I had a crank - no start issue yesterday with my 2001 5.4L.
In the past I had a few "hard starts" not thinking much of it, as it only happened every once in a great while, and I wrote it off to having the SpeedPass too close to the key.

I went through a few posts, got several ideas ( I'll list below ). When none of these provided a cure, I called the friend of the family Mechanic about getting it towed in to be fixed.
Prior to this he suggested by passing the relay for the Fuel pump, to see if it was dead.
I was expecting it to be quite as all can be, but when I pulled relay 301 in the battery junction box ( under the hood ) and jumpered pin 30 to pin 87 ( Ford relay p/n FOAB-14B192-AA ) the fuel pump started to hum.
I pulled the relay from 302 ( trailer battery charging ckt, if I recall correctly ) put it in place of the relay 301 ( fuel pump ), turn the key on, and started right up.

The only reason I make a new post of this, is I started down the wrong road, forgetting the most obivious cure might be the correct one. Dumb me, but maybe this will save someone else from wasting the time I did.

The problem
After the truck sat for about 6 hours ( after driving for 45 min no problem ) went to start it, and did was a crank no start.
Tried my key with the speed pass removed from the ring ( don't recall if I had this too close or not PATS ), no change.
Paid attention to the Theift light, and it was going out as it should on startup.

The steps in getting to the easy answer. ( aka the long PITA road to the solution ).
1. Changed fuel filter : Hadn't done this, and was meaning for some time about 50K miles on it.
2. Checked the fuse in position 10 in the battery junction box ( fuel pump fuse ) Checked good.
At this point I should have pulled the relay and bench tested it, but I skipped past this, for some dumb reason
3. Removed IAC and cleaned it ( had never done this, but it was on the list ). 8mm 1/4" drive socket and ratchet. Can be done without yanking the TB.
Tried to start the truck at this point, still no change, and not paying attention to not hearing the fuel pump run
4. Clear PCM, just on a SWAG that the PCM did not like my last drive ( got me, it was a normal run, nothing strange happened ).
Tried to start the truck at this point, still no change, and again not paying attention to not hearing the fuel pump run
5. Called friend and asked him about tow and repair this week.
5.1. He said to yank the relay, by pass it, and if I did not hear the fuel pump run, hit the gas tank with a rubber mallet to see if the fuel pump was going south.
Sure enough, the fuel pump ran, and all was good.

Just a little FYI for those who might have a crank no start issue.
Off to Ford to get a relay to replace the one for the reversing circuit ( and maybe a spare ? ).

 

Thanks SSCULLY for sharing, this gets put into my possible future ailments folder.

 

No problem at all. Hope it does not happen to you.
I figured I'd add to the soultion pile for the next guy that might have a crank no start issue with his.

The mechanic said if you jumper the relay and the fuel pump does not come on, he said to hit the gas tank ( not smash it ) with a rubber mallet.

If the fuel pump was intermitten, this might shake it loose, and start it up, ID'ing the culprit as the pump, rather then something else along the lines.
If it was a no go, the next thing was to use an O-scope with an AMP probe attachement around the jumper in the relay position, to see if any amperage was being drawn on the circuit ( pump not drawing any current vs heavy current draw / i.e. plugged, trying to start, and maybe going into thermal shut down ).

That might help the cause. I'll try to recall this, if it ever happens in another 50K miles. I know I'll forget sooner then later.

Long time no talk with, things going good ?

 

I have the same problem on my 98 F150.The fuel pump seems to be ok,I can hear it run.I was told it could be the EEC relay next to the fuel pump relay.I took the relay from the horn,which I knew was ok and swapped the over.The horn was working but the truck would still not start.I'm at the end of my ideas now.Do you have any suggestions.?

 

cscarrett,

A few of the things that I gleened reading posts about mine. This is for an engine that will crank like crazy, but won't "catch" or run as it were.

If you tried them,mark it off, and go to the next. These are just what I have read over the past 2 days. Try to do it in order of PITA.

1. Tap on the IAC. This is the silver cylinder that is either on the back of the TB ( 5.4L ) or next to it ( 4.6/4.9 ? ). I have read posts where the IAC was gummed up so bad, that no air was getting past the closed butterfly in the TB ( which seems to be gummed up also. So some have reported that tapping on the IAC knocked what ever loose, and it would operate again. No air, no gas. Others have reported doing a slight pedal action while cranking on it, opening the butterfly valve.

2. Check the crank sensor for a good connection ( Think that was JMC's suggestion to one member ) no follow up report on this.

3. Cam shaft sensor for a good connection. ( SWAG tossed out there, no report back ).

4. After cranking the engine, check at the schrader valve on the fuel rail for pressure. Start by depressing the schrader valve, to see if you get a spit out of it.
4.1. If so, get a test fuel pressure gauge, and screw it on the schrader and check the pressure ( 40 to 50 is what I have read, don't have the spec in front of me ).
4.2. You want to make sure that the system holds pressure durring a start cycle, and after.

