Help-911 Hard starts, dying, and no restarts

[tt1080i]

What happens is I start the truck, drive it. Turn it off and it will not restart with out a period of time passing. The 1st thing I thought of was a "Vapor Lock" problem.
Lately the problem is getting worst. Stalling while driving or not starting after being driven.
And it is taking a lot longer to re-start and be ok. Recently my daughters and I were stranded at a gas station after getting gas. It just would not start. After being driven there.
In trying to start it I drained and damaged the battery.
I got it towed and replaced the battery, a new one for that truck.
It seemed to start and continue to start for about 2 weeks. Until yesterday.
I went to the store. It wouldn't start when I tried to leave. I left and returned 3 hours later and it started and it drove home perfectly.
I also have a fuel gage problem. And have had since day one. It registers as low to empty from time to time. Even when there is plenty of gas.
May I please have some opinions as to what might be the problem.
I have had it to the dealer when this first happened. They said there was no record of the problem in the onboard cpu. So no trouble found.
I am a divorced dad with low income and less to spend replacing various parts. And the way it is now I do not trust it for daily operation
Thank you!!

 

[bdmaash]

What happens is I start the truck, drive it. Turn it off and it will not restart with out a period of time passing. The 1st thing I thought of was a "Vapor Lock" problem.
Lately the problem is getting worst. Stalling while driving or not starting after being driven.
And it is taking a lot longer to re-start and be ok. Recently my daughters and I were stranded at a gas station after getting gas. It just would not start. After being driven there.

had similar problem, it was leaky injectors, but your symptoms don't fit


In trying to start it I drained and damaged the battery.
I got it towed and replaced the battery, a new one for that truck.
It seemed to start and continue to start for about 2 weeks. Until yesterday.
I went to the store. It wouldn't start when I tried to leave. I left and returned 3 hours later and it started and it drove home perfectly.
I also have a fuel gage problem. And have had since day one. It registers as low to empty from time to time.

my fuel guage didn't work well, after trying to fix my hard start problem with lots of fuel injector cleaner and seafoam, the fuel guage worked better.
Even when there is plenty of gas.
May I please have some opinions as to what might be the problem.
I have had it to the dealer when this first happened. They said there was no record of the problem in the onboard cpu. So no trouble found.
I am a divorced dad with low income and less to spend replacing various parts. And the way it is now I do not trust it for daily operation
Thank you!!

may be a fuel pump issue, try swapping the fuel pump relay with another similar one in relay/fuse box. I don't know what it's for a '03 ST, at least it will eliminate the relay.

weak/dying fuel pump heats up then doesn't want to work??

but it should throw lean codes most likely.

I would also say fuel filter but take it back since it happens after the motor shuts off.

maybe look into the coilpacks.

a few tests:
check fuel pressure when it won't start
- do at your own risk, take cap off the schraeder valve (like on bicycle tire) and depress pin, fuel should spray out and ignite if there are any sources of ignition i.e. cigarette/sparking of something shorting on battery.....

check for spark
- have spare spark plug, pull off plug wire and insert spare plug, ground plug to motor, attempt starting vehicle (with assistant) and watch for spark on plug. AGAIN do at own risk, keep loose clothing/jewellery/limbs away from moving parts of the motor/belts/fans.

if you have both thing present

no spark - sensors, like cam or crank position sensor/bad coil packs....
no fuel - bad relay/fuelpump

check grounds from the battery to frame and motor too.

good luck

 

[tt1080i]

thanks... ongoing saga

thanks... for the advice.
it has been parked and I just started driving it again.
I have driven it 3 times since the last time it got towed home.
I guess when it stops again I will get it towed some where.
It seems that in earlier year modles it was a common problem. And from this board it seems like the iac was the solution.
Thanks for your help....