No start - That's it, I give up.

[JimInRadfordVA]

Came home from work, dropped my wife at the house and went back out to do some errands. Had just driven the truck about 40 miles home. Was parked for less than one minute. Engine spins over, but will not run. Shuddered a few times on the first try, but that's it.

This is not the first time this has happened. I strongly suspect no fuel is being delivered to the engine. I take my wife's car, run my errands and "borrow" a fuel pressure gauge kit from O'Reillys. It's dark by the time I get home. Today, after work, I go out to check the truck-- starts right up.

I hate to do it, but I'm going to throw a fuel pump and filter at it and hope for the best.

 

[crankyjew]

check the fuel inertia switch in the passenger footwell? there's a button on top, push it in. they go bad sometimes and can be replaced.

 

[bdmaash]

leaky injectors?? take off air hose to intake manifold and listen after engine is shut off, may hear them leaking and flooding the motor.

had this issue, symptoms:
no problem starting after about 4 - 6 hours after shutting motor off.
issues starting soon after shutting off motor.

if it is the problem, you can get around starting the motor by holding the gas pedal to the floor and starting.

 

[JimInRadfordVA]

check the fuel inertia switch in the passenger footwell? there's a button on top, push it in. they go bad sometimes and can be replaced.

Nope. Even replaced it just in case the last time this happened.

 

[JimInRadfordVA]

leaky injectors?? take off air hose to intake manifold and listen after engine is shut off, may hear them leaking and flooding the motor.

had this issue, symptoms:
no problem starting after about 4 - 6 hours after shutting motor off.
issues starting soon after shutting off motor.

if it is the problem, you can get around starting the motor by holding the gas pedal to the floor and starting.

Not this truck. The last time it sat for weeks. When I finally decided to call the tow truck, my wife suggested I try starting it one more time. Vroom. Started right up and has run OK since then (about 4 months ago.)

 

[koda2000]

the easiest test for NO FUEL is to spray some starting fluid into the T/B for about 2 seconds and then try to start it. if it sputters to life, the fuel pump isn't working. if you test the wiring and the pump is getting power, the fuel pump is the issue.

 

[tbk401]

I am having the same issue. I have had it to 3 mechanics and none can reproduce the problem but they all doubt it's a fuel pump. Please let me know if you find the solution.

 

[Gadget X]

Have you checked/replaced the fuel pump relay? The contacts can get a little corrosion or oxidation and cause similar symptoms.

 

[biggiesize]

I was having an intermittent problem where it would run perfect for a week and then bam,out of nowhere the fuel pump wouldnt kick in.I could turn the key 30 times,do the hokey pokey and finally I could hear the fuel pump kick in and fire up.I replaced,the ignition module and fuel pump relay first and still kept happening.Today,I broke down and put a fuel pump in it.Just finished as a matter of fact.It has fired up every time so far so we will see in a day or 2 if that was the issue.I benched tested the old pump and it kicked in 30 times and never missed a beat.But at 230,000 miles,it was time for a new pump anyway.

 

[JimInRadfordVA]

Have you checked/replaced the fuel pump relay? The contacts can get a little corrosion or oxidation and cause similar symptoms.

Yep. Swapped in a known good relay the last time this happened. No luck.

 

[Bobmbx]

Does it ever quit when running, or is it just a failure to start? If its just at startup, I'd look for something other than a fuel pump problem.

 

[tbk401]

Only ever at startup. never a problem once it is running.

 

[HELMUT RONER]

2002 (those built after 03/04/2002) and 2003 has a known problem with the fuel pressure regulator on the fuel pump assembly letting the fuel system pressure bleed back to the tank. Over time as the original assembly starts to fail you'd find yourself having to cycle the ignition key 3 or 4 times to pressurize te system before starting. Remedy is having to replace the fuel pump assembly. I installed an Airtex replacement in mine a few months ago. I do a lot of severe driving with a lot of restarts and so far so good.

 

[tbk401]

Thanks. So the fix is a new fuel pump. good to know.

 

[JimInRadfordVA]

Only ever at startup. never a problem once it is running.

Mine too.

 

[koda2000]

Mine too.

Pretty typical in my experience. 3 of the 4 fuel pumps I've replaced (and one I'll be replacing soon) behaved this way. Especially once the colder weather hit.

 

[fillysfiredarts]

Came home from work, dropped my wife at the house and went back out to do some errands. Had just driven the truck about 40 miles home. Was parked for less than one minute. Engine spins over, but will not run. Shuddered a few times on the first try, but that's it.

This is not the first time this has happened. I strongly suspect no fuel is being delivered to the engine. I take my wife's car, run my errands and "borrow" a fuel pressure gauge kit from O'Reillys. It's dark by the time I get home. Today, after work, I go out to check the truck-- starts right up.

I hate to do it, but I'm going to throw a fuel pump and filter at it and hope for the best.

Same happened to me. Sometimes I could start sometimes not. Finally it quit. Replaced fuel pump and stainer and its back in business. Luckily I have a friend who did it for me!

 

[JimInRadfordVA]

Went out to take the truck to the shop to have a fuel pump put in before it gives me any more grief. No start. Fuel pump is not running. If I was able, I'd crawl under and check for power at the pump, just to make sure, but that's a no-go.

I'll see if I can get my daughter to crawl under there with a rubber mallet, give the tank a few whacks, and see if it'll start.