STRANDED!

[Rick Nawotka]

MY SON'S '01 ST (150K MILES) OCCASIONALLY FAILS TO START (ONCE OR TWICE EVERY FEW MONTHS,WINTER OR SUMMER OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO).ALWAYS TURNS OVER LIKE CRAZY,BUT WON'T CATCH.SOMETIMES HE'LL WAIT 15 MIN. AND HE'S GOOD TO GO FOR A FEW MONTHS,BUT LATELY HE'S HAD TO COME BACK IN AN HOUR OR SO B4 IT WILL START.I'VE HAD IT IN THE SHOP TO TROUBLESHOOT AFTER THE LAST EPISODE (GAS,SPARK,ETC.),BUT IT'S TOUGH TO T/S WHEN IT'S NOT ACTING UP.I'M HOPING A BROADER AUDIENCE WILL YIELD SOME SUGGESTIONS/SOLUTIONS.YOU FOLKS HAVE NEVER FAILED ME YET(NO PRESSURE!).JUST NEED A GOOD STARTING POINT I GUESS.:wacko:

 

[Todd Z]

Fuel pump.....



Have him try turning the key to the ON position, BUT DO NOT start it.... Do this 4 or 5 times..



Then start...



Also try holding the gas pedal 1/4 down... IF it starts it is the IAC motor...



others will chime in, These are the basic two..



Todd Z

 

[Hal S]

Yeah, it's probably fuel pressure. There is a shrader valve (like a tire has) on the fuel rail. When it dies, you can unscrew the cap and just depress the valve (like letting air out of a tire). You should get a pretty good shot of fuel shooting out (even not running), but if it sputters (air) and not much fuel, you should look towards the pump.

 

[John Z]

If you find out that your fuel pump is not the problem - take a look at your Crankshaft Position Sensor (CKP). I had a car in the past that had the same exact problems that you are talking about, and it turned iout to be that sensor. As they begin to fail problems like that start to happen, then when they finally do faill all the way - the vehicle will not turn over until the CKP sensor is replaced.

 

[Scott Heckler]

Have you ever replaced the fuel filter? This is the exact sysmptoms you get when it gets clogged.