'97 4.0 SOHC - Won't Start!! Help Please

[sb4wvu]

I will be extremely grateful if anyone can help solve a problem that three diff ford dealerships have failed to do.

I purchased a new '97 XLT - 4.0 SOHC back in 1997. A year later (in 1998) I had to get it towed to the dealership becauce it wouldn't start. Since that time I have had my explorer into the shop about 6-8 times (towed 3 times) due to starting problems. As you can see, the problem started just a year after the purchase.

The problem is this. On occasion, it just won't start. It will crank and crank, but won't start...sounds like it's out of gas. The problem is intermittent. After trying to start it 8-10 times over a 10-15 minute period, it will eventually start up. That's the problem - when the dealership has it, they can't get the problem to repeat (it starts for them). The last time I had it towed in, they did notice the problem and did clean corrosion and lubed the crank sensor. It seemed to work fine, but here I am a year later and it the problems are starting again. It won't start on occasion.

Can anyone help? Any ideas to try / parts to replace? At this point, I'm willing to try anything!

Thanks...Steve in WV

 

[Alec]

2 suggestions are the fuel pump relay and the crank position sensor.

 

[dadofapitcher]

It is your crank postioning sensor. I had the same problem for a while until we figured it out. Later the crank shaft broke just in front of the sensor. I had to put in a used engine from a wrecked rig. Needless to say I no longer have the explorer. Ford will not admit to a flaw but there is one in some sohc cranks.....