arrrgh no start ,..at the end of my rope,....

PB

pbeggs

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
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114
Location
southern maine
ok brainiacs,
2010 ford E350 cutaway with a gas v8 collins conversion
will not start randomly (i thought it was cold related but today was in the 40's)
brand new battery (yesterday)
started ran great brought it home from garage
son moved bus early am to plow melting slush
mid afternoon tried to move bus cranks as it should,,, no start
any ideas about what could be causing this? is there a ignition interlock i should check? appears to be totally random if it will start or not:banghead:
 

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pbeggs said:
ok brainiacs,
2010 ford E350 cutaway with a gas v8 collins conversion
will not start randomly (i thought it was cold related but today was in the 40's)
brand new battery (yesterday)
started ran great brought it home from garage
son moved bus early am to plow melting slush
mid afternoon tried to move bus cranks as it should,,, no start
any ideas about what could be causing this? is there a ignition interlock i should check? appears to be totally random if it will start or not:banghead:
Click to expand...

Tell us more.

Does it beep?

Does it click?

Does it crank (turn-over, but no start)

Is it really moist/humid & have ground issue?
 
cranks (very fast,..fresh battery yesterday,.) have it on charger to replace cranking loss
when it starts,... it starts instantly
bright lights
not a real humid area (just got done with -10 for a week)
not frozen (+40 today)
you can go out start it then a few hours later it wont start,.. then maybe the next day it will start. or not
 
pbeggs said:
cranks (very fast,..fresh battery yesterday,.) have it on charger to replace cranking loss
when it starts,... it starts instantly
bright lights
not a real humid area (just got done with -10 for a week)
not frozen (+40 today)
you can go out start it then a few hours later it wont start,.. then maybe the next day it will start. or not
Click to expand...

Yeah, I still suspect humidity playing a role. Check the ground on the ECM computer (under seat?). Does your bus/State have corrosion/salt?
 
Check on a ford forum. A quick search suggests that it could be the crank position sensor. Lots of folks have reported similar issues with that sensor being one of the main culprits.
 
I know the older fords had 2 fuel pumps, 1 in the tank and 1 on the frame rail. If either one wasn't working they would sometimes run and sometimes not run. P.S. I hate cars.... Try starting fluid for diagnosing.
 
pbeggs said:
cranks (very fast,..fresh battery yesterday,.) have it on charger to replace cranking loss
when it starts,... it starts instantly
bright lights
not a real humid area (just got done with -10 for a week)
not frozen (+40 today)
you can go out start it then a few hours later it wont start,.. then maybe the next day it will start. or not
Click to expand...
Guessing it's a sticky bendix or some kinda solenoid or relay

Sent from my VS500PP using Tapatalk
 
Lots of possibilities but you can do some basic tests... Such as, check for spark, and if you have spark, that rules out entire classes of issue. If not you have a fairly small number of things to check next.

Similarly, if you spray in some starting fluid, that briefly removes the "fuel" requirement for combustion. If you get sputters with starting fluid and nothing without it, you've narrowed the issue down to fuel delivery.
 
thanks all
the garage that "fixed it" came and towed it again (im not paying for another tow when all i did was drive it home then had same problem)
i think there gonna look at it not just assume that it was the dead battery ( i cranked it till the batt was dying then it sat for 2 weeks in sub zero temps)
 
brokedown said:
Lots of possibilities but you can do some basic tests... Such as, check for spark, and if you have spark, that rules out entire classes of issue. If not you have a fairly small number of things to check next.

Similarly, if you spray in some starting fluid, that briefly removes the "fuel" requirement for combustion. If you get sputters with starting fluid and nothing without it, you've narrowed the issue down to fuel delivery.
Click to expand...

Just be darn careful if removing/installing a spark plug on this 5.4 engine. Look into these motors if you aren't familiar!
 
One thing that gets over looked in the Fords is the ECU relay. I've been chasing a random no start issue. I replaced the fuel sending unit, fuel filter with the the sender, fuel pump relay, replaced multiple fuses, a few other sensors and electrical parts. My neighbor had the same issue with his and they replaced the power distribution panel under the hood, but didn't replace all the fuses and relays. It ended up being the ECU relay. He spent almost $2000 chasing that no start issue on a $1500 truck.
 
I had a 2010 truck withe the same motor and almost identical electrical that loved a fuel pump fuse. After many trips/towers to the dealer it took a local tow to a junk yard friend of mine to his shop and his junkyard mechanics to figure it out.
After that I carried extra fuses for when it happened instead of a full computer replacement that the dealer wanted and didn't want to pay for.
Cheap fix for that truck and maybe not the real fix but 4-fuses in 2-years means there is a problem that even the dealer didn't want to touch.
 
Jolly Roger bus 223 said:
I had a 2010 truck withe the same motor and almost identical electrical that loved a fuel pump fuse. After many trips/towers to the dealer it took a local tow to a junk yard friend of mine to his shop and his junkyard mechanics to figure it out.
After that I carried extra fuses for when it happened instead of a full computer replacement that the dealer wanted and didn't want to pay for.
Cheap fix for that truck and maybe not the real fix but 4-fuses in 2-years means there is a problem that even the dealer didn't want to touch.
Click to expand...
I have ran into fuel pumps that were going bad and they would pull to much power from drag due to bad bushings/bearings and pop fuses randomly. It always seems to be Ford. I've never had luck with a Ford made after 1979.
 
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