Got an 02 f150 with a 4.2 and manual trans and some times when I get in to start it, it fires up quick and strong. Other times it turns over for a few seconds before firing off. Then it kind if chugs to life and slowly gets better. I've cleaned the maf sensor throttle body and iac. It helped a little but not much. Starter still sounds strong and turns the motor fine. It has a strong smell of gas when it does it almost like it flooded or something. Any idea what might fix it?

 

Fuel filter.

 

Changed filter a while ago. It did it before and after the change.

 

Check your fuel pressure...fuel first.

 

Try putting your foot all the way to the floor while cranking. If it still starts it means you have a fuel leak. Going WOT on startup actually shuts off the fuel injectors (auto flood clear mode) so you'll know youre leaking if it still starts.

 

my truck does that and, my mechanic uncle concluded its a sensor in or around the fuel pump going out, I forgot what it was called. no leaks , no bad starter, full pressure is fine so I would gamble hes right

 

scratch that, you may hae a bad oring in the fuel rail perhaps, definetly a fuel leak if your smelling fuel

 

Strong smell of gas ? I missed that! Yea, you need to track that down. Sounds like a regulator issue.

 

i missed that too lol, so I was like scratch that first post lol. but I had a guy come to autozne last week and his problem was a bad oring on fuel rails

 

Yea, that could be it. have to track that down. Open the hood, light a match, follow the flame.


Second thought, probably not a good idea.