01 sel intermittent no start

Car will crank and start when cold, runs fine, if I try to start it back up after letting it set 15 mins to 1/2 hour it cranks but won't start. unless I step on the gas all the way down once then let off, then crank engine, if I do that it starts,or, if I start it right back up, or wait an hour or more it's fine again. the idle has been fluctuating recently,(500-1200) I thought it was bad gas because it stopped when I changed stations, but it started back up again. Could this be the idle control motor? There are no codes set.

Sounds like you might have leaking injectors. After the car's been sitting overnight/for a long time, the leaking fuel evaporates or leaks past the piston rings. However, after you have been driving the car and try to start it up a short time later, there is still pressure in the fuel rail and the leaky injector(s) flood the cylinders with fuel. When you turn the key on, the fuel pump runs for about 3 seconds to prime the fuel system. This really floods the cylinders. When you hold the throttle wide open (WOT) the computer shuts off the injectors, allowing the car to start off of the excess fuel that's already in the cylinders.

You may want to start by putting a bottle of fuel injector cleaner into the gas tank and running it for 100 miles or so to see if that helps. It may just fix your problem.

You could also have a bad vacuum line or an out of range coolant temperature sensor. Well worth looking into before you invest in a bunch of injectors. Just right now my brain is thinking injector issue.

-Rod

thanks shorod, i'll check it out. But, here's a new wrinkle. This morning it wouldn't start when cold. I just tried it a couple of times on the way out the door to work and it cranked but didn't start.

here's an update. The problem has deteriorated to the point that the car won't start at all and now I have a no spark condition. Is it possible for the crank or cam sensor to have stopped working over a period of time? or would they stop working suddenly. They're my likely suspects at this point.

Yes to both. If you have a corroded connection or loose connection to one of the sensors, vibration could cause the connection to stop being intermittant and fail.

There have also been numerous posting regarding issues with the camshaft sensors. I don't know if these issues only apply to certain model years, but it would be worth you searching the forum for "Camshaft Sensor" or "CPS." Often the failure of the CPS is preceeded by a odd noise.

Have you checked fuel pressure too, or did you focus on the no spark situation when you found it? If you also don't have fuel, you may have an issue with the PCM or something. Do the "idiot" lights on the instrument cluster still light when you turn the key to "Run?"

-Rod

sorry, I haven't been focused on anything the last week, I've had the flu. I'll try to check out things this week and let you know what I find. And you're right, I only focused on the no spark condition when I found it. Tha fuel pump comes on I can hear it, and it cranks fine, it just acts like it doesn't have any interest in firing. So I"m stuck on that notion for now. I'll check the connections to crank and cam sensors, I haven't been driving it so I can't be sure of any strange noises. It's been a while since I've been out of the garage with it. All the idiot lights come on when I turn the key.

The cam sensor usually will not cause a no start unless it is shorted to ground internally. The crank sensor however will cause a no start.

problem solved. The no spark condition was fixed when the battery finally showed it's age and quit altogether. Then I re-read shorods messages and decided he was right I needed to look at a possible fuel issue. I checked for pressure in the fuel rail...none. the culprit was called (according to the manual) the fuel pump relay (not according to the guy at ford, I told him I didn't care what it was called when I jumped around it the car ran and when I didn't it didn't. I just wanted a new one.)$12 bucks, car starts and runs as good as ever. Woohoo! Thanks for all your help.

Congratulations on getting the car going! It's a good feeling, isn't it!?!

-Rod