Wants to start, but can't..HELP!

[EddieBauer1]

Hey everyone, have a 2000 Explorer eddie bauer 4.0 SOHC (276,000kms) that just will not start. Was running absolutely perfect, nothing at all wrong 3 days ago, and then (i live in northern canada) the temp dropped to -33 celsius (-49 with windchill) and yes thats celsius. Since then it has refused to start. What happened was is we drove it down south, parked it at an airport for a week, flew out of the country, came back, filled the tank with gas from down south, and drove back here and parked it.....came out the next day to start it (with the temp at -49) and it wouldn't start......doesn't have a block heater either, so i bought one from canadian tire and stuck it to the block, but it made no difference. I think the gas lines are frozen, but im not sure because you turn the key to start, it turns over and feels like its about to start, but then it just goes back to turning over for 5-10s then feels like its about to start again, then goes back to turning over....help needed asap!
Btw: the temp here is -5 celsius right now so im trying to get it going today before the temp drops again tomorrow
What i've done so far:

Put a bottle of gas line anti-freeze in the tank
Filled the tank with gasoline from where i live (at about half a tank now)

Am about to call my mechanic to see if he has any suggestions, just thought i'd ask here first. Help is greatly apprecieated

 

[AceTrainerAndy]

I am not a mechanic, but I have been in a car where it sounds like it's about to rollover but just can't quite finish the job. The fuel pump was broken in that car. It was a Chevy Van if that makes a difference. The temperature was around 0 degrees Celsius.

If I were you, I would also check my battery connection. That's probably not it, but you never know. Good Luck!

 

[EddieBauer1]

I am not a mechanic, but I have been in a car where it sounds like it's about to rollover but just can't quite finish the job. The fuel pump was broken in that car. It was a Chevy Van if that makes a difference. The temperature was around 0 degrees Celsius.

If I were you, I would also check my battery connection. That's probably not it, but you never know. Good Luck!

Thanks for the reply, the battery's fine, im pretty sure its something fuel related, but i can hear the pump when i turn the key to the on position, but im still not exactly sure what it is.

 

[bill06447]

Give it 1/3 throttle while cranking

Bill

 

[EddieBauer1]

Give it 1/3 throttle while cranking

Bill

Thanks, already tried that but still no luck. Talked to my mechanic and he said:

1. Check the engine oil dipstick, if it smells like gasoline...change the oil out immediately and put in new oil and try starting it again.
--Checked the dipstick and it smells like gasoline
2. Check your spark plugs, most likely flooded with gas, if they are...clean them
--have yet to check plugs
3. After the above 2 are done, try starting with gas pedal all the way to the floor

 

[Kiliona]

Just so you're aware, obviously your mechanic believes it's flooded (and it is if you smell gas in the oil, that means oils in the crankcase which is no bueno). The gasoline on the plugs can stop it from sparking right and blowing off your plugs can help, that's obviously easier to do on a small engine or a snowmobile than a car though, probably just letting them sit for a bit they'll dry out.

But most importantly, holding the gas pedal all the way to the floor shuts off the fuel injectors while you're cranking. If you crank it for a while with the injectors shut off (foot to the floor) it'll clear out all the excess gas in the combustion chamber. The reason it shuts off the injectors is interesting, in engines with a carburetor holding your foot to the floor gave it the most air possible while cranking which unflooded them, people were used to this so when they designed computer controlled fuel injection they figured they'd make it so the computer would shut off fuel injectors when the throttle was all the way down, that way people weren't just wasting their time by putting their foot down out of habit to try and clear a flooded engine. I find that interesting

 

[EddieBauer1]

Just so you're aware, obviously your mechanic believes it's flooded (and it is if you smell gas in the oil, that means oils in the crankcase which is no bueno). The gasoline on the plugs can stop it from sparking right and blowing off your plugs can help, that's obviously easier to do on a small engine or a snowmobile than a car though, probably just letting them sit for a bit they'll dry out.

But most importantly, holding the gas pedal all the way to the floor shuts off the fuel injectors while you're cranking. If you crank it for a while with the injectors shut off (foot to the floor) it'll clear out all the excess gas in the combustion chamber. The reason it shuts off the injectors is interesting, in engines with a carburetor holding your foot to the floor gave it the most air possible while cranking which unflooded them, people were used to this so when they designed computer controlled fuel injection they figured they'd make it so the computer would shut off fuel injectors when the throttle was all the way down, that way people weren't just wasting their time by putting their foot down out of habit to try and clear a flooded engine. I find that interesting

Thanks for the reply, i figured the engine was flooded after smelling the gas in the oil pan...going to take a look at it tomorrow morning and try starting it again after i put some fresh oil in there

 

[EddieBauer1]

SOLVED!!!!!!!
Drained the gasoline filled engine oil out, put new oil in....checked spark plugs and they were clean....went to start engine and pressed the gas pedal to the floor, started right up and is running great (for now anyways). Thanks for the help everyone

 

[koda2000]

in case ice was the problem, throw in a couple of bottles of Heet into a 3/4's to full tank of gas. it's not expensive.

 

[EddieBauer1]

in case ice was the problem, throw in a couple of bottles of Heet into a 3/4's to full tank of gas. it's not expensive.

Thanks, already put some in trying to get it going....my guess is that they already mix the gasoline with additives or anti-freeze or whatever here up north, but don't do it down south where we went a week ago. Brought the truck back up here with the gas from down south and it most likely froze, or it was bad gasoline...anyways, just glad i got it running again!

 

[koda2000]

Thanks, already put some in trying to get it going....my guess is that they already mix the gasoline with additives or anti-freeze or whatever here up north, but don't do it down south where we went a week ago. Brought the truck back up here with the gas from down south and it most likely froze, or it was bad gasoline...anyways, just glad i got it running again!

i don't believe they put anything like dri-gas in the fuel up north, but you might have gotten some gas w/water in it somewhere. that's a big problem at all gas stations. most have equipment to monitor water levels in their tanks. one station down here had a moron delivery driver put diesel in their gasoline tanks recently. that'll ruin your day.