Hard to Start - 2000 Ford Explorer 4.0 SOHC

[briand]

My 2000 Ford Explorer (4.0 SOHC) is having a hard time starting lately. It use to be when you would kill it and try to restart it right after it was very difficult to start. Once started it always ran fine, no problem killing or anything, but lately it is hard to start no matter if it is cold or hot. Priming the fuel pump use to help with the hard starting, but now the priming doesn't seem to help. Has anybody else had these problems? Thanks.

Brian

 

[Donner]

The only time...

The one time my 96 didn't start was when the fuel pump had to be replaced - but it never gave clues that it was going bad. I turned the key, all power, but no start up.

 

[briand]

i was kind of leaning towards that, with 106,000 miles it couldn't hurt. Thanks.

 

[dmac0923]

+1 fuel pump, but for piece of mind before laying out the money for the fuel pump, check the fuel filter make sure its not clogging up on ya.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check your fuel pressure, MAF sensor, IAC sensor, and ECT sensor. Fuel injector cleaner might help too.

 

[briand]

do these trucks use a code scanner of some sort to check the sensors. I clean the MAF sensor not long ago, but no check engine light has come on to warn me of other problems. Thanks.

 

[duke16]

Could also be a bad battery/alternator.

 

[Donner]

Battery problems...

Could also be a bad battery/alternator.

They do start having problems around the change of seasons... I replaced mine (every vehicle) w/Sears brand... the trucks and cars would start to slowly turn over and eventually I got Sears. No problems with starting ever.

 

[briand]

It has no problem attempting to start, it just takes forever for it to finally turn over. Sometimes it takes two cranking attempts. I just replaced the battery about 3 months ago when it finally went out, but after installing a new battery it had no affect whatsoever on the hard starting.

Brian

 

[Donner]

I'd go with the fuel delivery, like everyone said, it's the best route... the fuel pump would be the last if you have to replace all those things. What's the weather like? Are you using good quality gasoline? I paid a bundle for the fuel pump and labor...

 

[rmcknight]

check and adjust and clean the crank position sensor, visible from under the car behind the radiator fan blades on the balancer, loosten the 2 bolts and adjust the sensor to just tough the matal balancer.
this lets the electronics know where TDC is for the ignition timing. if it does not catch this puls - you have to go arround again and again till it fires. The car will run better too!

 

[briand]

Problem solved!!! rmcknight was correct. My explorer starts right up with no hessitation at all. the top bolt was a little hard to get to, but well worth the effort. Thanks rmcknight and all those who responded. I appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update!