intermittent starting problems - 1998 GT

Hi guys,

I hope I'm not breaking this group's netiquette by posting a repair
question, but I could not find a recent FAQ for r.a.m.f.m.

Anyway, I've got a 1998 Musting GT convertible with no major
modifications that I bought new. It's got just under 100,000 miles.
Lately, it's been having an intermittent starting problem. I think the
problem only happens when the engine is warm, but I am not 100% sure of
this.

Anyway, the engine cranks fine and occasionally a cylinder or several
fire and the engine sputters, but it will not start.

However, so far, at least, I've been able to get the car started by
waiting 20-30 minutes and trying again. If the car is cold (has been
sitting overnight, for example) I have not yet had this problem.

When the engine is running, it runs smoothly, and even idles smoothly
once started.

I (think I have) ruled out:

- bad gas (happened on different tanks of gas from different vendors)
- dirt/sludge at bottom of gas tank (happens near full or near empty)
- dirty injectors (well, I ran a bottle of STP injector cleaner
through the tank, for what that's worth)
- battery (the engine cranks vigorously)

I suspect the fuel pump, filter, etc, but don't want to go replacing
parts willy-nilly just to find out.

Because the problem is intermittent, and I can't drive the car to a
mechanic when it won't start, I am having a hard time getting it
diagnosed!

Any help would be appreciated. By th way, I'm in the CA Bay Area, so a
mechanic recommendation would also be appreciated!

thanks,
Dave J
jacobowitz73 --at-- yahoo --dot-- com

"Dave J" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Hi guys,
>
> I hope I'm not breaking this group's netiquette by posting a repair
> question, but I could not find a recent FAQ for r.a.m.f.m.
>
> Anyway, I've got a 1998 Musting GT convertible with no major
> modifications that I bought new. It's got just under 100,000 miles.
> Lately, it's been having an intermittent starting problem. I think the
> problem only happens when the engine is warm, but I am not 100% sure of
> this.
>
> Anyway, the engine cranks fine and occasionally a cylinder or several
> fire and the engine sputters, but it will not start.
>
> However, so far, at least, I've been able to get the car started by
> waiting 20-30 minutes and trying again. If the car is cold (has been
> sitting overnight, for example) I have not yet had this problem.
>
> When the engine is running, it runs smoothly, and even idles smoothly
> once started.

Sounds like you are some how flooding it.
Does it smell like gas around the car when it won't start?

> I (think I have) ruled out:
>
> - bad gas (happened on different tanks of gas from different vendors)
> - dirt/sludge at bottom of gas tank (happens near full or near empty)
> - dirty injectors (well, I ran a bottle of STP injector cleaner
> through the tank, for what that's worth)
> - battery (the engine cranks vigorously)
>
> I suspect the fuel pump, filter, etc, but don't want to go replacing
> parts willy-nilly just to find out.
>
> Because the problem is intermittent, and I can't drive the car to a
> mechanic when it won't start, I am having a hard time getting it
> diagnosed!
>
> Any help would be appreciated. By th way, I'm in the CA Bay Area, so a
> mechanic recommendation would also be appreciated!
>
> thanks,
> Dave J
> jacobowitz73 --at-- yahoo --dot-- com
>

"goodnigh" > wrote in news:K1Uqh.14873$X72.14695
@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net:

> Sounds like you are some how flooding it.
> Does it smell like gas around the car when it won't start?

Please explain how you flood an EFI car.

I don't think I am flooding it. Like all EFI cars, I don't give it any
gas when starting. Perhaps the computer is flooding the engine, though,
because of a bad sensor or something.

-- dave j

elaich wrote:
> "goodnigh" > wrote in news:K1Uqh.14873$X72.14695
> @newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net:
>
> > Sounds like you are some how flooding it.
> > Does it smell like gas around the car when it won't start?
>
> Please explain how you flood an EFI car.

"Dave J" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Hi guys,
>
> I hope I'm not breaking this group's netiquette by posting a repair
> question, but I could not find a recent FAQ for r.a.m.f.m.

There's no netiquette here, but you'd be fine, anyway...

> Anyway, I've got a 1998 Musting GT convertible with no major
> modifications that I bought new. It's got just under 100,000 miles.
> Lately, it's been having an intermittent starting problem. I think the
> problem only happens when the engine is warm, but I am not 100% sure of
> this.
>
> Anyway, the engine cranks fine and occasionally a cylinder or several
> fire and the engine sputters, but it will not start.
>
> However, so far, at least, I've been able to get the car started by
> waiting 20-30 minutes and trying again. If the car is cold (has been
> sitting overnight, for example) I have not yet had this problem.

Do a Google search on "mustang tfi module", and see if you recognize the
symptoms.

