My 1990 Aerostar is hard to start.

[Myaerostar]

Hi all, I'm a 1992 Aerostar 3.0 van (xlt?) owner (looks like crap but usually runs like a champ)
Recently the van started having issues with starting.
The first time it had problems was about a month ago when i stopped at a filling station and came back out.. Just wouldn't start.
It was probably off for 10 minutes tops and just wouldn't go.
Finally after trying several times it started. At the time I thought it was bad gas.
It didn't happen again until a weeks later.
This time it switched to a morning thing (after it had sat overnight)
I found that by turning the ignition to acc many times (like 25) then trying to turn starter over it would go.
I can hear the fuel pump turning on and staying on the entire time the the key is in the acc position. It runs the entire time. (the pump that is)
I replaced the fuel filter and still a no-go.
I can get the van to start but it literally takes turning the key back and forth from off to acc about 25 times.. sometimes 5-6 cycles before the engine finally will start from turning key to start position.
It seems like I'm "priming" the engine to get it to go.
I never paid attention before if the fuel pump stayed on in the acc position constantly. From past vehicles the pump primes then shuts down till needed again.. not sure what is going on here really.

Any help would be appreciated because this is my work van and right now it the only way for me to make a living...
BTW when i finally get it going it will re-start all day long and runs great while running (no stalling or signs of low fuel pressure)

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! The fuel pump is only supposed to prime for a few seconds then shut off. Maybe the fuel pump relay is getting stuck? Check the relay. Do you see a check engine light?

 

[Myaerostar]

Welcome to this forum! The fuel pump is only supposed to prime for a few seconds then shut off. Maybe the fuel pump relay is getting stuck? Check the relay. Do you see a check engine light?

No check engine light at all but now I'm finding something else..
When I pull the vacuum cap from the fuel pressure regulator then put it back on.. the thing will prime for 3-8 seconds then start like it should..?? There is no gas coming from the vacuum, and I'm not sure why this would make a difference. I have been successful re-starting it this way many times now..
so I go to start.. the pump continues to prime, I go out and pull the fuel pressure regulator cap and put it back on, back inside the van it primes 3-8 seconds and starts right away..?

 

[BrooklynBay]

The fuel pressure is higher with the vacuum line disconnected. Check the pressure with a test gauge. You might have low pressure.

 

[Myaerostar]

The fuel pressure is higher with the vacuum line disconnected. Check the pressure with a test gauge. You might have low pressure.

There was no vacuum line connected just a black plastic plug/cap?

 

[BrooklynBay]

There should be a vacuum line on the fuel pressure regulator. Check the vacuum line diagram. Maybe the line is nearby, and has a vacuum leak since it's disconnected?

 

[Myaerostar]

There should be a vacuum line on the fuel pressure regulator. Check the vacuum line diagram. Maybe the line is nearby, and has a vacuum leak since it's disconnected?

What a fool I am.. It's not the fuel pressure regulator I've been dinking with at all.. I have to locate the FPR now I guess.. The thing I've been messing with is on the top of the motor on the right hand side and has a diaphragm inside it and only one vacuum out with a cap.. I've been looking at pics of the FPR and this aint it...

 

[Jose A.]

1992 or 1990 ? or do you have two?

it sounds like a bad ignition switch to me, more than a fuel pump problem, although like Brooklyn said the Relay may be getting stuck flooding the engine, especially if it was running fine.