No-start
 

I may have posted this in the wrong sub-forum so i have moved it here:

Several months ago my 1995 5.0 began the no-start. Engine was turning over, but not seeming to get fuel. I'd come back in a few hours, or a day later, and it would start. I researched this online and that's when my non-mechanical head started imploding.
There could be so many things to check, it was dizzying. The problem began happening more often and of course I could no longer ignore it -- problem was getting it to happen when the mechanics showed up. Finally last week she wouldn't crank and I had Hank the Tank towed to the shop. They kept it three days and wanted to keep it longer to "drive" it but they did change the coil and ignition control module -- I but I needed it for work. I was skeptical, and sure enough, last night Hank had another no-start. Again I poured over the internet and tried a suggested tip -- gently tapping the fuel pump & gas tank with a rubber mallet. Hank fired right up. I am now cautiously waiting for the next no-start to see it this was coincidence or not. I'm quite sure it's the original fuel pump.

For what it's worth, it has two gas tanks and the rear tank stopped working 3 years ago; I never had it repaired because $$ and I only drive it back and forth to work, using my wife's car for other trips. Also, once the truck starts, it always runs fine. It has never sputtered or died while running.

I simply can't afford to keep towing it to the shop and having parts replaced willy-nilly. I also can't really afford a new vehicle right now. I'm up the creek, up to Hank's axles...

By the sounds the fuel pump is not working properly, if you hit it and it started than perhaps something was jammed and you fixed it. If it continues, changing it would be best. Fairly easy job if the strap bolts aint to awful rusty...

Thanks Junk-man. I'm hoping you're right and that tap did the trick, but at this point I'm not very optimistic it won't happen again.

One thing, though. You said it's an easy job, and it sure looks easy to get to when I crawl under there. I can put my hand around most of it..but I'been told it requires either dropping a fuel tank or lifting the bed. That certainly doesn't seem to be the case, though (???).

as far as I know yes that is what would have to be done. The assembly is rather long so even though you could get it started i do not believe you could get it out all the way without something giving either the bed or the tank. I did see a guy just hack out the bed floor once so that's probably the quickest way, it just really depends on how much you love you're truck. I think dropping the tank is probably easiest, it requires a lot less rusty bolts to remove.

Don't the 95 F150's have two pumps, if they have EFI? A low pressure pump in the tank and high pressure inline. I think that you're talking about both here.

The high pressure pumps on at least the later F150's is easy to get to, up by the engine bay. Not sure about 95.

Again this morning truck had the "crank-no-start" problem -- tapped the fuel tank and fuel pump -- no luck. I opened the hood and jiggled the spark plug wires. Truck started right up.

So maybe bad plug wires or the distributor?

I called the shop who'd replaced the ignition module and the coil, they agreed to refund the two parts and try a new distributor, but can't my present one be tested first?

Did you wiggle them at the plugs or distributor? It could have potentially been just a bad connection.

Kinda both, about midway -- at the harness. The shop reimbursed me for the ICM and coil -- they said they had saved my old parts because they weren't sure if they solved the problem two weeks ago. Installed a new distributor. They are saving the old one just in case. They told me it was not "spinning well."

If you wiggled plugs and it started I don' t see how that could have been the distributors fault. The distributers job is to supply power to the plugs in sequence, if it was not spinning correctly it would cause a misfire or would not run at all, i would say quicker bad or corroded connectors if wiggling them made it start, did they check the wires or did you at least inspect the ends for corrosion or damage?

Unfortunately, I had to leave work, and get back to work, when I went and wiggled the wires. That's when I called the shop and they said they'd come right out and also swap back out the unnecessary parts. That seemed very reasonable at the time yesterday. I was assuming I had zeroed in on the problem and they could take it from there. I'm also guessing they were smart enough to check the wires/connections since that's what kicked this whole thing off, anyway.

My plans are to pull the wires myself this weekend and check the connections for corrosion. I might even replace them all.