99 SOHC Starting Issues... Help :(

[dr_starcraft]

First of all, my situation is that I am on a co-op away from anyone that I know for about 4 more months. I don't have a garage, but a 240 pc box of Craftsman tools... thats it. SO :thumbdwn:

I drove the truck today, without anything out of the ordinary. I go to run up to the store about 30 mins ago, and it wont start. It cranked fine, with plenty of battery, but would not start. Even feathering the gas it wouldn't start. I can hear the fuel pump kicking in before I turn the key.

...15-20 later after quick research, and I just decided to give it another try. With help from the gas I got it started and everything seems normal. But now I am worried I'm gonna get stranded when I go to work or something.

ALSO I have noticed recently that ocasionally when I am driving and let off the gas to a full coast, a high pitched whining (Like the whole engine is given gas in neutral) can be heard even over road noise and music. Starts like a really high RPM noise then winds down until it goes away, or I hit the gas again.

Any ideas on what is going on? Do you think these are Related at all?

 

[chrisis]

check compression for each cylinder

 

[dr_starcraft]

Pardon my ignorance...

but how do I go about doing this?

 

[dr_starcraft]

Update:

It starts fine today like nothing ever happened.

Took it to a local mechanic, and he didn't have a clue as to what the whining was while I was coasting. He took me that maybe it had something to do with the 4wd?! So I'm supposed to throw it in 4hi next time it happend and report back.

Prolly gonna stop by the Ford dealer tomorrow. Just to see if they have ever heard of anything like this happening. They'll prolly look at me like I'm and idoit...

 

[gijoecam]

Whine when coasting is likely the pinion bearing on the rear diff. Common problem, and if you don't let it go, it's a relatively inexpensive fix.

-Joe

 

[dr_starcraft]

I'm headed to the ford dealer in about 7 minutes... I'll mention that and see what they think. THANKS!

Your the first one to have a sugestion about the whine... Bunch of local mechanics couldn't make heads or tails.

 

[gijoecam]

For the starting issue, if it was a one-time occurrence after sitting for an extended period of time, I wouldn't worry about it. Mine did the same thing one time about 5 years ago and hasn't done it since. If it happens regularly, then I'd worry.

Pinion bearings tend to make a whistling noise when under load, accelerating or decelerating. U-joints will sound similar initially. A pinion bearing will slowly degenerate into a rumbling from the rear end, wheras the u-joints tend to continue to whistle. Any halfway competent driveline shop should be able to troubleshoot the problem in a few minutes of test driving it.

-Joe

 

[dr_starcraft]

Well I went to the dealer, and they didn't really know what was up. I don't know if I failed to mention that is doesn't happen all the time... But it doesn't. So basically the ford dude said that it probably wasn't the pinion bearing cause I would be hearing it everyday.

I only hear my noise like once every couple days... but if I happens once it prolly happens again in the same trip. The sh!tty part is, I never know when its going to happen... so I can't really have somones listen to it.

..Going back tomorrow on lunch to talk to some other dude.

 

[dr_starcraft]

Well i just got back from the dealer again. Between a couple guys, they basically came up with that same thing that the local guy said. They think the vacuum may be causining some problems with the front engaging..

SO

I guess next time it happens, I'm supposed to flip it into 4hi and see what happens. We will see...

 

[gijoecam]

Well i just got back from the dealer again. Between a couple guys, they basically came up with that same thing that the local guy said. They think the vacuum may be causining some problems with the front engaging..

SO

I guess next time it happens, I'm supposed to flip it into 4hi and see what happens. We will see...

That would make sense, if the vacuum had anything to do with the front end engaging..... It doesn't. Vacuum was used on the 95 and 96 but went the way of the dodo bird on the 97s. The 99 has a live front axle. Another example of a technician that doesn't know what he's talking about.

-Joe

 

[overhill]

Idle air control solenoid sticking.

 

[overhill]

Sound like the Idle air control solenoid sticking. This could cause both problems.

 

[overhill]

Sounds like the Idle air control (IAC) solenoid sticking. This could cause both problems.

 

[dr_starcraft]

Is there an easy way to test this? OR find out by doing something?