Ocassionally wont start HELP

[bflood]

Ok this one is totally odd and I have no idea where to start. My wifes 1999 Ford Contour 2.5L V-6 "Sport" model always starts and drives great except when you drive on a longer trip and then cools down completely.

Then the starter works fine and the car turns over fine, but won't start. Here is the wierd part, If you walk away for a couple hours and come back it will start on the first try everytime.

If you drive on a short trip it's never a problem... always starts.

If you drive on a long trip it's fine as long as the car doesn't cool down. Starts fine then. But if you drive aproximately 30 minutes and then let the car completely cool down it won't start. Starter turns but no starting, try again the next day and it runs fine.

I'm stumped. This has been a problem for a while but was never a big deal, now my wife got a new job 25 miles from home. The same car she was daily driving on 5 mile trips now doesn't start when she leaves work. We still drive it on short trips all the time and it's never a problem.

I have a super scanner, No codes, Air & Coolant Temps look normal.

Help...

Bryan

 

[my_black99svt]

if you had a carb then I would say vapor lock.

Your injected though so I don't know.

 

[Tony2005]

Try not letting the gas tank go below half and see if it helps. It might be the beginning of a bad fuel pump. Change the fuel filter and see if it helps. In additiion, test the Intake air temperature sensor and MAF sensor.

http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1b/ca/6e/0900823d801bca6e/repairInfoPages.htm

 

[three57mag]

a week battery can do things like this. ford computers take alot of voltage to run and your starter doesn't. thats why it can turn over real nice and not start. this is just a shot in the dark but between the time that it wouldn't start and the few hours later when it did. did the temp outside warm up any?

Kuz

 

[bflood]

Possible solution

Possible solution

Just as a follow up to help others I did 2 things and the car has been running perfectly for about a week on long trips.

1. Cleaned out the Idle Air Control valve with brake cleaner.

2. Unplugged the Intake Air Temp Sensor, inspected it, plugged it back in.

Hopefully this has solved my occassional not starting problem...

Bryan