Extreme Cold - Engine starts Dies and may not restart

[TomB1269]

Here is the facts:
1. Only when tempature drops below 20 (may be 15). The temp does not have to be that low all night or all day IE midnight to 2 am 30 degrees and then drops until morning sun.
2. It has to be a cold start, ie block / truck at the current air tempature; as in first thing in the morning or after a full day at work after sunset.
3.It will start and die as if lossing fuel supply and may or may not start after repeated attempts (# of attempts until success varies if I succeed in starting it; if successful it will stay running).
4.It has done this and refused to start at 8am (temp 10 to 15) then wife tries at 2pm and truck starts (temp at best just over 20)
5.Dry gassed, fuel cleaner, new fuel filter. (PS we are running upto 10% ethanol, I thought that ethonal in the gas would stop line freezes)
6.Yes, fuel pump is turning on
7.Plugs & wire about 30K miles, plugs platinum.
8.I also tried wide open throttle starts, ie gas pedal on the floor.
9.No codes, truck runs Idles fine upon starting.
10.No notice of black smoke when and if it does after repeated attempts

Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[modelageek]

a few thoughts. is maf clean?, is iacv clean, clean the tb and the butterfly valve. air filter? PCV valve? ECT sensor?. you should consider a fuel pressure test especially when it is not starting.

*after i cleaned those parts I would disconnect the neg bat for 10 min to reboot the pcm

 

[modelageek]

also this is an interesting website to check out http://fordfuelinjection.com/

 

[dopey fudd]

when it stalls, try holding the throttle down, it should fire back up.

been fighting the same issue. only I get a check light that flashes .
what does it do when its warmer? does the throttle drop then surge?

 

[Rearanger]

This is going to be tough as it won't be fun with the temps that low. As always you need to determine if this is fuel or spark. My suspicion is you aren't running a rich enough mixture at low temp, but first I'd clean battery terminals then see if it will start, if no, check condition/output voltage of battery at temps below where it won't start. If the voltage is below normal then the PCM may not be able to send the proper signals to components or you may not be getting enough voltage to plugs. A simple jump start may prove or disprove this (follow jump start instructions in owners manual).

If battery voltage is good or jump start will not start vehicle then I'd look at fuel. When it starts and fails then won't start, or won't start from get go I'd spray some starter fluid down the intake tube and see if it will start then. ***You need to be careful with starting fluid so read the directions on the can first***. If vehicle starts then the system is not running rich enough mixture for cold start. I don't know at this point if there is much difference for instance, between the fuel delivery determined by the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor at below 20 to 10 degrees F as opposed to above 10F. Try what I suggest first then get back. I don't know how equiped you are to do component testing.

 

[modelageek]

If you have to hold the "Air"pedal down for it to start it is prob an IACV issue

 

[Viper Command]

do you think it could be water in your gas tank and when it gets cold it frezes the crap trap on the bottom of your fuel pump?

get a can of starting fluid as a test to see if it will start on those days, it wont stay running but you would know its only a fuel problem.

 

[modelageek]

dont think Tomb1269 is very serious about solving his issue

 

[TomB1269]

Modelageek, I am interested just been busy and forgot I posted this.
As for all the points above, I tried each of them (short of PCV & ECT Sensor) the fuel filter was replaced and we only had one cold enough night and it did it again. The best way to discribe it is its like a diesel in the cold, if it is too cold and the engines old the glowplugs on it may not be strong enough to heat the fuel to light the motor. The engine turns over fine. It is like I am not getting fuel. Viper Cammand had my thoughts, it just that we use 10% ethonal and I had dry gassed it. The trucks only 8 yrs old with 108k on the clock. I can not image that enough crud has built up that it could absorb enough and freeze enough to block the pickup, plus I do not hear fuel pump run on? It stops as if pressureized. I was think maybe I was getting pressure drop on the line and then some condinsation it the line toward the engine. As the air temp does not have to rasie above 30 and the truck will start later in the day. I have had the opposite, come out after work on a 15 degree or colder day and 2 hours or so after sunset (6 to 7pm-ish) and had it give me a hard time but eventually start.

 

[Viper Command]

Well I was thinking the fuel station has water in there tanks, and you pump it not knowing.

try a water asorbing agent next time when its cold and see what that does.

 

[TomB1269]

I had dropped in dry gas already....... Also it is my understanding the 10% ethonal we are using now does the same????

 

[Spitfire1975]

I may be WAY off here, but throwing out an idea. Would a bad check valve in the fuel pump act up more in the extreme cold, not allowing proper fuel pressure build up and delivery?

Maybe IMEnriched could clarify?

 

[TomB1269]

I may be WAY off here, but throwing out an idea. Would a bad check valve in the fuel pump act up more in the extreme cold, not allowing proper fuel pressure build up and delivery?

Maybe IMEnriched could clarify?

Are trying to say there is a check ball valve in the pump? (does make sense to stop fuel from bleeding back to the tank)
If the check ball were not seating well, or better yet icing up / sticking some how as to stop fuel flow, that would make a lot of sense. The truck will tend to start, run a minute or so then die and will be extremely difficult to re-fire, if at all.

 

[Spitfire1975]

That is what I am thinking. It runs long enough to use up the fuel and then cuts out. Won't run again until the valve frees up and can get fuel flowing again.

IMEnriched has been talking about how bad check valves will create a hard to no start condition (lots of cranking before it catches and fires)

Could be your issue if you have to crank a lot under normal conditions.