Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting car doesn't like to start!

I need help from the CEG collective! If the car has been sitting for a few hours I have no problems. But when I have driven the car, let it sit for less than a half-hour and then try to start it again, it will do the normal crank/turnover (terminology?) but not fire up. I can hear the fuel pump whine when I turn the key, and the fuel filter was replaced 2 months ago, so that end seems to be working.

When it eventually does start an hour or so later, I can smell a pretty strong gas odor, so I believe the engine was flooding, so I'm guessing that the problem is its not getting a spark. So far the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and ignition coil have all been replaced to no avail. And the problem never happens when I take the car in to the dealer, so I'm on my own. I'd greatly appreciate ideas anyone may have...

Thanks!!

If the engine floods, for whatever reason, it may help to crank the engine with the throttle held wide open. Holding the throttle wide open during cranking shuts off the injectors. I don't know if this is universal on Ford products, but it works on many of them, including the Duratec.

So that's where it came from! I remembered someone saying that once but couldn't remember who had said it. I have tried wide open throttle, minimal throttle, and pumping the pedal, only twice (in the same week, about 1.5 months ago) did it seem to help, and when the car started, if I took my foot of the gas the car would promptly die. That was what first caused me to replace the IAC. Would the injectors acting up cause starting problems under my circumstances?