2000 Explorer Intermittent Cranking

[Bigredexplorer20]

I have a 2000 Explorer XLT. Last year, at 145,000 miles, I had the engine completely rebuilt, to factory specs, nothing fancy. I just had the front end completely rebuilt, new tune-up, tires, etc. I have tried to maintain this truck as it is usually very dependable. Recently, it is having an issue. Sometimes it just simply will not crank. Other times I'll get in it, and with a swift touch of the key, she will fire right up!!! 90% of the time she fires, the rest of the time, I'm fighting to understand. I tried looking for loose connections under the dash and hood...not really knowing what I was looking for. Couldn't really see anything. I put it in the shop, and they called me the next day and said, "Sir, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the truck at all!! We have driven it several times, cranked it up over and over with no problems at all." They said it was fine and they couldn't make it not crank! I was like well I didn't make this up, something is indeed wrong. So they kept it another day and did some diagnostics on it. Three days and $800 later, still nothing was found or fixed. It ran for three days when I got it back and then started it again. When it does not crank, the only way I can get it to crank is to unplug the battery for a few hours or overnight, and then reconnect it and it will fire right up....but even that does not work every time! I have went through the fuses, they all seem to be good. And, the check engine light is NOT on! It won't give a code to the multiple scanners I've hooked up to it. I'm not sure, but I believe it may have something to do with the fuel pump. But it's hard to tell with me being the only one here to turn the key and stick my head to the gas tank opening and try to hear it. But, again, I'm not sure. I talked to my neighbor, a retired mechanic, and he says there are a few sensors that could go bad that would NOT make the check engine light come on, yet cause the car not to run. One of the ones he mentioned was a "cam position sensor", and the couple others I have forgotten the names. I need some help. The truck now has 169,000 miles on it, and runs dam good, when it will crank. It always has great oil pressure and never runs hot and has a new battery with ALOT of work recently done to keep it up. I just can't afford to put it back in a shop again right now, and I am trying to figure this out myself. Does anybody have any suggestions on what I may be facing? Anything I can check, test, look at?? Anything would be helpful at this point! Thanks so much for reading!

 

[koda2000]

when you get in the truck and turn the key to the ON position, you should ALWAYS hear the fuel pump prime for about two seconds. it's easily audible from inside the truck. if you don't hear this, your fuel pump isn't running.

the next time it wont start (assuming you are not hearing the pump priming) try hitting the rear bottom of the gas tank with something like a rubber mallet. if it starts then, it's time to replace your fuel pump. if it makes no difference, your problem could be a bad fuel pump relay. if you're always hearing the pump prime, your problem could be a bad crankshaft position sensor.

on a 2000 model the fuel pump relay should be in position 6 in the under-hood power distribution box near the master cylinder (check your owner's manual). pull the relay out and try switching it with any other similar relay (if they look the same on the bottom, they're interchangeable). if this solves the problem, replace the relay with a new one.

 

[Bigredexplorer20]

Alright!! Good info! I'm going now to try these things and see what happens! I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks!

 

[Bigredexplorer20]

Well, I believe it was the relay for the fuel pump after all!! As soon as I pulled it off I noticed alot of corrosion built up on it and cleaned it with a wirebrush, stuck it back in, and it fired right up. Just to be sure, I'll go and get a new one tomorrow. But, as of now, she is cranking right up and I just got back from a test drive after being parked for a few weeks. So, thanks once again for your insight, I really appreciate it!!

 

[koda2000]

Well, I believe it was the relay for the fuel pump after all!! As soon as I pulled it off I noticed alot of corrosion built up on it and cleaned it with a wirebrush, stuck it back in, and it fired right up. Just to be sure, I'll go and get a new one tomorrow. But, as of now, she is cranking right up and I just got back from a test drive after being parked for a few weeks. So, thanks once again for your insight, I really appreciate it!!

hey, no problem. if it fixes your problem, just send me $800... lol

 

[Bigredexplorer20]

ughhh....more problems!!! So I put in a new relay, and it worked fine for a day, then it started having its spells again where it wouldn't crank at all. So, I tested power to the fuel pump on the female plug, read 10.8 volts every time with key on, engine off. And again, sometime it would start, sometimes not. So I talked to a shop about it, and they asked me several questions over the phone and we came to the conclusion that it had to be just the old wore out fuel pump itself. So, just today, I dropped the tank, bought a new fuel pump, put it all back together, and voila! It cranks just fine for several mins, over and over, on and off, on and off! So, I go around the block a few times, no problems driving it. No spitting or sputtering at all, full power! So I get home and turn it off and let it sit for about 30 mins, and now it wont crank again!!!!!! OMG!!! I'm losing my mind!! And I'm in a time crunch because I'm supposed to trade it this weekend!!! Do you think the relay could intermittently go out?? I always thought it would go bad and stay bad, I never knew of one to work sometimes, then not. Or what do you think about the cam position sensor?? It's only $20, but the guy at parts store said it might be hard to get to. Please help!!! I'm losing my mind and my wallet!!

