'99 3.8L Starting Troubles

I searched around the forum and found some info but it there were multiple questions in the posts so I am not sure what I was actually looking at so I am asking in a new topic.

My '99 3.8L has been occasionally hard starting for the past few weeks. At times it will start right up and others it needs to crank over and over before finally starting. Before having the chance to take it in to be looked at it is now at the point of not starting at all. It just turns over and over and sounds like it starts to fire but just doesn't quite get there. Before now, when the problem occurred but eventually would start it appeared to run just fine.

Any suggestions for things I may easily try since the van is sitting in a parking lot? Please do not use acronyms in replies as I am not well versed and it will just cause me to ask more questions.

Thanks in advance.

FROM THE BOOK , ISSUE:

Some vehicles using winter blend fuels may exhibit a stall on start up and a no restart, hard start condition or a no start condition in unseasonably hot weather (greater than 27°C/80°F). These concerns may be related to fuel volatility from winter blend fuels during winter-spring and autumn-winter transitions and may result in a fuel pump vapor lock condition. This condition may appear to be a fuel pump failure but may be caused by winter blend fuel.

ACTION:

filling the fuel tank to full may be effective in resolving this concern, use the recommended octane grade per their Owner Manual and not a higher grade.

FROM THE BOOK , ISSUE:

Some vehicles using winter blend fuels may exhibit a stall on start up and a no restart, hard start condition or a no start condition in unseasonably hot weather (greater than 27°C/80°F). These concerns may be related to fuel volatility from winter blend fuels during winter-spring and autumn-winter transitions and may result in a fuel pump vapor lock condition. This condition may appear to be a fuel pump failure but may be caused by winter blend fuel.

ACTION:

filling the fuel tank to full may be effective in resolving this concern, use the recommended octane grade per their Owner Manual and not a higher grade.

Thanks for the response but we have been no where near unseasonably hot weather conditions. Low 30's at night to mid 50's during the day. My wife however has recently started getting gas at the newly built Kroger gas station. Probably a coincidence but that is about when the problem appeared to have started.

Maybe you could check and see if you have fuel pressure at the fuel rail....at the test point.

There are some posts about the newer windstars having problems with the fuel pump relay....which is located in the power distribution box in the engine compartment.

It is also possible that the fuel pump is becoming intermittent.....but let's hope not.....as that is more money and time.....
When you turn the ignition key to ON......and wait a few seconds before going to START.....you should hear the fuel pump come on for a few seconds and pump the system up to pressure.

If you have fuel.......the next thing to check is to see if you are getting spark to the spark plugs.

When were the spark plugs replaced last? They should be changed out with double platinum type every 60,000 miles.