Hello everyone. I did a search of this issue and found some similar cases to mine but different enough that I didn’t feel was the same issue.

2013 3.5 ecoboost, 55,000 miles, oil change schedule maintained with motocraft oil and filter every time.

So the issue I’m having is a long crank sometimes when starting. It’s pretty intermittent, but seems to happen mostly after the engine has reached temp and then has sat for about 30 or so minutes.

Usually when it it happens it’s just a few extra cranks which is noticeable since it’s usually fast to start.

When its bad, it has the extended crank time and then a rough idle for about 0.5 second immediately following the crank and sounds like it’s going to die, but levels out at the last minute and idles smoothly.

I’ve tried immediately shutting it down when it acts up and starting it again and it has started smoothly every single time.

I changed the the spark plugs thinking that might be it, as the maintenance schedule said I was getting close to needing it anyway, and it ran great for about two days. I changed them Friday evening, and by Sunday afternoon it was doing it again.

I double checked the gap from the factory and they came in at .028. As with the oil and filter I used motocraft plugs.

Any ideas what direction I should head in next?