I had an '88 (4 cylinder) that would get me home fine, but wouldn't start
back up again five minutes later. Wait 20 to 30 minutes, and the TFI module
would cool down enough to let the engine restart.

dwight
www.tfrog93.com

"Dave J" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> I don't think I am flooding it. Like all EFI cars, I don't give it any
> gas when starting. Perhaps the computer is flooding the engine, though,
> because of a bad sensor or something.
>
> -- dave j

Does the exhaust smell like gas?

"dwight" > wrote in message
. ..
> "Dave J" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >
> > Hi guys,
> >
> > I hope I'm not breaking this group's netiquette by posting a repair
> > question, but I could not find a recent FAQ for r.a.m.f.m.
>
> There's no netiquette here, but you'd be fine, anyway...
>
> > Anyway, I've got a 1998 Musting GT convertible with no major
> > modifications that I bought new. It's got just under 100,000 miles.
> > Lately, it's been having an intermittent starting problem. I think the
> > problem only happens when the engine is warm, but I am not 100% sure of
> > this.
> >
> > Anyway, the engine cranks fine and occasionally a cylinder or several
> > fire and the engine sputters, but it will not start.
> >
> > However, so far, at least, I've been able to get the car started by
> > waiting 20-30 minutes and trying again. If the car is cold (has been
> > sitting overnight, for example) I have not yet had this problem.
>
> Do a Google search on "mustang tfi module", and see if you recognize the
> symptoms.
>
> I had an '88 (4 cylinder) that would get me home fine, but wouldn't start
> back up again five minutes later. Wait 20 to 30 minutes, and the TFI
module
> would cool down enough to let the engine restart.
>
> dwight

My experience is the opposite. Starts and dies after some time. Could be a
few minutes or a few seconds. Warmer the engine the shorter time it runs.

Al

Hmm. This car, a '98 with the 4.6L V8 has a newer distibutorless
ignition system -- no TFI module per se.

Still, your point that it makes sense to look at the ignition system is
a good one.

-- dave j

dwight wrote:
> "Dave J" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >
> > Hi guys,
> >
> > I hope I'm not breaking this group's netiquette by posting a repair
> > question, but I could not find a recent FAQ for r.a.m.f.m.
>
> There's no netiquette here, but you'd be fine, anyway...
>
> > Anyway, I've got a 1998 Musting GT convertible with no major
> > modifications that I bought new. It's got just under 100,000 miles.
> > Lately, it's been having an intermittent starting problem. I think the
> > problem only happens when the engine is warm, but I am not 100% sure of
> > this.
> >
> > Anyway, the engine cranks fine and occasionally a cylinder or several
> > fire and the engine sputters, but it will not start.
> >
> > However, so far, at least, I've been able to get the car started by
> > waiting 20-30 minutes and trying again. If the car is cold (has been
> > sitting overnight, for example) I have not yet had this problem.
>
> Do a Google search on "mustang tfi module", and see if you recognize the
> symptoms.
>
> I had an '88 (4 cylinder) that would get me home fine, but wouldn't start
> back up again five minutes later. Wait 20 to 30 minutes, and the TFI module
> would cool down enough to let the engine restart.
>
> dwight
> www.tfrog93.com

"Dave J" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Hmm. This car, a '98 with the 4.6L V8 has a newer distibutorless
> ignition system -- no TFI module per se.
>
> Still, your point that it makes sense to look at the ignition system is
> a good one.
>
> -- dave j

Sorry... Reading and comprehension is going down the toilet as I age. I
thought it was an '88, not '98...

duh-wight


>
> dwight wrote:
>> "Dave J" > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> >
>> > Hi guys,
>> >
>> > I hope I'm not breaking this group's netiquette by posting a repair
>> > question, but I could not find a recent FAQ for r.a.m.f.m.
>>
>> There's no netiquette here, but you'd be fine, anyway...
>>
>> > Anyway, I've got a 1998 Musting GT convertible with no major
>> > modifications that I bought new. It's got just under 100,000 miles.
>> > Lately, it's been having an intermittent starting problem. I think the
>> > problem only happens when the engine is warm, but I am not 100% sure of
>> > this.
>> >
>> > Anyway, the engine cranks fine and occasionally a cylinder or several
>> > fire and the engine sputters, but it will not start.
>> >
>> > However, so far, at least, I've been able to get the car started by
>> > waiting 20-30 minutes and trying again. If the car is cold (has been
>> > sitting overnight, for example) I have not yet had this problem.
>>
>> Do a Google search on "mustang tfi module", and see if you recognize the
>> symptoms.
>>
>> I had an '88 (4 cylinder) that would get me home fine, but wouldn't start
>> back up again five minutes later. Wait 20 to 30 minutes, and the TFI
>> module
>> would cool down enough to let the engine restart.
>>
>> dwight
>> www.tfrog93.com
>

> Does the exhaust smell like gas?

I don't know, but the next time I have this problem I will definitely
go out and check it. The car has not misbehaved in 48 hours. Which is
good. And bad.

-- dave j