Ford - ZX2 :: 2001 - Hard To Start / Feels Like Not Getting Gas Upon Cold Start
Jun 9, 2011
I've been driving my wife's 2001 Ford ZX2 for the last ~9 months.
Early on in taking over driving it I noticed that it was difficult to start, so I had the battery checked. One place said it need to be replaced, but I wanted confirmation so I had it checked at two other places--it was in the normal range. So then I thought it probably needed a tune up since, as far as I know, it had never had one (has ~50K and I know it should've been done earlier). But, that didn't seem to fix it either.
I then had the fuel filter replaced. Nothing. I generally turn the key over for a few seconds before I actually crank it to let fuel in. It is now taking 3 times each startup to do this. And, right after starting it feels like the car is struggling to get gas (as if the fuel filter is completely stopped up or a fuel link is kinked).
Once the car is warm it cranks over on the first time (as if nothing is wrong). The last time I was at the shop they told me I need to have my fuel injection system cleaned. I have doubts about this--they based it on mileage not any sort of actual diagnostic or inspection. I use quality gas and run a fuel injector cleaner at each oil change.
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Truck runs great if I get it started. Here are symptoms.
-Extremely hard to start when engine is cold
- It will start fairly quick if plugged in all night
- After running there is no issues with starting unless sits over night
- Batteries good and engine cranks fast
- Tests and parts I have replaced
- Replaced GPM (Glow Plug Module) I do not have the relay as most seem to have on their engines. I did replace this unit.
- Replaced Glow plugs all 8 this morning. Since they where cheap enough it did not hurt the wallet.
- Replaced crank position sensor. Tach moves when engine is cranking.
- Checked the HPOR and it has oil about 1/2" from top.
Now what is left to check besides doing a buzz test to rule out injectors? Also if truck runs fine and does not run rough could injectors still be bad?
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Truck: 1999 Ford Truck F 350 4WD Super Duty V8-7.3L DSL Turbo VIN F
Problem: Especially when it is cold outside . . . The truck takes forever to start and while doing so a ton of white/grey smoke comes out of the exhaust.
My starting schema: Turn the key on have the gas pedal pushed to the floor until the "wait to start" light goes out. Then, I turn the key off and back on while still pressing the gas pedal all the way down. When the "wait to start" light goes out again I remove my foot from the pedal and try to start it. I never leave it cranking for more than 5-7 seconds. If, after trying this process several times I will not push the pedal in at all. Also, sometimes I will leave the pedal pushed in while I am cranking it over.
The truck used to start after a couple of tries but lately it won't start at all, even after 20 tries. Sometimes it will spin up for a second as if the engine gets going but then just doesn't continue running. When it is warm out it will usually start after a few tries but doesn't seem normal to me. After I first bought the truck(used) it would start up within half a second after turning the key.This all started after I had to fix an o-ring that was damaged on the top/back of the motor that was dumping all my oil out of the top/back of the motor.
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I have an issue for the last couple of years. I drive a 2006 hyundai santa fe with 168,000 km's on it. the problem I am having only happens on any cold day and never above zero celcius and when I start the vehicle on a cold day and go for a short trip to the store run in for about 5-10 minutes and I come back out and it won't start, there is lots of power but it wont roll over at all but after trying many times it will eventually start and there is no CEL showing and I have never plugged it in on a cold day and as cold as the canadian winters get here its been down to as low as -40 in the morning and no problems at all, a little roll and a groan and away she goes which is typical in our cold climates.
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I own 2005 Santa Fe. Vehicle is a 3.5l V6. 90,000 miles. Transmission flushed few months ago. Few weeks ago I notice that transmission jump hard and bucked on cold start then smooth out once the engine warm up. Is it normal? if not what could be a problem.
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Could my brake issue be related to my transmission problem? Neither are constant. Brake problem= sometimes the brake pedal feels hard, like there's no power brakes (I drove a car once. ..looong time ago. .. that had no power brakes or steering) but it will kick in after a short distance. Transmission prob= seemingly unrelated, is a problem shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. This has happened maybe a 1/2 dozen times, the first time and mostly when in heavy commute traffic and when going between 1st and 2nd gear because of the slow commute speed, but also at other times when not in lengthy slow commutes. When it doesn't shift, the odometer doesn't work (shows only dashes) and an engine light comes on (the sprocket/gear looking one). Usually the transmission will eventually shift and the light goes off.
I read that the brake problem might be a vacuum hose problem? Something about a booster? Is this dangerous? or is it like having a car w/ no power brakes? Going to have my transmission looked at this week. Read on another site about dropping valve seats on this year car. If there's a major transmission problem, I'm wondering if it's worth fixing? I changed, timing belt, water pump, front and rears brakes, tires. 143,000 miles.
