No start...

[MistahYebba]

I can't get my truck to start anymore.
I had a bad stall out and limped it home with no power brakes. It would stall at every red light. Could barely get it started.
But somehow made it home. Had to completely mash the brake pedal to slow down. Scary!

Now it's been sitting for 2 weeks and I've tried to get it started every day but I just can't.

It has something to do with air or fuel & the engine....... but I can't freaking figure it out... because I can't get it started anymore to diagnose the problem!

I did get it started just a handful of times in the past 2 weeks but it doesn't last long before stalling out.

But now I haven't been able to get it started at all the past couple days... so things are getting worse...

--------------

Main symptoms:
1. I got it started a few times during the last 2 weeks it's been sitting dead in my driveway. But it would run for like 2 minutes max before stalling out and not start anymore for a while.

2. Now it cranks still but won't start at all. It just keeps trying to start but won't.

3. If it did start, it would puff white/light gray smoke out the tailpipe at a rapid pace. But like I said, it won't start anymore anyway.

4. If it did start, it sounds like a pretty bad vacuum leak HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS but there are no visual signs of a vacuum system damage anywhere. I checked everything & smoke-tested too. But it won't start anymore anyway so this is pointless. I also disconnected the brake booster from the equation to rule that out. Ya know, since I lost my power brakes?

5. If it did start, there was a very strong smell of gasoline. But remember, I can't get it to start anymore.

6a. One of the vacuum lines from the upper intake manifold had a few drips of gasoline when I disconnected it.

6b. One of the very last times I managed to get it to start, I heard it release a huge sound of "air" before instantly stalling out. Almost like air brakes releasing. --> And the upper intake manifold was VERY cold to the touch with tons of condensation on it.

7. Sometimes if I try too many times to start it up/keep cranking it for 10 seconds hoping it will catch and start... then the results just get worse... the starter stops trying it's best and just gives me one lame "uh". Nothin.

8. My coolant level is fairly low which means there is a leak or it's getting burnt off over time. Hadn't checked it for a bit but there was never any heat/cooling problems. Could this have anything to do with my symptoms?


What I did:
It's definitely not the battery or alternator. Although the battery was getting weak after sitting for 2 weeks and constant start attempts... so I have it on a charger now.
It's definitely not the ignition switch or starter. Although the starter is probably angry at me for keeping trying to start it for 2 weeks.



------------


Fuel filter? Fuel pump? Fuel injectors?
PCV? MAF? TPS? EGR?
Head gasket?

It's gotta be something specific.... it was working every single day for 5 years until one random lunch break and all the sudden I had to limp it home... lost my power brakes.... horrible idle... stalling out.... no more starting....

must be something important.

 

[MistahYebba]

BUMP

 

[Bookworm370]

Honestly, sound like a vac leak and a big one. If not apparent, one the biggest failure points (if you have the V8) is the elbow that is on the throttle body and leads to the PVC valve. Unfortunately you can't easily test for it unless you are really good with the propane trick. Once you remove the upper crossing ventilation hose, you can pretty easily see the elbow. If it's a 2005, 25 cents that's the problem.

 

[MistahYebba]

Honestly, sound like a vac leak and a big one. If not apparent, one the biggest failure points (if you have the V8) is the elbow that is on the throttle body and leads to the PVC valve. Unfortunately you can't easily test for it unless you are really good with the propane trick. Once you remove the upper crossing ventilation hose, you can pretty easily see the elbow. If it's a 2005, 25 cents that's the problem.

Thanks so much for your reply! Definitely leaning towards vacuum leak too because I have driven the truck for 5 years and the hissing sound when I WAS able to get it to start was pretty evident. But yeah like you said not apparent. I'll absolutely go check that elbow. However I do have a V6, does that change anything?
Also, I have tried a few times to get it to start today and what I noticed is. It's not starting at all but the STARTER is doing real good. And the battery.

