98 Explorer Starting Problem

1998 Explorer with Big V6 2x2 drive - 140,000 miles

I'm having a problem with my Explorer and have had my primary mechanic come
up with nothing after 2 attempts.

It won't start after being driven for awhile in warm to hot weather and the
AC has been running.

It will turn over, but no sign of ignition - if it were a carburetor it
sounds and act's like vapor lock.

What has me baffled even if you leave it and let is cool all the way down
ie over night - sometimes it won't start even then - which leaves me
thinking that it is not heat or AC linked.

Battery fine, Alternator is putting out correct voltage and amperage.

Anybody with thoughts or similar problems.

"MS Jordan" > wrote in message
4...
> 1998 Explorer with Big V6 2x2 drive - 140,000 miles
>
> I'm having a problem with my Explorer and have had my primary mechanic
come
> up with nothing after 2 attempts.
>
> It won't start after being driven for awhile in warm to hot weather and
the
> AC has been running.
>
> It will turn over, but no sign of ignition - if it were a carburetor it
> sounds and act's like vapor lock.

Does it have spark? You say "no sign of ignition" and then say "vapor
lock." I assume the engine is cranking if you are saying this.

>
> What has me baffled even if you leave it and let is cool all the way down
> ie over night - sometimes it won't start even then - which leaves me
> thinking that it is not heat or AC linked.
>
> Battery fine, Alternator is putting out correct voltage and
amperage.

Are you absolutely certain that the battery is OK? Did you check each cell
with a hydrometer after it has set for a while? I had a situation on my '97
where sometimes it would start and sometimes it would not. It turned out
that two of my battery's cells were a bit weak. I was sure the battery was
not the problem. What I do think was the problem was a dirty connection on
the crankcase position sensor which on my particular engine (4.0 V6 OHC) is
in the front below the crankshaft. I cleaned the connection and replaced
the battery and the problem is gone. I did not have spark but the coil
checked out OK and the voltage to the coil was OK too. So, either the
computer would not allow ignition because of a low voltage situation or it
would not allow it because it did not know the crankcase position. Two easy
things to check anyway...

Good luck.

>
> Anybody with thoughts or similar problems.

Have you tried cleaning the battery terminals?

"MS Jordan" > wrote in message
4...
> 1998 Explorer with Big V6 2x2 drive - 140,000 miles
>
> I'm having a problem with my Explorer and have had my primary mechanic
> come
> up with nothing after 2 attempts.
>
> It won't start after being driven for awhile in warm to hot weather and
> the
> AC has been running.
>
> It will turn over, but no sign of ignition - if it were a carburetor it
> sounds and act's like vapor lock.
>
> What has me baffled even if you leave it and let is cool all the way down
> ie over night - sometimes it won't start even then - which leaves me
> thinking that it is not heat or AC linked.
>
> Battery fine, Alternator is putting out correct voltage and amperage.
>
> Anybody with thoughts or similar problems.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Is there a fuel pump relay like there is for the 94? My 94 had same
problem which turned out to be fuel pump relay located under the hood.

Just a long shot ...saw you had no solution posted.

Good luck.

Sam in Raleigh.

1) Battery less than a 18 months old, so pretty sure that is not the
problem
2) Battery cables and terminal
- when it 1st occured I thought that was the problem - so new cables
and gave the battery posts a good cleaning

3) When the engine cranks it pumps gas, so agin I pretty sure that is not
the program

I will give the issue of timing a look -

thanks for the help and suggestions

Problem solved (I think)

The suggestion from Ulysses on the Crankcase Postion Sensor turned out to
be intermittant.

New sensor - running car

Thanks for the help