Problem- Long time to start....

[97DOHCobra]

After the car has been driven and sits a while (30 min or so), it doesn't fire up as fast...
Turn the ignition and it turns over.. I quit after about 3 seconds... It should only take 1 to 2 to start.
Then again.... same thing...

Finally it will catch and I'll see blue/black smoke come out of the tail for about 2-3 seconds...

I haven't had any problems when the car is running.... It just smokes occasionally at startup...

Other times... It fires up fine...

any ideas on what to get the nice warranty people at Ford to look at?

Thanks- Ty

 

[Krieger]

Well with my Z06 it was a faulty $5.00 fuel return valve making the line pressure all screwy.
I had the exact same issues, only harder to start after 15-20min driving. Too bad they replaced EVERYTHING else and screwed the car up.

Hopefully this is all it is for you.

 

[sam]

mine always take about 3 seconds to fire. if you plan on robbing a bank, you better keep it running.

 

[realsmith]

My friends did the same thing, I think it's just pig rich when cold. His seems to have corrected itself recently.

 

[carstocks]

A previous car that I used to own had the same problem you describe. Hard starting when still hot, and smoke on start-up when it was hard to start. If it sat over night, no problem.

It turned out to be a leaking injector. They swapped out the injector and it never had any problems again.

 

[97DOHCobra]

Thanks for the info... Now I can get the warranty work done and ask some knowledgeable questions and offer some possible suggestions....

 

[PhillyCobra]

Sounds exactly like leaking injector, with smoke on startup after short cooldown. Most of the Cobras take a few seconds to start when cold, but start very quickly on restart after being warmed.

 

[doubleblack]

Try searching about the FRPS (fuel rail pressure sensor) this has been a problem on many hard to start 03's...They can go bad by over reving...a quick way to see if it's failing is to smell your oil...if it smell like gas, then it's mostlikely the FRPS...

 

[TTAFB_SVT]

Mine does the exact same thing.

Makes the car sound pretty shitty.

 

[NMRAcer]

Originally posted by doubleblack
Try searching about the FRPS (fuel rail pressure sensor) this has been a problem on many hard to start 03's...They can go bad by over reving...a quick way to see if it's failing is to smell your oil...if it smell like gas, then it's mostlikely the FRPS...

Yeah, what doubleblack said. If you ever bounced it off the rev limiter you're probly looking at a failing FRPS:bash: It should be covered under warranty
The fuel smelling oil is one way to tell, however it may be failing without putting fuel into the oil. When mine went took a shit it started out as a hard start with the dark smoke just like you're explaining. When it finally died I couldnt start it at all but I still never had fuel in my oil. To get the car to the dealer if this happens you can simply unplug the sensor on the front of the driver side fuel rail. WARNING: DO NOT GET INTO BOOST WITH THE FRPS UNPLUGGED!!!!!!!!!!
This is a quikfix to get the car running and "limp " its way to the dealership if needed. Worry not though, I drove over 100 miles with an unplugged FRPS to get to the closest dealer that had one.

Hope all goes well, Good Luck........Ken

 

[97DOHCobra]

Originally posted by NMRAcer
Yeah, what doubleblack said. If you ever bounced it off the rev limiter you're probly looking at a failing FRPS:bash: It should be covered under warranty
The fuel smelling oil is one way to tell, however it may be failing without putting fuel into the oil. When mine went took a shit it started out as a hard start with the dark smoke just like you're explaining. When it finally died I couldnt start it at all but I still never had fuel in my oil. To get the car to the dealer if this happens you can simply unplug the sensor on the front of the driver side fuel rail. WARNING: DO NOT GET INTO BOOST WITH THE FRPS UNPLUGGED!!!!!!!!!!
This is a quikfix to get the car running and "limp " its way to the dealership if needed. Worry not though, I drove over 100 miles with an unplugged FRPS to get to the closest dealer that had one.

Hope all goes well, Good Luck........Ken

Thats got to be it... I did bounce it off of the limiter once or twice :bash: I won't tell the dealer that though! Thanks!

 

[97DOHCobra]

Originally posted by PhillyCobra
Sounds exactly like leaking injector, with smoke on startup after short cooldown. Most of the Cobras take a few seconds to start when cold, but start very quickly on restart after being warmed.

Exactly, I never had a problem with the '97 Cobra I had...or with the '88 5.0... They were always a quick start, even when cold.

I will get them to check for a leaking injector also...
Thanks!

 

[caveman6666]

Originally posted by NMRAcer
Yeah, what doubleblack said. If you ever bounced it off the rev limiter you're probly looking at a failing FRPS:bash: It should be covered under warranty
The fuel smelling oil is one way to tell, however it may be failing without putting fuel into the oil. When mine went took a shit it started out as a hard start with the dark smoke just like you're explaining. When it finally died I couldnt start it at all but I still never had fuel in my oil. To get the car to the dealer if this happens you can simply unplug the sensor on the front of the driver side fuel rail. WARNING: DO NOT GET INTO BOOST WITH THE FRPS UNPLUGGED!!!!!!!!!!
This is a quikfix to get the car running and "limp " its way to the dealership if needed. Worry not though, I drove over 100 miles with an unplugged FRPS to get to the closest dealer that had one.

Good to know. Thanks.

Does anyone have a picture of the FRPS?

I've heard it's on the front of the pass. side fuel rail, but can't find anything there that looks like it might be it.

 

[97DOHCobra]

Originally posted by caveman6666
Good to know. Thanks.

Does anyone have a picture of the FRPS?

I've heard it's on the front of the pass. side fuel rail, but can't find anything there that looks like it might be it.

post a pic - please... i don't know either!

 

[NMRAcer]

I dont have a pic, but its on the driver side, not the pass side.
Its on the very front of the fuel rail mounted on top with the a wire harness plugged directly into it.

Ken

 

[caveman6666]

Originally posted by NMRAcer
I dont have a pic, but its on the driver side, not the pass side.
Its on the very front of the fuel rail mounted on top with the a wire harness plugged directly into it.

Ken

Thanks. Think I found it - has a second wire near the bottom and is held on with two seven mm bolts?

 

[ShelbyGuy]

post whore with a camera to the rescue!

 

[launchnukes]

Originally posted by sam
mine always take about 3 seconds to fire. if you plan on robbing a bank, you better keep it running.

ahahaha....mine does that too

 

[caveman6666]

Yeah, that's what I was looking at. Thanks Shelby.

 

[NMRAcer]

thats interesting, mine is held on with allen bolts.
Is that a pic of an 03 or 04?
I have an early second run 03.