Scott W

I hope someone here can halp with this. I'm stumped. I have a 2000 f150, 4.6 with 230,000 miles. i went to start it a few days ago and it would turn over but not start. its been a few days and i still cant figure it out. heres what i have come up with so far. the fuel filter, plugs and relay have all been replaced within the last 6 months. it will turn over just wont start. had battery tested and its good. tested fuel pressure and its 35. checked to see if its getting spark and it is.

so here's weird thing. yesterday afternoon. i put a code checker on it and it wouldnt read. the cig lighter wouldnt work either so i replaced the fuse. now i got a killer short and when the cig lighter is pushed in the volts on the battery drop to around 3. when i turn the ignition on the lights flash, i assume this is the relay that keep the battery from draining. and now it wont turn over at all. so i know theres a short somewhere but dont know if this is a new problem in addition to my original problem or if they are related. any help would be great...

Scott W

i took the starter out and the battery was to weak to test the starter. took the battery back to get tested again and it had a bad cell. i got a new battery. the starter tested fine. Now i'm back to square one. the truck turns over just like before and doesnt start...

A7X

The cigarette lighter and obd are on the same fuse... I'd chase those wires out for a short.
If you can't read it with a scanner, something's wrong there... sorry I couldn't be much help

Scott W

there was no short in the wire. it was a bad lighter. scanner reads now but shows no codes stored.

pickupsrule

Could be a massive vacuum leak in the fuel injection system, maybe a junction or hose. If you have a leak in the right place the truck will not start because the injection computer reads air to function regardless of fuel pressure or not. Make sure no vacuum connections have come loose. Maybe the timing chain or tensioner has come loose and jumped timing or broken?
That's all I can think of.
Good luck.
PS: If none of that works and it was me, I would have it towed to the Ford dealership and let them handle it. Life is too short for such irritation.

Scott W

well i still cant get this thing started. glad i have another car to drive while i'm figuring it out. no vaccum leaks.

i have one more idea and a question before i break down and tow it to ford.

I can get an ECM from a local salvage yard for $32 if i take it out myself. i realize it may be a long shot to actually get the right one but it seems worth the money.

My question is this, is it possible that i have a short somewhere that can be taking too much of the battery volts when i try to start? I've had electrical problems with this truck for a few years but they've never caused engine problems.

Thanks for the help.

AFSOCSGT

Low voltage can cause the fuel pump to run slow, low coil spark, but with the ECM grounding out it might have fried it, try the junk yard one.

bobkyle2

check for fire??

Scott W

well i finally broke down and pulled this thing to the ford dealership this morning. I let you all know what the outcome is.

Scott W

got the call from ford. no codes and couldnt find anything wrong with the truck. An hour and a half later it started right up

So i got to pay ford to find no problem and now my truck runs. best thing they could come up with is that it was flooded out. You got me. maybe it was bad gas, who knows.