2000 Windstar SEL won't start

[12ringer74]

The wife's Winnie sat over the weekend, and would not start Mon morning!!

Checked fuel at service port, have pressure(no gauge to check). Fuel pump cycles as it should. Replaced Crank Trigger, Camshft sync, water pump, fuel filter last fall...Had a squeel I could not figure out...Cam Sync was problem... Intakes were done Nov. 2007 along with plugs and wires.

Any guess on where to start here???? Turns over fine, but acts as if no fire to plugs...Have not pulled wires or plugs to check yet...need another set of eyes/hands.....

[12ringer74]

Just checked fire...Pulled number 6 wire..(Thank God for the long wires!!)
Good fire on that one....Narrows it down some...not enough fuel pressure, electronics/timing issue, or injectors not operating????????????

[Ed_Strong]

Coil maybe? Has it rained hard lately? The Windstars have a funny design to channel rain water away from the front windshield. The cowl collects the water and it channels to the middle of the of the cowl right over the engine. It has a plastic gutter that directs the rain water thru the firewall and down between the transalxe and rack and pinion to the ground.

This plastic gutter has an elbow the leaks thru the seal and the water falls right on top of the Coil, this could be making it short to ground. Look for signs of water or rust at the base of the Coil preventing the Coil from making a good ground.

[12ringer74]

No, no rain lately. Was driven last week, parked Friday eve. Wife says no funny noises ect last week.
Would not start Monday morn after not being driven over the weekend.

Trouble shooting so far....

1). Have fire at number 6 cyl. Have not checked others.
2). No codes..just checked that.
3). Fuel pressure key on..35psi, turning over engine...40psi...
Haynes manual says key on pressure 35-45psi.

Come on guys...need some help here before calling in the big guns...

[northern piper]

while it hasn't happened to me on my van, the cam position sensor on other vehicles has caused me a no start situation like you describe. Haven't had to test 1 either, just replace the 2 times it happened before. I'd be looking at that as most other things you've covered.

[Fulcrum]

I'm interested to see if you fixed it, and how.

My wife also drives drives a 2000 Windstar SEL. Last week she drove to the store, shopped for an hour, and upon re-entering the vehicle, it would not start, no electricity at all. Deader than a door nail. She called me, and then 15 mins later before I could get to her, she tried again, and it started. She said my son was doing something in the rear captain chair when it came bak on. I asked her if she played with the shifter, as prior experience has proven that if the shifter is not 100% in "Park" the engine won't start.

Today, 4/7, she took the kids to the doctor's office for check-ups. About an hour later, she came out to the vehicle and it again would not start; absolutely dead. She called me at work, and I had her try several things.(a) insure shifter is in park (still dead).
(b) open close all doors (still dead).
(c) turn the dial next to the head lamp switch all the way down (still dead).
(d) wait five minutes try again. (still dead).

Since all 4 kids were in the car, they became a little ansy. So 3 mins later my wife had to get out of the car and open the driver's side rear door to help my son with something. When she opened the door, the dash board came back to life suddenly. This time she was able to start the vehicle.

She also noticed that the clock was reset, and that all the radio stations were changed. Which makes me think it is the battery. But with everything coming on with the side door, I'm thinking there is something to do with the door wiring and shorting out.

Did you have any previous symptoms similiar to my vehicle?

Cheers!

Fulcrum

[Freakzilla69]

I had to replace the negative battery cable on my '98. I'm not sure where eactly the problem was except I know it wasn't at the battery.

Sometimes I'd go out to start it and have no electricity, other times it would start right up.

It eventually got worse to where power would drop while driving around a turn.

That negative battery cable is $140 at Autozone, I made my own.