Strange Starting Problem

[ZacFields]

Hello all, sorry my first post here is a request for information... I promise I will stick around!

I've read through the sticky about starting problems as well as a couple other related topics but I wonder if my issue is unique.

First off, I've got a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport (2door). I am having a very intermittent starting problem. It's usually in the mornings, but I can't be sure that it has anything to do with the cold weather (it is around 20 or less in the mornings here now) because some mornings it will start up just fine. I would say in the last two weeks I've driven the car every day, and this has happened maybe 3 or 4 times where it acts like it doesn't want to start.

I'll turn the key and the engine will turn and turn and turn. It feels like it's turning plenty strong but the car won't start. So far, it always eventually starts. Sometimes it takes about 4 or 5 tries of about 5 seconds each. This morning it wouldn't start at all, then I popped the hood for a second to make sure there wasn't anything obvious going on in there, and then I got back in the car and it started right up.

I'm not very mechanically inclined. I change my own oil, and am willing to do some dirty work if I can find good instructions and I can't screw it up too bad. I have been wanting to take it into a mechanic, but I'm worried since I can't really replicate my problem that they'll end up fixing the wrong things (and of course, charging me for each one) before finally finding the problem.

Anyone have any ideas?

*Edit: For some more info, the car has about 110,000 miles on it

 

[ZacFields]

One more thing I should mention that may or may not be related: After I finally got my car to start this morning, I drove it to the house next door (just 100 feet away) to drop off a check for our association fee on my way to work. When I stopped the car next door, the oil pressure guage dropped all the way down to "L" and the check guage light came on. I dropped the check off real quick and when I got back in the car, the Oil pressure guage was back where it's supposed to be.

Probably unrelated, but didn't want to leave that tidbit out.

 

[ZacFields]

I found a topic similar to the problem I had - one member suggested that you prompt the ignition twice and if it starts the second time it's a fuel pump problem. GOing to give this a try, since that's kind of what ended up working for me this morning.

 

[1AJeremyD]

finding out the fuel pressure the pump is putting out right now would be the absolute best way to find out if you need to replace the pump. The oil gauge not working is unrelated and is already a known issue. Theres a couple of threads already on that issue so you should have no problem fixing that. Good luck and welcome to the forum

 

[ZacFields]

Thank you Jeremy - I'm reading up on a sticky topic on how to check the fuel pressure so I might be giving that a try on my own tonight or this weekend. Thanks for the tip!

I'll get back into this topic and update it as I get more information.