i already cleaned the IAC valve, i'll search for vaccum leaks regarding the rough idle
 






Ok, even more info: the truck failed to start again, but this time the "check engine" light doesn't blink when starting.

I'll keep searching and keep you posted.

Did i even posted on the right subforum? Thanks for reading

Update: i'm looking on leaking injectors now, seems like a flooded engine problem. Is that test of flooring the gas pedal work on this cars?
 






So... i cleaned the injectors and the trucks runs smooth as hell. BUT once again, i stopped on a shop and when i tried to start the engine back on, it wouldn't start.

I'm thinking of rebuilding the vaccum system now since there are some cracked hoses in there, i hope it's a thing with bad fuel pressure regulation
 






Sounds like you are working your way through it with the right steps.

I don't know how reliable aftermarket CPS are with Ford models, but I've experienced on other cars the aftermarket CPS is not as reliable as OEM. I've had to change it out to OEM after it continued to have trouble starting. The OEM got it to fire right up.

I would say you go through the vacuum hoses first and replace as needed. Next step is to check all your ground connections (engine bay) and make sure they are clean and firmly in place. A bad ground can cause the same type of hard start issue.
 






Ford Explorer Cranks But Does Not Start (Run)

Just to be clear...

Your vehicle cranks over, but intermittently it does not start (run). You have checked that you are getting fuel to the fuel rail or injectors.

You mentioned that you already changed out the crankshaft position sensor, located here...

attachment.php


Don't forget to disconnect your battery, so that your PCM can reset, once you install the new sensor.

Respectfully, I would still be looking at that crankshaft position sensor and related wiring. Move the sensor a little bit, and/or roll the car forward a few feet. If it starts up, then you have another bad sensor. Unfortunately, that is what happens sometimes: you get a bad sensor or part from a parts department.

The crankshaft position sensor is measuring only millivolts!

That sensor is notorious for going bad and causing the "cranks-no start" problem. Luckily, they are cheap to replace.

As a note to others that read this thread...

If your car cranks over, but won't start (run) when:

  • Parked on an incline or decline, or..
  • Will start after towing your car for a "crank-no start" problem

...then the crankshaft position sensor is most likely to be your problem.

It is also important that you be aware that the camshaft position sensor located on the top of the engine has been confused with the crankshaft position sensor by more than one mechanic. If you screw up and remove that one, without knowing how to do it, you could be in a world of hurt.
 






Sounds like you are working your way through it with the right steps.
Thanks, i always like to diagnose as much as i can before swapping parts that are not faulty

I don't know how reliable aftermarket CPS are with Ford models, but I've experienced on other cars the aftermarket CPS is not as reliable as OEM. I've had to change it out to OEM after it continued to have trouble starting. The OEM got it to fire right up.
I live in Mexico, here is kind of hard to find OEM parts, i'll look into it and see what it costs, but the problems now seem far from the CPS.

I would say you go through the vacuum hoses first and replace as needed. Next step is to check all your ground connections (engine bay) and make sure they are clean and firmly in place. A bad ground can cause the same type of hard start issue.

Thanks, i already changed some lines but sadly broke others in the process, so i have to fix that too. The rough idle is now fixed between cleaned injectors and vaccum lines fixed, yesterday i had two "non-starting" incidents, the last one was in the night and i'm pretty sure that i couldn't hear the fuel pump starting when you turn the key to the on position, so i'm going to check that too.
 






Just to be clear...

Your vehicle cranks over, but intermittently it does not start (run). You have checked that you are getting fuel to the fuel rail or injectors.

Yes, that is the main symptom now, but, before the check engine flashed rapidly while cranking, now it doesn't flash so i think the Crankshapt position sensor was faulty.


You mentioned that you already changed out the crankshaft position sensor, located here...



Don't forget to disconnect your battery, so that your PCM can reset, once you install the new sensor.

Yep, that's the one. I did left the truck without the battery for about 8 hours while i worked my way to the injectors, i had them cleaned and fixed in a shop.


Respectfully, I would still be looking at that crankshaft position sensor and related wiring. Move the sensor a little bit, and/or roll the car forward a few feet. If it starts up, then you have another bad sensor. Unfortunately, that is what happens sometimes: you get a bad sensor or part from a parts department.
Yesterday i had a cranking but no start condition, i took your advice and went ahead and wiggle the truck, the sensor and the harness, still no starting. I tried to find the harness to replace it but couldn't find it, this one still holds firmly in place.


That sensor is notorious for going bad and causing the "cranks-no start" problem. Luckily, they are cheap to replace.

As a note to others that read this thread...

If your car cranks over, but won't start (run) when:
Parked on an incline or decline, or..
Will start after towing your car for a "crank-no start" problem

...then the crankshaft position sensor is most likely to be your problem.
Even more luckily, the sensor that i have is under warranty, so in case that it turns out faulty i can replace it, but the symptoms don't point in that direction.


It is also important that you be aware that the camshaft position sensor located on the top of the engine has been confused with the crankshaft position sensor by more than one mechanic. If you screw up and remove that one, without knowing how to do it, you could be in a world of hurt.
I also tought of the camshaft, but i didn't wanted to mess with it since, from what i have read, a no start condition is more likely to be casued by the Crankshaft position sensor.

Thank you guys for helping me out, i'll keep you posted, next i'll look when the next no start condition occurs, wheather is a fuel pump issue or somethink electrical. I tought that i had a flooded engine from a leaking injector or something, because when i had the no start condition, if i opened the throttle and it smelled a lot like gas, i had the pressure regultator tested and it was working fine, but since it's vaccum controled, i'll se if i get better results now that is fixed.
 






When it won't start, do you hear the fuel pump prime for a second or 2? If not, consider the fuel pump relay.
 






I do hear the fuel pump relay and the pump, i looked at the relay itself and it seemed a little burned so i put a new one in place. The truck sometimes does the same thing to me.

Somehow, i think that it might be caused by dirty/worn out spark plugs and a leaking injector or somethink that floods the engine, because if it doesn't start in the first try, it's more likely to fail.

I've been traveling a lot and haven't actually gotten a chance to work on the truck, but i still want to get it running in top shape
 






I do hear the fuel pump relay and the pump, i looked at the relay itself and it seemed a little burned so i put a new one in place. The truck sometimes does the same thing to me.

Somehow, i think that it might be caused by dirty/worn out spark plugs and a leaking injector or somethink that floods the engine, because if it doesn't start in the first try, it's more likely to fail.

I've been traveling a lot and haven't actually gotten a chance to work on the truck, but i still want to get it running in top shape

If your plugs and wires are old that is the next place to look. Any diagnosis assumes proper maintenance....

Another thing you could try is starting it with the IAC loose. Sometimes IACs just go bad, and cleaning them doesn't help. Worth a shot.
 






i have an explorer 2000 that does not spark have new crankshaft position sensor, new starter, new ignition coil, new fuel filter but still does nt start no spark coming from the coil, desperate already can someone help me
 






recenltly the fuse for the pcm diode blew, replace it still no start, before this happened the car has rough idle and obd2 says it was the intake manifold gasket so change it and it drives ok but after a few coming out from the mall it just wont start
 






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