Hi,
Talking about a 1993 Ford E350. Gas engine. 5.8L V8 351.
To keep this shorter, I'll skip a lot of details, and try to hit the highlights.
Starting last summer, this truck / van began having hard starting problems. Never when cold, but happens when hot, especially after long driving.
I've been told that it's a fuel system problem. The fuel filter was changed, with no improvement. Then I had a pressure gauge put on the fuel system, which showed a fuel pressure leak. Starting somewhere around 70 PSI, I'm told it should lose 5 to 10 PSI in about 10 minutes and still be normal. In roughly that amount of time, mine dropped down to about 20 PSI. Not "by", but "to" 20 PSI.
The mechanic who did that pressure test told me that he thinks it's a bad check valve on the fuel pump. He recommended replacing the fuel pump. I haven't done that yet because I'm not convinced it's the fuel pump, knowing the pump was replaced 3 years ago, with very little mileage put on the vehicle since then (10-15K).
My current dilemma:
I don't know whether the problem is the fuel pump or the fuel pressure regulator, or some other part of the fuel system that might be leaking pressure. I don't want to replace the fuel pump just on a hunch as it is expensive and very time consuming.
As for the other option, although it only costs $20, the fuel pressure regulator is a severe pain in the ass to get to, seeming to require a special tool or some type of articulated allen wrench.
If anybody has any ideas that could help me _easily_ determine which part is faulty, so I don't waste time, effort, and money, I'd really appreciate it.
My only clue comes in the form of answers (which I don't have) to two questions:
1. It would seem to me that either the fuel pump, or the pressure regulator, or both, or neither, would align with the symptom of hard starting when hot. Just logically, how could a faulty check valve on the fuel pump affect starting only when it's hot, rather than at all times?
2. Is it logical that only one of those two parts, while going bad, could still last for 7 months and over 5,000 miles? If not, this may be something else like a fuel injector or bad timing.
Thanks for any help you can give,
Tom
Talking about a 1993 Ford E350. Gas engine. 5.8L V8 351.
To keep this shorter, I'll skip a lot of details, and try to hit the highlights.
Starting last summer, this truck / van began having hard starting problems. Never when cold, but happens when hot, especially after long driving.
I've been told that it's a fuel system problem. The fuel filter was changed, with no improvement. Then I had a pressure gauge put on the fuel system, which showed a fuel pressure leak. Starting somewhere around 70 PSI, I'm told it should lose 5 to 10 PSI in about 10 minutes and still be normal. In roughly that amount of time, mine dropped down to about 20 PSI. Not "by", but "to" 20 PSI.
The mechanic who did that pressure test told me that he thinks it's a bad check valve on the fuel pump. He recommended replacing the fuel pump. I haven't done that yet because I'm not convinced it's the fuel pump, knowing the pump was replaced 3 years ago, with very little mileage put on the vehicle since then (10-15K).
My current dilemma:
I don't know whether the problem is the fuel pump or the fuel pressure regulator, or some other part of the fuel system that might be leaking pressure. I don't want to replace the fuel pump just on a hunch as it is expensive and very time consuming.
As for the other option, although it only costs $20, the fuel pressure regulator is a severe pain in the ass to get to, seeming to require a special tool or some type of articulated allen wrench.
If anybody has any ideas that could help me _easily_ determine which part is faulty, so I don't waste time, effort, and money, I'd really appreciate it.
My only clue comes in the form of answers (which I don't have) to two questions:
1. It would seem to me that either the fuel pump, or the pressure regulator, or both, or neither, would align with the symptom of hard starting when hot. Just logically, how could a faulty check valve on the fuel pump affect starting only when it's hot, rather than at all times?
2. Is it logical that only one of those two parts, while going bad, could still last for 7 months and over 5,000 miles? If not, this may be something else like a fuel injector or bad timing.
Thanks for any help you can give,
Tom