98 Explorer cold start issue - please help!

[chrisnfrady]

So I have a 98 Explorer and I've been having some issues with cold start this last week. It's not every time but it's becoming more frequent. When I turn the key the engine cranks and cranks but nothing happens. The battery is fine and gas is getting through, you can smell it through the tailpipe when you hold down the accelerator, but I get nothing.

It had been that it would just take a few extra cranks to start, but it takes more and more each time I have this problem it seems. Today it just cranked and nothing happened. Then all of a sudden after probably 20 minutes of fighting with it it started on the first crank.

I'm not mechanically inclined so I'm really in the dark here. I've been suggested it might be a spark plug or ignition switch problem, any ideas?

 

[chrisnfrady]

So I have a 98 Explorer and I've been having some issues with cold start this last week. It's not every time but it's becoming more frequent. When I turn the key the engine cranks and cranks but nothing happens. The battery is fine and gas is getting through, you can smell it through the tailpipe when you hold down the accelerator, but I get nothing.

It had been that it would just take a few extra cranks to start, but it takes more and more each time I have this problem it seems. Today it just cranked and nothing happened. Then all of a sudden after probably 20 minutes of fighting with it it started on the first crank.

I'm not mechanically inclined so I'm really in the dark here. I've been suggested it might be a spark plug or ignition switch problem, any ideas?

And now today all Im getting is clicking so maybe the battery is bad?