most of the time the car runs great but on occasion it is very hard to start. it will crank and not even try. but i found out if i hold the gas pedal in it will start but smokes for a few seconds. otherwise it runs great and has good power.

Have it checked for codes, but it sounds like you have a bad ecu engine temp sensor.

 

 

nipper

it was checked for codes a while back and it has a code for the cat. the check engine light is always on so it's possable it's throwing another code and i don't know it.

It sounds like the injector may be leaking intermittently and gas flooding the engine, making it hard to start.

It sounds like the injector may be leaking intermittently and gas flooding the engine, making it hard to start.

 

This sounds likely, it's a problem I have right now and my car takes a little bit to start but starts every time. However, some food for thought; have your car ran for codes again at a parts store, you may have a failing cam position sensor. Mine was going and as it got worse it got harder and harder to start (on occasion(usually while it was hot)) until finally it refused to start all together. I replaced just the cam sensor and she fired right up even with a near dead battery. I then replaced the knock sensor but that's besides the point.

It sounds like the injector may be leaking intermittently and gas flooding the engine, making it hard to start.

Since it starts more easily with the pedal depressed, Cougar may well be right. Holding the pedal down to the floor "unloads" it, just like doing that opens both the throttle and choke on most carbureted engines.

Since it starts more easily with the pedal depressed, Cougar may well be right. Holding the pedal down to the floor "unloads" it, just like doing that opens both the throttle and choke on most carbureted engines.

 

and here i was thinking it would be giving a WOT condition like a cold start would (more fuel)

 

nipper

This is from the '99 Owner's Manual (which is at hand, for perhaps obvious reasons ), but should be applicable to all similar models.

 

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Flooded engine

 

If the engine does not start, it may be flooded (excessive fuel in the engine).

 

In case of a flooded engine, turn the starter motor for five seconds with the accelerator pedal fully depressed. Repeat this two or three times until the engine starts. Release the ignition switch and accelerator pedal as soon as the engine starts.

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Fortunately, unlike on a carb, there's no accelerator pump.

i just found out that i doesn't do it in the morning. only after being driven.

would a leaking injector turn on the cel

It could generate a code but it would be from the O2 sensor or CAT.

My wife's '96 was doing that same thing. When warm, step on gas to get it started.

 

I have a reader, and it was a cam sensor.

My wife's '96 was doing that same thing. When warm, step on gas to get it started.

 

I have a reader, and it was a cam sensor.

Magnetic fields weaken with heat, and clearances can also change. A sensor that's marginal might become balky when warm. Under any circumstance, getting trouble codes read is the first step.

thanks for the help i'll let you know what i find out.

i got 2 codes.

 

p0420(catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 1) which i knew about for a while, anyone know what this means.

 

p0115( engine coolant temperature circuit malfunction)

The P040 means the engine is running too rich and it is probably due to the bad CTS sensor or the wiring to it which the second code is saying. Before replacing the CTS sensor make sure there is voltage getting to it and the wiring to it is okay. If the ECU doesn't see that the engine has warmed up using the CTS signal it will make the engine run rich.

the car has had the p0420 for a while now and has always ran fine. so does this mean that the sensor was acting up a while ago but now just started causing problems

It could be the CTS was going out. It is hard to say. You need to check the sensor and the wiring to it. After you correct that then the other code will most likely go away.

put the temp sensor in and after driving around a little the engine light went out

Good deal. Thanks for the feedback.