But as for vacuum......
after trying to start it, if I disconnect a vacuum line from the intake manifold, some gas is in there. Isn't that bad?

 

[MistahYebba]

Heres a video of the last time I was able to get it to start @Bookworm370 , you can totally hear the obvious vacuum leak and how it's pulsating.





But why would there be gas in the vacuum lines? Specifically this one right after trying to start it.

 

[MistahYebba]

Honestly, sound like a vac leak and a big one. If not apparent, one the biggest failure points (if you have the V8) is the elbow that is on the throttle body and leads to the PVC valve. Unfortunately you can't easily test for it unless you are really good with the propane trick. Once you remove the upper crossing ventilation hose, you can pretty easily see the elbow. If it's a 2005, 25 cents that's the problem.

I had a thought that I've flooded the engine by trying to start it a couple times every day.
So, I held the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor while trying to start it, to disable the fuel injectors.
And... it ALMOST started. But still not quite.
Maybe it's getting tons of air from the huge vacuum leak that I suspect.
Aren't there only like 5 vacuum parts? Why would it be so hard to find when the sound is so obvious?
Is it possible it's the intake manifold gasket as a leak culprit?

 

[Bookworm370]

I'm not sure the fluid is exactly in that line but it's not gas. I disconnected mine and fluid started to pour out. I put it back but then smelled the fluid and it didn't smell like gas. It was almost like water. Possibly something from the A/C evaporator? I was going to post the same question about it later on when I had the time. Might be some sort of injection as it's right next to the EGR valve.

And yes, that sound is definitely a vac leak and from the sound, a pretty big one. If you can keep it running, you can use the inside of a paper towel tube to your ear to try to localize where the sound may be coming from.

 

[MistahYebba]

I'm not sure the fluid is exactly in that line but it's not gas. I disconnected mine and fluid started to pour out. I put it back but then smelled the fluid and it didn't smell like gas. It was almost like water. Possibly something from the A/C evaporator? I was going to post the same question about it later on when I had the time. Might be some sort of injection as it's right next to the EGR valve.

And yes, that sound is definitely a vac leak and from the sound, a pretty big one. If you can keep it running, you can use the inside of a paper towel tube to your ear to try to localize where the sound may be coming from.

The stuff in mine is DEFINITELY gas. And in fact I'm starting to lean towards the fuel pressure sensor or something in that area. I'm getting a hot lead on that. Check out this vid:
I'm wondering if I have a double problem where I have a bunch of fuel in my vacuum lines (which I do) AS WELL as a leak in the vacuum system


Or if the leak in the vacuum system IS what's causing the fuel in the vacuum system?

 

[410Fortune]

have you checked fuel pressure?

97 should have 36-42 psi at the rail

 

[MistahYebba]

No I haven't checked fuel pressure. Since there's a ton of gas getting in to the vacuum lines it seems pretty obvious it's the fuel pressure sensor so I'm popping in a new one tomorrow.

 

[410Fortune]

Fuel pressure regulator

A no start always requires a fuel pressure test

Often a no start is a combo of several issues

 

[MistahYebba]

Fuel pressure regulator

A no start always requires a fuel pressure test

Often a no start is a combo of several issues

My truck has a sensor (it's a 2005), not a regulator. Same exact concept though.
In fact I changed the fuel pressure sensor 4 years ago. I cant recall why I did that. I put in a real cheap one.
4 years later I'm putting in another cheap one tomorrow lol.

