Is this signs of a POOCHED starter? Car stranded me today

[longhornsqx4]

Ive had a problem recently where my car would and wouldnt start, you could turn the key and it would start (no crank, nothing) then turn the key a second later and it would fire up no problem.

This is an 01 qx4 btw

NOW today, at the mall I come out and try to start and the thing cranks and cranks and cranks, strong cranks, I did 5 second intervals thing just wouldnt start. Eventually I came back and it started right up. THen on my next stop, did the same thing, cranked and cranked, sounds like it has all the power in the world to crank, just doesnt start. When I got it to start, it took a little longer than average.

Ive been repeating it in my driveway now for a bit, and it starts almost everytime (maybe cause its warm now from running?) but it takes more "cranking" to start, wasnt like it was where it cranked once then started, it cranks for much noticeably longer

Im thinking starter, but dont know what else it could be or other possibilities

[CJD91]

I think you may be dealing with two seperate problems.

If the starter isn't cranking, or is only doing so intermitently, it's almost always the starter.

If the car isn't starting after been cranked for a period of reasonable time, you have a different issue.

A gasoline engine needs three things to run: fuel, air, and spark.

Start there.

[Buzzman]

Have to agree with CJD91.If the engine is cranking, then the starter is OK.Sounds like the fuel pump might be getting weak.Try turning the ignition on, but wait 5 seconds before engaging the starter.You should be able to hear the fuel pump start up, and then stop again when it reaches maximum pressure. If it starts right away after waiting 5 seconds, then I would arrange to have a fuel pressure test done.Also, when was the last time you changed the fuel filter?

[longhornsqx4]

Fuel pump eh.....

I have a fuel filter here, just never got around to putting it on.

I may just do that today

Anyway to pinpoint this? The car just cranks and cranks and cranks and kicks over when it wants to it seems

Havent tried it today but I will in a few minutes

[Chuck Tribolet]

Be sure to release the fuel pressure before removing the fuel filter. There's aprocedure in the FSM.

As far as your original no-crank problem, I've seen that be the solenoid,a bad wire between the key and the solenoid, and tired battery cables.Battery cables are easy to check -- use a set of jumper cables to parallel them.Bad wire can be checked by using a short piece of 12 ga wire to jump fromthe big wire at the start to the little wire going to the solinoid. If that jump isrelilable, it's key switch or the wire from the key switch to the start. On somestarters, you can use a screwdriver to jump. I started the old Firechicken thatway until we finally found the bad wire.

Be safe,

[longhornsqx4]

Well I changed the fuel filter and no dice, same thing, wasnt thinking that was gonna fix it anyways, but its done anyway

I made a video of what it sounds like when starting it up, you can hear the audible LONG cranking, and then it just turns, in the video it was pretty good, sometimes Ive had it crank for 5 seconds..... or longer, and not turn, but I stopped it before it started

Think it may be the fuel pump not supplying enough pressure? Easy way to check?

Heres a direct link to the vid hope it works

http://img531.imageshack.us/my...8.flv

[longhornsqx4]

Ifrgot to add, the car also DIED on me twice in the last 2 days, last night coming to a hard 80-0 stop, died when I almost stopped, and then today it died when going around a turn at fairly low speed.

IT SUCKS FOR YOUR CAR TO TURN OFF WHILE TURNING!!!! YOU LOSE POWER STEERING!!!

[CJD91]

Turn the key to the "ON" position without starting, wait 15 seconds (real Mississippi seconds!). Then start.

Get back to us with whether the cranking to start up time has changed.

Have you checked your plugs and distributor? Are the plugs old and dirty? Are the wires and cap original on the distributor?

[longhornsqx4]

I will try that method next time I start it up

The spark plugs are brand new actually aswell as the #1 spark plug coil (cause I broke it lol) , the distributor and wires I dont know, they may be original.... have no service records for the car

[Buzzman]

Sounds an awful lot like fuel starvation.I'll stick to my original thoughts that your fuel pump is failing.Had it happen to me in exactly the same way, but with a Chrysler minivan.Also, the 3.5 engine has no distributor or wires. Just the coils.I'd take it in for a fuel pressure test.

[longhornsqx4]

Well I tried the wait 15 seconds and then start, changed nothing, still took 2-3 seconds of cranking then started.

I think I may try and test the fuel pressure myself if I can figure out how, then source out how much a fuel pump for this thing is gonna cost me

[CJD91]

Sounds an awful lot like fuel starvation.I'll stick to my original thoughts that your fuel pump is failing.Had it happen to me in exactly the same way, but with a Chrysler minivan.Also, the 3.5 engine has no distributor or wires. Just the coils.I'd take it in for a fuel pressure test.

Whoops. Didn't know that.

Okay, coils have a lower wear and failure rate than that of distributor/wires.

Take a look at the plugs, but I'd put money on the fuel pump at this point.

[longhornsqx4]

Plugs are new, less than 2 months old

Im gonna see if I can get a fuel pressure reading somehow, have to research that I guess

[longhornsqx4]

My car died on me 3 times within 30 minutes today while driving, had to put it in nuetral while rolling and start it back up, where it still takes a LONG crank to get her running. Also, if it were a weak fuel pump, how is my car able to still do FULL THROTTLE highway runs and not starve itself out?

my local auto parts stores cannot even order a fuel pump, Ill have to go the online route or a stealership if that is the problem

I did locate a fuel pressure tester though, was a simple gauge design with 2 hoses coming off of it that I suppose you tee into your fuel line and get a reading? Well the tester was $70 and thats close to the cost of a pump so I didnt buy it, and it wasnt the type of package I could use once then just return it....

What should I do here?

[longhornsqx4]

Well it definetely isnt my fuel pump, I hooked up a fuel pressure gauge today inline after my fuel filter, I was getting a 48-50psi spike on startup instantly, and a constant 41-42 psi on idle and more cranking and such. SO I dont think it is the fuel pump

Would a bad crankshaft position sensor cause this error?

[longhornsqx4]

anybody?

How can I narrow this problem down