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I bought a 2001 7.3L deisil F250 CC short box a year ago. It has an AFE cold air, a 4inch exhaust and an Edge chip in it, Now the tranny was rebuilt a year before I bought it, however I almost instantly noticed a shutter when starting from a stop. One shop said u joints. I replaced them and the carrier with no results. IMHO u joints was a bad diagnosis as it only happens off the line and not through at a certain rpm. When down shifting I find the truck almost goes into to neutral before engaging 2nd gear. I have a 6.0l tranny cooler and my temps get to 215 and above quite easily when towing... 3-6k-lbs. (I try to pull over before that) Also when towing up hills the tranny almost feels like there's a slight grinding. For the first little bit anyway.
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Simple question: Is it possible that battery problem/corrosion in battery cables would allow car to crank but not start on first try when cold? (Car normally starts on 2nd or 3rd try). I've read some places that if car cranks its not a battery problem but I'm not convinced.
Background:I have a 98 Ford Mustang (approx 140,000 miles) that occasionally has trouble starting. Car normally takes 2 to 3 tries to start first thing in the morning or if it has been sitting for a while. It always cranks but doesn't turn over. I had it in the auto repair shop, they said it had to do with IAC valve being stuck open. They recommended to replace throttle air by-pass valve. The repair was done and when I came to pick up the car I heard it take three tries to start before they brought it to me from the back. I asked about it, so the service advisor said he would go and talk to the tech, he said he talked to the tech and that there was a lot of carbon that he had cleaned out and maybe remaining carbon in the system caused problem, I got the idea that they seemed to think everything was fine if I had any problems I could bring it back. The car became even harder to start, now taking up to 8 tries. I brought it back and they said that the new IAC had to be adjusted to allow more air. I picked up the car, they said it was fine, but now it still takes 2 to 3 tries to start it first thing in the morning.
In the past, I have had trouble with battery and battery terminal corrosion, have had new terminal ends put on my battery a few times, last time was probably about 6 months ago. Terminal ends look very corroded again. I'm thinking about just asking them to replace the battery cables and see what happens.
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I just bought an 03 Ex that hadn't been driven but 600 miles the past three years. Needless to say, there's probably some sludge causing issues somewhere. I have a Scangauge installed, which has been very useful thus far.
I've flushed the coolant, currently with distilled water, changed the oil and filter, atf and filter, and installed my 2nd set of fuel filters after getting stranded after I ran my first tank of fuel through it. After changing the fuel filters the second time, I was still having cold starting problems, requiring 3-4 long cranks before firing. Once warm, runs fine. I just installed a FICM from Diesel Tech Ron, but I still have to try 3-4 times to get it to cold start, then it runs and starts ok. Not sure why the hard cold starts...
Also, the heat doesn't work. A/C is fine, blower is working. I installed a new thermostat, and like I said, I have flushed the coolant with tap water and now distilled water, but didn't want to pour in fresh coolant just yet, in case I have to drain it again with this heat issue. That vc7b is not cheap. Tonight I drove the truck about 20 miles and my highest temps for EOT was around 215 and ECT was 205. Fluctuated between the the mid 190s to low 200s most of the time, this was over some hilly roads with no load or anything. Anything else I can monitor or check on in the mean time?
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I have a 2005 STX with 107,000 miles on it. When it is cold you have to turn the key on for 5 seconds twice then start it. When it is warm it will start like it always did. When the temperature outside is 60 or above you have to do the key thing about 5 times. I think it is my fuel pump...
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My 1990 4.0 refuses to start when the air temperature outside is at approx 40 degrees or below. It will crank until the battery runs dead if I let it. At approx 50 degrees farenheit the truck takes forever to start and always backfires out of the tailpipe and intake manifold (blowing off a hose on the vacuum tree) before it starts. If I can get it to backfire, it will start eventually. If it does not backfire, then I can run the battery dead and the truck still refuses to start. This condition has grown from a little problem to a huge problem over the past 6 months. Here is what I have done so far, including regular maintenance items.......
KOEO test checked OK
KOER test returned code 77 multiple times (TPS).
Replaced Throttle pos. sensor
Replace Idle air bypass valve
Subsequent KOER test came back with no more codes except 11 - OK
Load tested battery
Made new heavy gauge battery cables for + and -
New plugs, wires
newer starter
Changed coil pack for known good one off my explorer
Visually inspected hoses for vacuum leaks, replaced 1 cracked hose
1990 Ranger ext cab 4X2 4.0L, K&N air filter in stock airbox, Pacesetter headers, single 2 1/2" exhaust, stock cat no muffler, 260K on truck, 104K on good used engine from my 1994 Explorer. Purchased Ranger brand new in 1990. A4LD w/ shift kit.
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2003 Excursiom 4x4 Limited
My first Diesel. Runs and drives great. Torque Pro app only showed coolant temp at 188. Would not show oil temp. Hard to cold start. New injectors. Has a programmer. He is asking 12K. It has 209K miles.
It belongs to a friend of mine and he rarely drives it. It stays under a cover most of the time.
