06 supercab, auto, 4.6, 23k miles

When cold the truck starts fine. When I park for a short time, say 15-30 minutes and come back out to start the truck it doesnt catch right away. It cranks for a bit, sounds like it wants to start then cranks more then eventually fires and seems to idle a bit high. Almost sounds like a older vehicle thats flooded.
It is like
crank, crank, crank, almost fire, crank, crank, crank, fire

So far been a fantastic truck with no other problems. I seem to remeber a gf's 4.6l 01 doing the same. So is this anything to look into or just a trait of this motor?
Thanks

 

It almost sounds like leaky fuel injectors - causing a flooded condition. What happens if you floor the pedal - does it catch any faster?

 

My 06 stx with the 4.6 does the same exact thing and the dealer told me it was the gas i put in it.

 

Havent tried to give it gas while starting, will try that today and report back.
And I was thinking the injector was bleeding down also. Seemed as if gas was already in the combustion chamber. I will take it in sometime in the next wk or 2

 

I use a pretty good variety of gas and havent had the problem go away. I will let ya know what I find out from the dealer about this

 

Have you checked your fuel pump pressure?I have a 2000F-150 and my truck was doing the exact same thing.The problem was the check ball in the pump had gone bad and was allowing fuel pressure to bleed off in the tank.I found this out by installing a fuel pressure gauge @ the rail in the sevice port and starting the engine.It held 30 lbs. of pressure @ idle,but when you shut off the engine,the pressure dropped to 0 in seconds.I replaced the pump and my truck starts when you touch the key,no more crank,crank,crank.I hope this helps w/ your problem.

 

Vincent, wouldn't that also affect cold starting?

 

When it is hot, and you lose fuel pressure, it kinda likes vapor locks in the fuel rail. Cold engines don't do this. Most the time, this condition is from a leaky injector.

 

Do you think a can of Seafoam or a bottle of Techron in the gas tank might help if it's a leaky injector?

 

Don't know what Seafoam is but it wouldn't hurt to use techron, problably be cheaper just to fill a couple of times at a Chevron station. An injection flush with B&G, Justin Bros., 3M etc would be better. These are the types where you go into the fuel rail and shut off the pump. Anything that goes into the tank is to diluded.

 

In the morning,when the truck is cold,I would turn the key to the run position and wait 4 or 5 seconds,then turn the key to start and the engine would light off.If i started it cold going right to start,it would spin and spin,same it would do when it was hot.I also thought it might be an injector leaking down,but it wasn't.I replaced the pump and it starts right up.I thought my starting problem might have helped you figure out yours.Hope you do figure it out.