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Starts with starter fluid only

Zettie

Member
Joined
May 13, 2022
Messages
11
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City, State
Hoboken
Year, Model & Trim Level
2002 Explorer Sporttrac 2
2002 2wd sporttrac starts with starter fluid only. Runs great once started drive for hrs. Shut off fires right up. Sits for a day and then need starter fluid to start again. Fuel rail pressure is 65psi new fuel pump and filter. New temp sensor grey colored replaced. New mass air sensor .New throttle position sensor. New inertia switch and plug ( found plug had gotten hot ) New crank sensor and came sensor. The only thing left is fuel regulator. All right why won't it start except with starter fluid? Thanks in advance for any help. Oh no codes and theft light is out ,pain in the butt ....bwhahaha
 



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welcome to EF!! is that pressure when its hot or cold? i wonder (just spitballing) if its got aomething to do with cold pressure? could also be the "drainback valve" on the pump i wonder... when it runs how does it do under load? tjats usually where a low pressure will show up
 






Did you change the sensor for the coolant temp gauge, and not the one for the PCM?
 






welcome to EF!! is that pressure when its hot or cold? i wonder (just spitballing) if its got aomething to do with cold pressure? could also be the "drainback valve" on the pump i wonder... when it runs how does it do under load? tjats usually where a low pressure will show up
Tha dang thing runs good under a load and sits there idling purty as ya please. It's the cold start.
 






Tha dang thing runs good under a load and sits there idling purty as ya please. It's the cold start.
Oh pressure sitting for days was 59 psi
Did you change the sensor for the coolant temp gauge, and not the one for the PCM?
Well it said grey for etc but would have to pull intake up to change other one and the answer is not sure,will pull plug and see if gauge fails ,good one
 






Oh pressure sitting for days was 59 psi

Well it said grey for etc but would have to pull intake up to change other one and the answer is not sure,will pull plug and see if gauge fails ,good one
Well grey is for ETC for sure ,unplugged and started with SF and got code po118 which is ETC ha ,I am at a loss starts right up with SF and sits idling ,bout ready for a rag and match lol
 






Next time when cold, cycle the key on and off 4 times ( make fuel pump prime 4 times) then on 5th key cycle turn it all the way to start. Does this work to make engine start?
 






Next time when cold, cycle the key on and off 4 times ( make fuel pump prime 4 times) then on 5th key cycle turn it all the way to start. Does this work to make engine start?
No sir I tried that also. Thank ya . Keep them coming. I'm gonna put it by the road for mechanic special haha
 






how cold is it by you? just checking it aint too cold, how old is the gas? how old is bettery?
 






On your year engine the fuel pressure regulator is in the tank, part of the fuel pump assembly. However, there is a vacuum supply line going to a fuel pressure dampener mounted on one of the fuel rails. It does resemble the fuel pressure regulator on 96-98 2nd gen
return fuel rails. ( Yours is return less).
I seem to remember @99SportX having this issue and the dampener as the fix.

I believe this requires new fuel rails.

I wonder if by chance you might find fuel in the vacuum line supplying it. That is the symptom of a failed regulator in earlier models
 






how cold is it by you? just checking it aint too cold, how old is the gas? how old is bettery?
Cold as in sitting for days , each time I get a chance to mess with it, gas is good, battery is new. Spins over good .
 






On your year engine the fuel pressure regulator is in the tank, part of the fuel pump assembly. However, there is a vacuum supply line going to a fuel pressure dampener mounted on one of the fuel rails. It does resemble the fuel pressure regulator on 96-98 2nd gen
return fuel rails. ( Yours is return less).
I seem to remember @99SportX having this issue and the dampener as the fix.

I believe this requires new fuel rails.

I wonder if by chance you might find fuel in the vacuum line supplying it. That is the symptom of a failed regulator in earlier models
Oh wow ,ok I see what you are saying, I thought that on the rail drivers side was the fuel regulator. Hmmmm ok I see. I was thinking regulator but it held pressure even sitting for days. New fuel pump assembly. What about the dampener being bad ???
 






On your year engine the fuel pressure regulator is in the tank, part of the fuel pump assembly. However, there is a vacuum supply line going to a fuel pressure dampener mounted on one of the fuel rails. It does resemble the fuel pressure regulator on 96-98 2nd gen
return fuel rails. ( Yours is return less).
I seem to remember @99SportX having this issue and the dampener as the fix.

I believe this requires new fuel rails.

I wonder if by chance you might find fuel in the vacuum line supplying it. That is the symptom of a failed regulator in earlier models
Ok Turdle ,pulled damper ,vacum line dry and diaphragm good in damper, any other ideas please and thanks ,did not know that was a damper thought it was a regulator of some sort .
 






There may be an issue in the fuel pump basket, did you replace the entire assembly or just the pump motor?

The pressure regulator is part of the basket assembly.

Another random thing for you to try, look at the thread at the top of the 1995-2001 stock sub forum. The "try this first" thread stickied at top.

What does the "check engine" light do while cold cranking?
Need to see if it is even coming on in the cold start scenario. ( PCM relay slow)
 






If you throw a scanner on it, what does it say that the engine coolant temperature is before cold start (key on, engine off)?
 






Does the theft
Light go off while cranking?
 






There may be an issue in the fuel pump basket, did you replace the entire assembly or just the pump motor?

The pressure regulator is part of the basket assembly.

Another random thing for you to try, look at the thread at the top of the 1995-2001 stock sub forum. The "try this first" thread stickied at top.

What does the "check engine" light do while cold cranking?
Need to see if it is even coming on in the cold start scenario. ( PCM relay slow)
Full assembly
 












If you throw a scanner on it, what does it say that the engine coolant temperature is before cold start (key on, engine off)?
Have not checked that
If you throw a scanner on it, what does it say that the engine coolant temperature is before cold start (key on, engine off)?
Will have to check
 



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Have not checked that

Will have to check
do check, if it think its hot, it may run leaner (?) and could explain why it eneds fluid to start
 






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