01 pathy wont start! Need help today.

spamman · Jan 27th, 2008, 07:10 AM

All: I am posting here hopefully to get some feedback on a problem that just popped up. It is snowing out and I would like to keep my under the truck to a minimum. So hereare the symptoms:

Truck cranks fine but will not start.
No check engine light.
Wife said she normally pumps the gas to start the truck.
She also stated she had let the fuel get WAY low last time she filled it.
60K miles on an SE 5spd - has been running fine til now

So, Please let me know the most likely culprits to hit. She will need the truck tomorrow and I need to work so I have to fix it. All I can think of now is to change the fuel filter. Anything else that should be done / checked?

I appreciate your quick help! Peace: e3

michen00 · Jan 28th, 2008, 10:34 AM

Could be a lot of things.

Since this was sudden, I would look under the hood to see if a cable or hose fell off... not likely, but you could get lucky.

Fuel filter and/or fuel pump is a good suspect. If the fuel went low, it may have damaged the pump. Some fuel pumps rely on the gas for lubrication. Or perhaps it needs to be primed... not sure, just a thought.

Normally you don't have to pump the accelerator to start a car these days: the computer takes care of that. If there really was something wrong with fuel pump, pumping the accelerator shouldn't make any difference. However, it is a little suspicious. Does your wife pump the accelerator out of necessity or habit?

Not sure if the check engine light would come on if the car won't even start. If this is a sudden problem, the computer might not have run any diagnostics since the problem set in.

Hope this helps.

spamman · Jan 29th, 2008, 07:54 AM

Thanks Michen00. I actually turned out to be the fuel filter. I replaced it, went to start the truck and the battery was then dead. Replaced the battery and it starts immediately and run great. Thanks for the insight, it was much appreciated. My wife pumps the gas out of habit. One I am trying to squash.

**88pathoffroad** · Feb 2nd, 2008, 07:30 PM

Tell her that pumping the gas pedal does nothing but open and close the throttlebody butterfly valve, no gas is delivered until the engine is cranked...fuel injection...