Hard start after sitting, but fires fine after startup.

[keleko17]

Problem:
My 1999 OHV (X Vin code) Explorer is struggling to start. It seems that time is a factor. The longer it sits, the harder it is to start. No check engine light, no stored codes. I turn the key for about 5 seconds, release, repeat. It sometimes takes 10 cycles to start the truck. After cranking a few times, you start to get the smell of fuel.

Signs / Symptoms / History:
About a year ago I had a bad misfire. I took it to a local shop and was told by them that I had a cracked cylinder head, and coolant was leaking in, fouling out the plug. They replaced the plug and all was better, until it fouled out again. I have continued to replace the spark plugs as they foul out. Consistently the #3 plug seems to be the issue. When I remove the plug, it seems to have a residue on it, blackened, and gummy, no real odor though.

The truck uses coolant. I can't really put an amount on it, because I just top it off every now and then. I can see coolant around the #3 plug.

The truck will run fine after startup, zero misfires. Last week I drove it 150 miles round trip, with no issues.

Investigation / Recent repairs:
I borrowed an investigation camera, and looked into the #3 cylinder and the #2. They seemed to be similar from what I could see. I have no knowledge of what it should look like, but since they were similar, they are either both bad, or both normal.

Used multimeter and checked for resistance across the coil pack, nothing out of the ordinary. I check the spark plug wires for the same. They are both only a year old.

About 2 years ago I had the intake gasket replaced, as well as the fuel pump and the fuel filter.

Any Solutions? Or starting points?

With the smell of fuel, I wouldn't think it is fuel related. Since it runs I thought I could rule out compression. With the multimeter test, I thought I could rule out spark. Which puts me back at the drawing board.

 

[Lefty2053]

So did you ever get the cracked cylinder head fixed? If you are loosing Coolant have you looked at the oil lately to see if it is entering in there? Can you just give the car throttle and get it to start better? I changed out my Thermostat and after couldn't get my car to start without giving it throttle. It cleared up and starts fine now,but I also cleaned the MAF sensor with DeoxIT D5.

 

[budwich]

you have a head issue just like they told you... that is why the plug is fouling. It is unlikely to resolve itself. IF you want to try some "bandaid", get some rad stop leak, it might get you a "few more miles".

 

[keleko17]

I know there is a head issue, I agree that is why it is fouling out the plug. I am trying to figure out it the hard start that just started, is related to the head issue, which showed itself over a year ago.

 

[keleko17]

I have added compression test to the list. My compression results are as follows...

#1 - 120
#2 - 120
#3 - 110
#4 - 90
#5 - 100
#6 - 110

On a cold engine, I didn't want to crank it to start it. I wanted to inspect the spark plugs after it sat for a while. Nor did I open the air intake. (I didn't read the directions very well.)

I had the intake gasket replaced about 18 months ago.

 

[shadowless127]

Wait, so you've known you've had a head issue for over a year and have neglected it and you're wondering why there's a hard start condition??

wow...

I'll save you the wasted energy. It's hard starting because you have a head issue...

 

[keleko17]

Short answer I guess yes. I had a misfire, and took it in. They hooked it up to a computer, changed a spark plug and told me I had a cracked cylinder head.

So educate me, can you see a cracked head without digging into the engine?

In the last three years, I have put a total of 16,000 miles on the vehicle. My daily commute is about 5 miles round trip. I couldn't justify the $1800 quote they gave me.

If the vehicle requires the $1800, I will sell, donate it, or scrap it. But until it stops running, I will put as many band-aid as needed to get an additional 1000 miles out of it.