Help, car needs starting fluid on cold starts.

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TallPaul

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1992 Aerostar with 163,000 miles. Was fine until a couple months ago. Now it won't start cold without a shot of starting fluid (I am using EFI intake cleaner for lack of other). Once running it will restart fine. After the starting fluid it may throws a check engine light that goes off after a while, and it can lack power and miss a lot until after a mile or so.

Shop checked temp sensor okay so concluded the computer should know to give it extra shot of fuel on cold start.

I took the ignition module to have it tested. They ran the test 3 times and it came up good every time.

Shop is thinking it may be the fuel pump, but that was replaced some time ago (see below) and why would it run at all if it's the fuel pump.

Car has been run all of 600 miles in last two years and often sits for weeks. It always had a come and go rough idle problem. Stuff that has been replaced include:

18,000 miles ago:

-Rebuilt distributor
-Cap, Rotor, plugs, wires
-Fuel filter
-New ignition cylinder in steering column
-Newer coil
-New idle air control valve

35,000 miles ago: New ignition module

44,000 miles ago: New Motorcraft fuel pump

~60,000 miles ago: New oxygen sensor
 
Ya know, that is a good idea to see what the vacuum is in general as well as the hose to the fuel pressure regulator.

Oh, and the urgency is I want to get rid of it and it would be a bit easier to sell if it would start unassisted. Here's the ad: Ad on Craigslist.
 
It sure sounds like a coolant temp sensor that is heading South.

When the shop "checked" it, did you drive it there (and temporarily "fixed" the issue)?

Have you checked fuel pressure when you key it on first thing in the morning? Should jump right up to the right pressure and STAY there. If it's slow going up, you usually have a pump dying or a clogged filter. If it goes right up and then bleeds back, you usually have a bad fuel pressure regulator.
 
Drove it to shop on a Saturday, they checked sensor on during the next week. They said fuel pressure was fine, not sure what conditions they tested under, but was fine. Filter was just done, but maybe worth pulling and checking anyway.

I'll add that at first it would only need help starting cold on cold day, and started fine on warm day, seemed worse the cooler it was. But now it won't start without help cold no matter what the ambient temp is.



Video is hilarious surfstar.
 
Originally Posted By: MichiganMadMan


Have you checked fuel pressure when you key it on first thing in the morning? Should jump right up to the right pressure and STAY there. If it's slow going up, you usually have a pump dying or a clogged filter. If it goes right up and then bleeds back, you usually have a bad fuel pressure regulator.


+1 Low fuel pressure can trigger a CEL. Just had to get a new pump for my son's 03 Cavalier w 130k. Found a good price for a new part on Ebay thru http://www.outlet4usa.com/ for a Herko pump - http://herko.com/
 
How old is the fuel in the tank? Modern oxygenated gasoline doesn't last forever. Oxidation, evaporation, and pretty soon you have something that will barely burn. If its only seeing 600 miles in 2 years, that's maybe 3 tanks of fuel in 2 years, and assuming you fill it before its empty a fair chunk of the fuel sloshing around in there could be a year and a half old.
 
Well I recall filling it up a few months back. Is there a fuel additive that can help the old fuel? Ha, I had year old fuel in my motorhome I better see if it starts.
 
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Well I recall filling it up a few months back. Is there a fuel additive that can help the old fuel? Ha, I had year old fuel in my motorhome I better see if it starts.


Well, then its probably not your issue- I'd suspect low fuel pressure on startup or a sensor problem.

As for fuel- if you add something like Sta-Bil (or pick your own brand of oxidation inhibitor) to new fuel before storing it, I've found that you can about double the storage time- maybe get a year and a half. Its not so effective when added to old fuel, though.

Also if you're going to park a vehicle for winter, do your best to top it off with "summer" blend fuel BEFORE they switch to winter blend in your area. Winter blend fuel has a much higher volatility and tends to go bad much quicker IMO. Especially if you wind up storing it through hot months- its like it self-distills down to paint thinner. :-/
 
Get it out on the road and burn up the old gas that's in it. Get some fresh fuel at a busy gas station. Add some stabil if it's going to sit for longer then a week or two.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

Also if you're going to park a vehicle for winter, do your best to top it off with "summer" blend fuel BEFORE they switch to winter blend in your area. Winter blend fuel has a much higher volatility and tends to go bad much quicker IMO. Especially if you wind up storing it through hot months- its like it self-distills down to paint thinner. :-/



I'd figure the opposite: on a modern car with mostly sealed fuel system (charcoal canisters etc) it should hold the volatility in. If he had winter gas in it and lost some of the volatility there should be more remaining to help it kick over come summer.

I like the fuel pressure regulator idea, just because one went out on my 94 4.0 ranger and raw gas was all in the vacuum tube.
 
Well I went over to the shop where it was parked for sale and it started right up. Took it home and will drive it the next couple days to see if a little use and a few good runs (15 miles one way) will cure it. Now that it is running (presumably) I will be giving it to our new, second pastor who is from Peru and needs a vehicle to work the Latino neighborhoods of Detroit. He arrives tomorrow, so very timely for it to finally start up. Ha, as I was about to drive off a guy on a moped stops and says he is interested in it. Really odd that it would not start cold for past 6 weeks or so. We'll see how the next few days go anyway.
 
Shop just called me, said it was the Mass Air Sensor and the replaced it and it is working fine. I told them to try starting it the next couple mornings to be sure then I'll pick it up.
 
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Shop just called me, said it was the Mass Air Sensor and the replaced it and it is working fine. I told them to try starting it the next couple mornings to be sure then I'll pick it up.
Well it wasn't the mass air sensor after all. Wouldn't start the next morning. So I had him return it because I wasn't going to pay for a part I don't need. Finally got it fixed though. It was the Engine Control Module and that was $119.00 at O'Reillys. Started up fine the last two mornings. I got over 6 weeks of free storage out of the deal anyay because we don't drive it and I have 6 vehicles at my house including the Aerostar.
 
Many older cars have a "cold start valve" which is just an extra injector. It adds some extra fuel at start depending on engine temp.
 
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