if you are reading thank you very much for your time!! my 97 f-150 5.4L auto trans has about 180,000 miles but runs and drives like new. i have had it for many years and other than standard maintance it is a great running beautiful truck. untill it recently didn't want to start. and it was because it wasn't getting fuel not an ignition problem. i checked all fuses and relays under the hood for the fuel system and checked the inertia switch behind the pass. side kick pannel, all good , i could hear the fuel pump kick on for a moment like it should to build pressure, but sounded a little rought so i dropped the tank and put in a new fuel pump/screen and put a new in line canister filter in as well. truck started and ran great for about 1 week and then the problem reoccured. i have been reading other posts but they seem to all say what i have already checked. i even tried the jump starting thing i read due to the fact this all started after i put in a new battery although with the current battery the motor will crank over very fast, still no start up. this is however an intermitten problem it doesn't do it all the time, but i have noticed that it seems to only do it after the motor has been running and is hot??? maybe the fuel pressure regulator??? please help i am stumped?????????

 

If it ran good for a week after you changed the fuel pump and filter I'm wondering if your new filter filled up with junk again. Also can you still hear the fuel pump start when you turn the key? If you have a loose fuel pump feed wire or ground then it may be starting intermittenly? Not sure if this would even apply but you may want to test your new battery while its under load. I've seen even new batteries test fine until a load was applied and the voltage dropped out of range. Although you say the starter turns fine the PCM needs 12 volts to operate properly. If voltage drops too low the PCM acts strange and may not allow the vehicle to start. You may also want to test the CID sensor mounted on the front cover right in front of the cam timing gear. If they go bad these engines will start/won't start about 50% of the time they are cranked. I realize the last two suggestions are not fuel related but you never know... Good luck

 

How did you determine it was not an ignition problem ?

 

i determined that it was not an ignition problem when i could pour gas into the throttle body and it would start..... but today i turned the key on and i herd the pump run for 1-2 sec, but then i herd somthing under the hood that sounded like a fuel pump but with a deeper sound run for about 1-2 sec. whitch i had never herd before since this problem started occuring,,, i tried to crank it and the truck started up and ran perfectly!! granted i never listened for this sound before,,, but when it would not start i did not hear the secondary sound from under the hood.... when i herd the 2nd sound from under the hood today and tried to crank it, it started perfect. i shut it off and waited about 10 min. i turned the key on and herd the pump 1st and then the 2nd sound from under the hood and tried it and it started perfect??? tomorrow i will try to find out what is making the 2nd noise under the hood which seems to be the problem for not starting as it does not make then 2nd noise from under the hood when it does not start????? we will see.... and again thank you for everyone's haelp and comments!

 

Second sound ? Under the hood ? Ahhh, it's a 97. Put your hand on the fuel pump relay, bet it's hot. I thought you said you checked that ?? Pull it,- put it in your pocket. Take your horn relay and plug it into the FPR's spot,= same part. Then head up to the store with your old relay and get a new one.

Not sure what else would sound off and cause that issue, -unless you have a noisy regulator, -never heard of that tho. Could have a weak battery/ bad connections, -they do strange things when weak. Edit - LOL, - just noticed DYNOTECH said the same thing, -it's true..

 

thank you very much i will check the crank sensor i don't think that it is the battery issue because i hooked up my other truck to it and let it run hooked up for at least 10 min then tried so i am pretty sure that it would of had enough juice but i plan to check the crank sensor for sure
again thank you

 

not the relay because i did excatily that when i got stranded at the stor i took the horn relay and checked it to be the same relay that the fuel pump usees and switched them truck stil did not start and the horn still worked... but thank you for your hel i do appreciate it very much

 

Did you check the starter interupt relay as well?

 

Any updates on this problem? My truck is having the same issue - already replaced the fuel pump, relay, and the filter...

 

Wow we are all haveing this prob. Mine is doing it to, but i got in the ford shop to see if they can find out. Man i need my truck we are geting a big snow storm friday.

 

Mine went to the Ford shop today to see if they can get the issue worked out.

 

Any news yet? Well, update your thread when you get some