 

[Dave 1955]

So it does turn over just wont fire up when this happens?

 

[Dave 1955]

anyways check your wiring.
The wife had a taurs wagon and the wires wore through near the sill plate next to the drivers door.
Took me forever to find that but it had your symptoms.
Would always read voltage at the pump but the amps were not there because of only a few strands of the wire were nor broke. Getting in and out of the car and hitting that loom would connect-disconnect them.

 

[bandit11]

as dave has asked does it turn over and not start or not turn over? if it does not turn over the problem is in the starter motor, soleniod battery terminals etc, if it turns over and will not start the problem is fuel pump etc. from your 1st post it reads as if the engine will not turn over, if this is correct the other posts are barking up the wrong tree

 

[2000StreetRod]

Ford Explorer Engine No Start Procedure

Ford Explorer Starter No crank procedure

Ford Explorer Engine No Start Procedure

I think the latter is for your symptoms - your starter cranks but the engine won't start. Try cleaning the crankshaft position sensor by disconnecting and reconnecting the electrical connector a couple times. You didn't mention which engine you have. The camshaft position sensor on the SOHC V6 is more reliable than the synchronizer on the OHV V6 and V8. I suspect your fuel pump is the problem and suggest you check the pressure. Has the fuel filter ever been replaced?

 

[Bigredexplorer20]

@ Dave 1955, yes it turns over but will not start...and just to mess with my head a little bit more, as soon as I posted this last night, I went out to it, and it cranked fine 6 times in a row!!! I have not looked at any wiring by the door for frays or crimpage, but I'll check that. [MENTION=225246]bandit11[/MENTION], yes it turns over just fine, but it just won't crank. I've replaced all plugs, wires, coil pack, distributor cap, and rotary button, new battery, terminals, and fuel pump/screen. [MENTION=111113]2000StreetRod[/MENTION], I didn't think of trying to clean the terminals for the crankshaft position sensor, I'll definitely try that too! And, no, the fuel filter was not changed.... would that cause it to intermittently run, and then not when it wants to?? Also, when it does run, I never have any hesitation at all, it gets full throttle power, no bogging or jumping at all. As for the fuel pressure, I didn't check it after installing the new fuel pump, so I'll look at that today too! Thank you all so much for your input here! This has been an eye opening experience! If I could, I'd buy you all a round of beers!!

 

[bandit11]

bigredexplorer20 i understand the last 8 words, no problems, where are you? lol, but you still say it turns over and will not crank, do you mean turns over and will not START, here in au turn over and crank are the same. when it doesnt start check for fuel pump pressure, you may be able to rig up a gauge so you can see it while driving. i have had a new fuel pump that was intermittant.

 

[Bigredexplorer20]

yes, it turns over and over, but is a dry spin...just now, I went out to crank it, and same thing. However, I just now noticed something I'd never noticed before. When key is on, engine off, I noticed the "Theft" light blinking very fast...I've seen brief mention of that somewhere... do you know anything about that?

 

[2000StreetRod]

Pats?

yes, it turns over and over, but is a dry spin...just now, I went out to crank it, and same thing. However, I just now noticed something I'd never noticed before. When key is on, engine off, I noticed the "Theft" light blinking very fast...I've seen brief mention of that somewhere... do you know anything about that?

That could be due to a PATS issue. On my 2000 if there is a PATS issue the PCM disables the fuel injectors. If the crankshaft position sensor is faulty the PCM will illuminate the Check Engine indicator. With a faulty crankshaft position sensor there will not be any spark. If your engine will briefly start and run on starting fluid then you have ignition and there is probably a PATS issue. Have you tried both keys?

 

[Bigredexplorer20]

The check engine light does not come on at any time, other than key on, engine off, as do all indicator lights, then it goes right back off with the rest of them. I just grabbed my users manual, tracked down the PCM relay, took it out, scratched the surfaces of the prongs, and reinserted it, reconnected the battery and this time when I turned the key on, engine off, theft light was NOT blinking rapidly like before, and it cranks right up!!! How do I fix that? And, yes I tried both keys before, same thing. But, it is running right now...but obviously something is wrong with the PATS system...what do I do?

 

[Dave 1955]

That dang pesky PATS..I hope it's not that but it very well could be..the guys will fix this..just bear with them! cheers!

 

[1992fordgreen]

It's probably PATS. Explorer is smarter then its own good.

 

[01Explor]

I am having same intermitten start issue. AHHHHHHHh! What is PATS?

 

[Bigredexplorer20]

PATS stands for Passive Anti Theft System... it stops the engine from starting when it doesn't pickup the key transponder chip... but the module can go bad. I had mine reprogrammed to erase and bypass the PATS and it starts every single time now!!

 

[intelisevil]

PATS stands for Passive Anti Theft System... it stops the engine from starting when it doesn't pickup the key transponder chip... but the module can go bad. I had mine reprogrammed to erase and bypass the PATS and it starts every single time now!!

How do you reprogram to bypass the PATS?