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My girlfriend has a 2003 f150 4.6lt pick up its a great truck most of the time. Problem is when the temp gets in the neg double digits it becomes very hard to start it cranks fine but doesnt want to fire. When it does fire it might stall a few times before it stays running. The last cold snap we had I replaced the battery and in the summer the starter got changed. I have heard that this model of truck are known for hard cold starts. I am just wondering if this is true and any other thing besides block heater. It is strange that my 89 gm pickup will start no matter what temp and I'm having problems with the newer truck.
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My truck is hard to start when cold and I suspect glow plugs. But it is not showing any codes? If it is a glow plug or glow plug relay at fault , should it throw a code?
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Don't drive the truck but once a week but since its gotten colder here than usual is been harder to start when cold. Of-course I go thru the glow plug wait and then it kinda stumbles when its about to start. I do it again and most of the time is starts but seems rough for a few seconds. Once the truck is warm, no more problems starting.
I'm wondering if I have a glow plug gone bad and that cylinder is not warming up for me. Today I plugged in the block heater for maybe 2 hours and it started first time. Also, if just leave the block heater plugged in for long periods of time.. would it get to hot?? and wonder how expensive that is, most heater are costly to run. I have a timer but just wondering.
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I have a 2000 Explorer W/4.0 SOHC engine. With summer nearly over and fall on the way, I need to figure out what is going on with my engine. This problem has been going on for the past 2 years. As the outdoor temperatures get cooler, the harder it is to start and keep the engine running. This starts happening around 65 ambient temperature, and gets worse as the temps drop. By 30, I can barely keep the engine running.
Odd thing is, all I have to do if the engine starts is, keep my foot on the pedal to keep the engine around 2000RPM, put it in gear and start driving. After about a mile or two, the engine runs normally, and will do so the rest of the day. So far I have cleaned the air flow sensor, replaced the IAC, replaced all the injector "O" rings, and cussed a lot. I smoke tested the engine and the only vacuum leak is a very small one at the EGR valve.
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i have a f350 superduty with a 7.3 turbo diesel and I pretty much hafta keep it plugged in to get it to start, i have installed all new glow plugs and both relays have been changed and the problem is still there, only other option i have not tried yet was changing the pcm controller but unsure if that is the problem ..
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When it is cold out side like 20 degrees I'm having problems starting my 2000 7.3 I'm cycling it about 5 times and misses smokes white for a bit then stays running I was thinking of changing out the fuel filter. What it could be?
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It's been a while but thats because the truck has been performing well.
Current problem: The truck has been hard to start this year as if the glow plugs are not working or are bad. It will start right up if I use the block heater.
Just recently, I also noticed that the EBPV is not coming on when warming up the truck.
Also, This winter season, the engine temp is not coming up to normal. the engine temp needle is more on the low side towards the C and definitely less than 1/2 way up where is normally is. When driving on the highway, the temp comes up more. but sitting at idle it barely gets warm.
So not sure if all 3 are related or not, but looking for a starting point.
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20 degrees out this morning truck not plugged in, didn't want to start had to cycle 4-5 times, each time waiting for glow plug Light to go out.
Finally cranked didn't sound pretty but cranked. Once it started idling on its own got out and seen a puddle of oil under the front of the engine drivers side center kind of.
Got up on the truck and shined a light in the valley and seen a puddle in intake valley. Heres my question? Where did this oil come from? Once it warmed up it quit and oil kinda disappeared from valley???
I had turbo off a few months ago because I thought I had a bearing down in it, but found some bolts lose. When I put turbo back on I broke the wire plug on front of the pedestal so I just left it unplugged. Very hard to cold start now that that is unhooked.
Did leaving this unhooked create a hard cold start? Should I put another pedestal on it with the plug or install one without it? Also will it hurt to leave plugged in overnight?
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My '03 6.0 is hard to start and runs rough when cold. Not just cold outside temps, but engine not up to temp. Starts and runs like a champ once it's up to temp. It was doing this when I got it, but it's getting worse.
From what I've read the common culprits are:
1 - failed solder joints on FICM power supply board
2 - bad power supply side of the FICM
3 - updated flash needed for FICM
4 - injector stiction
5 - leaky O-rings at high pressure oil rail to injectors
I have read up on how to run the voltage test on the FICM with a multimeter.
Seems like I would have to go to a dealer to have the software version for the FICM checked.
I am 100% competent to do the tests and/or repairs myself, but since I recently moved in with my fiance in a condo and my tools are in storage, I will have to do it at a friend's house. That being the case, I want to know what all of the common things are that I may need to check for so I am prepared. So, I wanted to see if there were any other common causes of this issue.
I plan to test the FICM voltage and give FICMRepair.com some business if that's the problem. And if that's not the problem (or maybe even if it is) I will get the injector seal kits and replace all of the injector seals as well as disassembling and cleaning the spool valves in the solenoids. I will also change oil and fuel filters with Motorcraft parts and Rotella synthetic oil while I'm in there.
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