5. Pull the small vac line from the fuel regulator, and see if the line is dry to wet. It should be dry, else the diaphram in the regulator could be torn, and gas is getting somewhere ( don't recall ). I think this was a case of treat the engine as if it is flooded. procedure in the owner's manual on this one ( the floor the pedal routine, but follow the steps for KOEO )

6. Some where cold weather specific, and they added some fuel treatment ( like Technron FI cleaner ) and a bit more gas. Started the truck by actuating the pedal ( not in the manual anywhere ) and drove it a bit. They seem to think it was crappy gas that caused the crank no start issue.

7. Change out the fuel filter, millage varried on this one. No clue if it was a case of filling just after the tanker dropped, stirring up the crap in the bottom of the under ground tanks. Mine needed changing due to scheduled maint, but it did weigh a bit more then the new one when empty. Not a cure for me, but needed to be done anyway.

8. Then there are a few posts on the PATS system might be honked up, but with a '98 I didn't think that was a PATS year, so that should be in the clear for you.

9. AMP draw of the fuel pump when by passed. This will tell you if the fuel pump is running, but drawing a heavy load. Best to do it with an O-Scope, but I guess a decient clamp meter with a high hold function would tell you the same thing.

These are the ones I can recall off hand from going through everything. I might have missed some additional easy ones, but this is what I found doing a search on the term no start and reading the posts to makre sure it was a crank - no start issue, not a no crank issue ( like starter selinoid, starter cables, etc ).

Good luck, let us know what you find out. Another cure posted will help the next guy.

Someday I need to ask Steve if we can put sticky posts in for "common problems" with confirmed fixes, and the documentated steps taken to solve it. Not a place to post questions on the topic mind you. Just a thought.

Good luck

Steve

 

I've narrowed it down to an ignition problem.I had no spark at all,played with a few things,and I got it to start.It seems to run fine until something warms up,then it won't start again.Any ideas as to what is causing this??

 

What did you change to get it to start. a few things does not tell us much.

Did you check :
2. Check the crank sensor for a good connection ( Think that was JMC's suggestion to one member ) no follow up report on this.

3. Cam shaft sensor for a good connection. ( SWAG tossed out there, no report back ).

I read at least one post that it could be a problem due to the engine warming up, and the advancement ( I think that is what I read, few days ago now. ).

Take a search on no start and see what it is, if you have a good crank and cam shaft sensor. Just a thought.

 

SSCULLY's post is the best advice I personally have ever seen in my over 70 years. I have many times replaced a car part that was perfectly good, here I was about to replace a fuel pump on my f150 after only replacing the fuel filter and still no fuel to the engine, that is at least a $500.00 repair bill, since I don't want to crawl around under the damn thing.

After all the other checks of SSCULLY's did not reveal the fuel fault I grabbed my largest rubber mallet, kneeled down beside the f150 and slugged the fuel tank 8 to 10 times on the bottom and the side then waited about 2 hours. I had forgotten about it all until I wandered by the f150 and decided to give it one last try, the sucker started right up. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks? I did add some fuel treatment to the tank now and hope the fix last, This was one of my best moments.

 

Great post thanks!

 

The fun part is in 2003, a lot of Ford vehicles went to integrated relays in the central junction box. A lot of them can't be bypassed (easily, at least) or replaced without replacing the entire fuse box. That said, the integrated relays are elevenity billion times more reliable than the old FOTZ and FOAB relays, but this is good information in this thread nonetheless.

 

Ive had a integrated relay fail on me. Well it didnt really fail but it was staying energized and draining my battery.

 

I've had a few with flaky fuel pump relay circuits, half assedly energizing the pump. But I can count them on one hand, the ones that have failed, I got a shoebox of FOABs and FOTZ-Bs I've replaced.

 

Yep it was my fuel pump relay! Why does this one fail? Whats up with it? Should I expect it to fail again or once I get a good one I should be OK?

 

This thread started 4 years ago and it's just as helpful today. Thank you SSCULLY for the detail you put in your thread. I almost bought a new pump because my shade tree skills were at their limit. I checked all the fuses and I tested the relay with the one next to it, turns out that relay is bad too. The bypass your friend told you about let me direct power the fuel pump without dropping the tank. 2 new relays, even though I don't tow very often, and I'm good as new. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to post technical threads. It saved me and I'm sure many others.

 

Thanks for info. I have click under dash and an apparent leak. Condensation on windshield after being parked for 2 weeks. Going to walk through the steps. Will post outcome. Betting and HOPING on relay issue. Intermittent problem now.