Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Hot Start Problem

I have a 1999 Contour v-6, L type motor, with 26K on it (got it from grandma, glad she got the V-6). The problem is the car will not start when its hot except by pressing on the gas. The car is clearly flooded when you try to start it, blows a puff of black smoke when you start it and smells like gas. Sometimes you need to hold the gas at partial throttle position for 3-5 seconds or the car dies when hot, otherwise the car runs perfect. Cold starts are no problem fires right up, no pressing on the gas, nothing, runs great even when it's really cold out. The CEL is not on. The fuel pump was replaced about 10K ago.

So far I have done the following repairs, with all stock parts.

Replaced air filter
Replaced fuel filter
Changed spark plugs (all the original ones were black and wet. The new ones wich I checked again recently (1 month)still look good.)
Checked the Fuel Pressure regulator. It regulates properly, fuel pressures are all in spec and it holds a vacuum.
Cleaned the MAF sensor per the FAC.
Replaced the IAC valve and the coolant temperature sensor. The old parts appeared to be working but they seemed liekly candidates and I am getting desperate.
Checked the PCV valve appears normal.
Applied VAC to EGR valve, appears to work good.
Checked the throttle position sensor and it appears to be giving smooth variable resistance in the proper ranges.

I am friggin stumped! I want to fix this problem soon so I don't damage the CAT's any more. But I can't think of anything else might casue this problem.

Please HELP.

THANKS, BRYAN

Welcome to CEG!


Considering what you have done, the injectors may just be leaking. Put a fuel pressure gage on it, turn the key on, then off, and see if the pressure falls.

Welcome .

Check your temperature sensor. I think it's referred to as the ECT. If the sensor goes bad, it will tell your computer that the engine is cold, which will make the computer run a rich fuel mixture, which will flood the engine. That's why it's hard to start, the mixture is too rich for a hot engine. I had the same problem on my mystique, and a new temperature sensor (again, I think it's called the ECT) took care of the problem.

A good scanner will give you real time temperature readings. That sensor is not in a real fun spot. Hopefully, if it is an injector, it's just dirty. Something a bottle or two of Techron may fix. On a car I had with CIS injection the injectors were ruined by cheap gas and gas watered down with alcohol. They would leak a drop or 2 and the car was real hard to restart. Only way to test was to remove the injector system from the intake, stick them in a jar or bucket and pressurize the fuel rail. If it weeps gas swap them out. I would run cleaner through them first... While you have them out replace all the o-rings and the gaskets. Especially the ones under the fuel rail.

Glad to be here seems like a really good forum. I replaced the ECT but I don't have a scanner, would the actron super scanner allow me to read the sensor to make sure the new one is working properly. Also when I checked the Fuel pressure regulator I watched the gauge after the test, basically the fuel pressure decreased from someplace in the 40 psi range down to around 20 psi and then held there. Is this normal or does it indicate a leaky injector? My manual seems to indicate that the hold pressure should be something lower than the running pressure but what it is I forget. Thanks for the advice on finding leaky injectors I was wondering how to find that.

Thanks,

Bryan