 

[410Fortune]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shoot for some reason I thought we were in a older 4.0 thread

Okay no easy way to check fuel pressure on an 05
You might consider getting a fuel pressure gauge kit that can be installed on the fuel rail, so you can see fuel pressure.
A 4.0 will not start without 58-64 psi at the fuel rail
Harbor freight makes a fuel pressure tester kit that gives you the fitting needed to put the gauge on the back of your fuel rail
After you replace the damper (which is apparently leaking fuel into your intake)
a fuel pressure test should be done to rule that out


Have you considered that it may have failed timing components?
compression test can rule that out

loss of coolant points to a head gasket issue or lower intake issue, if there are no external coolant leaks

 

[MistahYebba]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shoot for some reason I thought we were in a older 4.0 thread

Okay no easy way to check fuel pressure on an 05
You might consider getting a fuel pressure gauge kit that can be installed on the fuel rail, so you can see fuel pressure.
A 4.0 will not start without 58-64 psi at the fuel rail
Harbor freight makes a fuel pressure tester kit that gives you the fitting needed to put the gauge on the back of your fuel rail
After you replace the damper (which is apparently leaking fuel into your intake)
a fuel pressure test should be done to rule that out


Have you considered that it may have failed timing components?
compression test can rule that out

loss of coolant points to a head gasket issue or lower intake issue, if there are no external coolant leaks

Hey yooo!
So I replaced the fuel pressure sensor today and it started right up.
But now it's shooting a seemingly neverending giant cloud of smoke out of the tailpipe & has some liquid (water?) dripping out of the tailpipe too.

Never had smoke clouds before.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Hey yooo!
So I replaced the fuel pressure sensor today and it started right up.
But now it's shooting a seemingly neverending giant cloud of smoke out of the tailpipe & has some liquid (water?) dripping out of the tailpipe too.

Never had smoke clouds before.

color? water is normal, just condensation

 

[MistahYebba]

color? water is normal, just condensation

Okay so the problem was after doing the fuel pressure sensor which was underneath the intake manifold, I forgot to reconnect the exhaust pipe to EGR valve. So. That kind of explained the smoke bellowing out. That combined with that it sat for 3 weeks and was flooded with fuel I guess.

So...

Here's what were my problems:
1. the fuel pressure sensor FAILED and was allowing fuel to tunnel right into the vacuum line continuously.. Which completely messed up the fuel/air balance. After many failed starts over and over it began to flood not only the engine but the vacuum lines & intake with fuel over time.
When I removed the intake manifold there was plenty of fuel to be found. I cleaned ALL that crap up, and completely cleaned the intake manifold itself as well as the seating for it near the engine. Boom bam bum. Replaced the fuel pressure sensor and I was good on that front.



2. Next up I happened to have a blown out brake booster check valve. This caused a vacuum leak there at the brake booster. No biggy. new check valve and problem solved.


3. Next up I had a bad old & collapsing vacuum hose. Easy to replace that. Took 5 minutes.



All three of these hit at the same time.

Everything is running 90% normal now. I'm trying to hunt down that extra 10%... possibly still a small vacuum leak somewhere cause I hear a slight hiss still.

 

[MistahYebba]

I'm not sure the fluid is exactly in that line but it's not gas. I disconnected mine and fluid started to pour out. I put it back but then smelled the fluid and it didn't smell like gas. It was almost like water. Possibly something from the A/C evaporator? I was going to post the same question about it later on when I had the time. Might be some sort of injection as it's right next to the EGR valve.

And yes, that sound is definitely a vac leak and from the sound, a pretty big one. If you can keep it running, you can use the inside of a paper towel tube to your ear to try to localize where the sound may be coming from.

Ill be using your paper towel tube method tomorrow, thanks for the tip! Gotta hunt down that last culprit. But overall its starting right up now and running/idling well & driving too! @Bookworm370

 

[410Fortune]

good to hear!!

So the fuel sensor you are talking about is it the fuel pressure sensor that is mounted under the intake? or is it the round silver canister thing on teh fuel rail, (the fuel damper)

curious because I do not know the 05 explorer at all really, just the sohc engine. This could help others in the future

 

[MistahYebba]

It was indeed the fuel pressure (and temperature sensing) sensor under the intake manifold.

 

[Kogchris]

have you checked fuel pressure?

97 should have 36-42 psi at the rail

Thread '2004 mercury mountaineer coolant leak' 2004 mercury mountaineer coolant leak any help ?