99 Windstar, long crank, new pump.

DamageINC · October 30, 2009

Have a customer in with a 99 windstar, initially in for a no-start. No fuel pressure, power at the pump, yadda yadda, stuck a pump in it and it was mint.

Now he's back complainint of a LEGIT intermittent long-crank (5-6 seconds) and I've found it's because the fuel pressure sits at about 5-10psi right off the bat, and takes about 3-5 seconds of cranking before it finally jumps some more and starts.

I suppose the new fuel pump could be at fault but the vehicle has 133k miles on it and other components are obviously aged.. any chance a bad fuel pressure regulator could cause this, or something making the fuel system bleed down after sitting for a bit?

Dave

Jim Warman · October 31, 2009

Windstar? Most of the Whinestars I have seen have the word "SPORT" on the back.... I have a real problem trying to use the words minivan and sport in the same sentence...

Anyway.... How fast does your fuel pressure drop after key off? Check the WSM for the spec....

When the hard start occurs and the fuel pressure takes a bit before it climbs, can you hear the fuel pump run? What I mean is if it could be a faulty relay keeping the pump from priming the fuel rail?

Study the chain of events that must happen for the fuel pressure gauge to rise.... key on... EEC relay.... fuel pump relay... fuel pump .... Even if the regulator is faulty (yet holding 5~10 PSI) one would expect to see the fuel pressure gauge give some indication of fule pump activity - even if it is a minor, momentary surge...

It is important to form your own opinion of what each step or stage of the key on to engine start should be..... I spent the best part of my morning proving that TSB 08-04-11 is a poorly thought out, under-researched, minimalistic, idiotic, narrow-minded piece of shit.... And this isn't the only document that Ford has produced that bears these traits...

I think I'm going to go and take my meds now.....

Mekanik · November 2, 2009

It really takes that long to build fuel pressure? I have seen many fuel systems leak down to 5-10psi, but I think that as long as there is some pressure it will start fine.

I battled a Taurus that had a long crank intermitently that was caused by no injector pulse. That was a nightmare. Long story short, if you don't have a good crank signal it could cause a long crank.