Help! 96 XLT with intermittent starting probs

[crittersitter]

My 96 XLT wouldn't start last week after driving it about 20 to town. It would crank but not start. Tried on and off for about 2 hours while waiting for a tow. Local garage could not locate prob on computer although it started for them when it arrived and continued to start about every 5th try. They put on a new crank sensor. Drove home and she started right up about 3 or 4 times before I came in for the night. The next morning she wouldn't even crank. Come to find out remote entry security system had gotten out of whack. I assumed it was killing the start. Reset and she would crank but not start. Next morning she started right up. Drove her to Ford garage. They said she started up each time. Ran computer diagnosics and couldn't find anything in memory! Big Mystery!

History - has had 2-3 episodes of cranking and waiting for a few minutes before starting in the last year before this last episode. In one case the emergency gas cutoff switch had popped. I reset and she started.

Any ideas? I hate to bring her home like this. I don't trust her at all now. SOMETHING is wrong but garage is not finding anything..... I thought it might remote entry security system but when it got out of whack she wouldn't crank at all so I don't know that that could be involved. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This has been my best vehicle every but I'm feeling helpless......Thanks

 

[Turdle]

That is exactly the symptoms of a fuel pump going out-
before you drop the tank however, it is a good idea to troubleshoot the fuel pump curcuit-
There is a relay, a cut off switch and wiring which could be the problem--

when it is in the no start condition--check for power at the fuel pump-you will need a helper to switch the key to on-while you watch for a 1 second 12v pulse.

 

[410Fortune]

Bingo

fuel pump relay and or fuse
listen for the fuel pump to prime next time it occurs
if it is gurguling or just not even running then it could also be the pump, but check the relay and fuse first.

Try a search this is a VERY common issue, I am SURPRISED the mechanic didnt mention this

 

[crittersitter]

Thanks for the super fast and great advice! I've talked to the garage and I'm not sure about what they are saying.

They claim that all the possible probs (fuel pump, relay, cut off, etc) would've shown on the computer diagnostics. They tell me they follow a flow chart of procedures and everything checks out OK including the computer on the vehicle. They also claim that there is plenty of fuel pressure and nothing burned in the computer memory. Gee, I must be imagining this...

In any case it's been gone for nearly a week now. I finally talked them in to replacing the relay since it is relatively inexpensive.

Are they right about all this? Do I have to wait until it does it again and happen to be by the computer diagnostic machine which failed to find anything in memory. I'm feeling pretty darned helpless again. Should I be trying another garage???

Say a prayer that it's the relay.......

 

[Turdle]

Nope,
A dead pump will NOT trigger a code. They are wrong.

 

[410Fortune]

I bow to the allmightly computer diagnostic gods, apparently there is nothing wrong with your truck, you are making this up....that will be $97.50

Problem is the computer diagnostics can only tell you if a circuit has an issue (wiring, etc) if the wiring is good WHEN ITS BEING TESTED it will come back a-ok. If the issue is in the pump itself the computer would never ever know....if th eproblem is with the fuse or relay it would only spot it when its happeneing.....

Next time it happens, you need to listen for your fuel pump.

If you are going to work in a garage, especially a Ford dealership there is one phrase you must learn on day one:

"I'm sorry, we could not duplicate the problem" and then charge the customer for your time.

I agree 100% with JT is sounds like the classic gen I or Gen II explorer fuel pump is going dead.
I have had this happen on both my trucks mor then once.
Sometimes its just a relay, sometimes its the fuse, usually you can spot that problem just by looking at the wiring and components...if they check out and the wiring tests good, pump is likely on its way out.

 

[crittersitter]

Thanks for giving me the facts. I thought as much.... I wanted to jump through the phone and shake them. Doesn't anyone think outside of the box anymore? Heck a monkey could look at the flow chart.

Thanks again for your help. Wish I could find someone like you all around here to work on my vehicle. Apparently common sense is hard to come by anymore.