1999 F250 5.4L occasional fail to start

atlarge54 · Mar 10, 2023

1999 F250 5.4L manual trans 127,000 miles. Not driven daily and often sets for a month or two at a time. I do try to keep the tank nearly full to reduce condensation (location NE Indiana). Battery is great, when it fails to start cranking speed is excellent.

Over the past couple years when it has happened it always seemed to self-repair and I never knew if it was a spark or fuel issue. Yesterday (temp was above freezing) when it occurred I separated the intake clamp at the air filter and gave it a shot of starting fluid. The motor started and ran just fine - - - no smoke or stumble, runs just fine. So it appears to be a fuel issue. Any tips on where to start looking ? The dreaded spark plugs were done several years ago and are Motorcraft.

JCinKY · Mar 10, 2023

Drop the spare and climb under the truck.

The fuel pump driver module is locate on the frame above the spare tire. Salt and corrosion wreak havoc on the module.

The gas trucks don't have a fuel pump per se. The FPDM pulses fuel to the throttle body instead of holding constant pressure like a fuel pump.

Had a 2004 F150 that had an intermittent run issues. Usually started just fine. Sometime it would run all day, other times for 30 minutes. My FPDM was corroded and falling apart.

Took me a while to diagnose as a fuel pressure test was in spec.

wore out · Mar 10, 2023

First thing I would do is scan it for trouble codes with a scanner capable of reading pending codes.

Quite possibly won't find anything, but certainly a reasonable thing to do FIRST.

Have a fuel pressure gauge handy for the next time it acts up and check fuel pressure tight away.

fastfarmall · Mar 10, 2023

That's as bad as $750:00 for a oil change of a Ford pickup, this is 2nd hand, maybe some one got it mixed up !

mhb@ufe · Mar 10, 2023

I had the same problem with my 97. The aluminum module was bolted directly to the metal frame and corroded a hole through the module. The replacement
had spacers to keep it away from the frame.

Mark

Mike(NEOhio) · Mar 10, 2023

Have you ever changed the fuel filter? I used to do mine almost every year. Had it till it hit 248K and the only real issues were leaky intake
manifold gaskets. Put them in twice, had to replace a couple of coils bc they got flooded with coolant. Not your problem but another thing I did
was take off the throttle body and clean out the EGR passage.

leroy in ne · Mar 10, 2023

Don't know if this will apply to your issue or not but had an older explorer that you had to crank an extended amount of time if it wasn't used a few days cure was turn
switch to run for 5 or 10 seconds turn off a couple of seconds turn on 1 or 2 seconds then to start. Was told it was some thing about sensing pressure at fuel rail

Ohio88 · Mar 10, 2023

What JCinKY said had that on a 2004 F150. Put pressure gauge on fuel rail. It will show low or no pressure only when it fails to start.

Northvale PA · Mar 10, 2023

Try checking the fuel pump relay switch. You can hear it turn on and off when you turn the key, if
working. I replaced my fuel pump and dang, it was the $15 dollar relay that was bad.

davpal · Mar 10, 2023

I'm 100% certain you have a bad fuel pump. My 99 navigator with the 5.4
started doing the exact same thing. Mine would start in the summer but
cold weather would cause a no start condition. It got to the point one day
where it was very cold and it barely got me to work. Ordered a new
Motocraft pump from Rock auto for about $250 dollars and installed it
myself. Never had another hiccup from it now in the last 8 or so years
since I fixed it. The Motocraft pump had all the right connections and was
a direct bolt on.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 11, 2023

Put a long hose on the starter fluid can so you can give it a
shot when cranking.

I have many air cooled lawn mower engines that need a shot of
starter fluid to wake them up after they have sat for a week or
two.

One air cooled engine I put a rubber primer bulb like used on
outboard engines.

Sounds like you have a fuel issue.

Keep a fire extinguisher close by.

atlarge54 · Mar 17, 2023

Well today the truck started on it's own (37F temp) so I pulled it into the garage. After dropping the spare I see nothing that resembles a FPDM. This truck is a F250 Super Duty would that make any difference?

1999 F250 5.4L occasional fail to start

atlarge54

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JCinKY

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wore out

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fastfarmall

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mhb@ufe

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Mike(NEOhio)

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leroy in ne

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Ohio88

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Northvale PA

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davpal

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Geo-TH,In

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atlarge54

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