My 98 F 150 with 60K miles was in storage for a year and started right up with no problem until I drove it about 5 miles and then it would not start at first. It took about 20 tries to get it to start. There was no sign of it trying to start, just the sound of the starter. I drove it back home and tried to start it again and same problem. After it started I turned I off and on several times without a failure over several days. I took to a shop and they have not been able to get it to fail either. They found codes for lean fuel mixture and want to replace the relay, fuel filter and fuel pump. Is this common problem with 98 f 150 and do you think this is the way to go?

 

Try just changing the fuel filter first.

 

I would do that but I have to take a 1,000 mile trip in 5 days and if I am late arriving it will cost me 5,000. Is it probable that the fuel pump is the cause of the starting problem?

 

Do you know how to listen for the fuel pump ? Know what it sounds like when you key on.

Listen for it KOEO, before you start it so your familiar. Next time it doesn't start, do the same. If you don't hear the pump, then it's most likley the problem. To confirm, leave the key in run, crawl under the fuel tank and hit it kind of hard. If the fuel pump energizes after you hit it then yea, it's the pump. They start freezing up before going out totally,

That's really the quickest way without a bit of work and guessing.

Other than that, seems like renting a vehicle would be worthwhile in this situation.

 

My '99 4.2l had intermittent starting problems and then one day it stalled and nothing could get it going again. Yes, it was the fuel pump. If your truck only has 60k on it, that's amazingly low for a '98. When parts fail, I tend to think it's a combination of miles and time. So to answer your question: I can't say it's probably the fuel pump in the absence of of tests to confirm that, but from what you have described, it's possible.

 

I agree with the filter changing. You might also want to try draining your gas tank and putting fresh gas in. If you have less than half a tank you might get by with just filling up if the gas is your problem. You don't say where you're at (why do members do that?) and you don't say when a year ago was, so is there any chance you have winter fuel in the tank? There are about 20 different fuel mixtures based on location so where you are at can make a big difference. Winter fuel vaporizes easier in cold weather than summer gas because of the colder temperatures. (To help control emissions gas VOC's are controlled by season.) Summer's warmer temperatures make vaporizing gas easier and with winter gas the gas can vaporize too much, too soon which effects fuel flow and AFR. Sensors don't know the difference between air and fuel vapor. They just pursue a ratio of fuel to air and if too much of your air is actually fuel vapor the engine will run rich and be corrected to too lean. This gets involved with the effects of the evaporative emission vapor control system but can easily be found on the internet should you be interested. Bottom line, don't run winter gas in (a generic) summer not knowing where you are at.

I've spent some time in desert climates where 100+ during the day and near freezing at night reeks havoc on an engine. Just something to think about since you know when you last put fuel in the truck. You may also want to check\test the vapor control valve on your fuel tank. Since you obviously aren't pulling any fault codes other than lean otherwise you would have said so because of course you scanned for them, JMO, but I'd start with looking in to the emission control system.