Intermittent start issue???

[Mystic 544]

Intermittent start issue & P1237???

2003 SVT Focus about 78K miles, o/r pipe and K&N, new battery, etc...

Here is the very odd and frustrating situation... intermittent starting issue - she will be fine for days/week at a time, but then out of nowhere she will just not start. Fuse is OK and she Turns over fine because of the new battery and When she does start, there is no issue with acceleration.

Original guess - something to do with the fuel pump or relay because when she does not start I can NOT hear the pump prime & send fuel (on the SVT's you can hear this when you turn the key on)???
What about the relay box under the rear passenger seat, do they go bad & How would one even test that relay box under the back seat???

Other random thoughts...
I suppose/guess it could be spark - but I have aftermarket wires, coil pack (along with the longer pigtail/fix) and copper plugs....
In researching the site I have seen some issues with the wires running to the alternator along with the alt not really lasting to long... Not sure if that would do anything at start up though?

Just Very Frustrating - A few times I have fiddled around under the hood checking connections and she starts right up after that and other times she has to sit for a few hours and then starts up??? Very Random - Never know when she will not start...Argh!

* Oh - seems to happen more often after backing-in (I park at the gym and at home that way)
* no humidity or rain here in AZ - but it is getting hotter out lol

Thanks for your thoughts / help - Tim

 

[Mystic 544]

So - Pulled the Crank Sensor and it was dirty but fine (no rub marks).
Sprayed some carb cleaner in the intake and the car started for a second, guess that kind of rules out spark issues....

No CEL but Hooked up the scanner got this code: P1237 - Fuel Pump Secondary Circuit Malfunction P1237 FORD Fuel Pump Secondary Circuit Fault OBDII Engine Light Trouble Code | Engine-Codes.com
Fuel Pump Driver Modules (FPDM) controls the voltage to the Fuel Pump in order to maintain proper fuel pressure over the full operating range of the engine. The DTC indicates the FPDM detected a fuel pump secondary circuit fault. The FPDM sends a message to the PCM through the FPM circuit, indicating this failure was detected. The PCM sets the DTC when the message is received.
- Open or shorted FP PWR circuit
- Open FP RTN circuit to FPDM
- Open or shorted circuit in the fuel pump
- Locked fuel pump rotor
- Damaged FPDM

Um - all that means what now ????

 

[gcassidy]

Not sure what it means, except that it might be a bitch to track down.
Good luck.

 

[FORDSVTPARTS]

Sounds like a bad FPDM, I have new ones in stock for $97.00 plus shipping.

 

[Mystic 544]

Update on my issue...Well, I checked voltage on all the wires in the FPDM and they checked out So it seems my problem was to have been a bad fuel pump....
Ordered a Carter P76018M from RockAuto (only $104 - got to love RA prices) and put it in the over the last couple of nights. Being that I spent 70K+ miles in ChicagoLand the d*mn nutzNboltz under my car are mostly rust so dropping the fuel tank turned out to be a big PITA lol Anyway - a couple of days running (this pump is much quieter then the OEM) and so far the fuel pump seems to be doing well and taking care of my SVT, let's hope it stays that way

If anyone searches this later - hope it helps!