QuestionChecked the temp sensor. can drive for long distances and no problem, just when I turn it off after a long drive and sometimes when cold. Keep cranking and after 10 to 15 minutes good to go. mechanic says possibly a fuel problem. could it be the fuel pump?
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This makes the 3rd one of these cars that I have owned and I have never came across this problem. About a month ago it started acting up. Whenever I drive the car for a long distance (30 miles or more) and then stop, shut the car off, then get back in and try to start it....it tries to start, but won't fire. It will turn over...try to start, but won't. Then sometimes it will start, run fine for about 5 seconds, then die. But I can let it set for about 20-40 minutes....hit the key, and it will run like a charm. I've changed the fuel filter, plugs & plug wires. Anything you could think of would be greatly appreciated.
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My first suspicion would be the coolant temperature sensor. If it reads too low, the fuel mixture may be too rich to start a warm engine.
My second suspicion would be the crank sensor. Sometimes they fail when hot. But they also usually make the vehicle stall out on long trips.
AnswerI wouldn't expect the fuel pump to be the issue. If it were, it should also cause a problem while you're driving.
You could have a problem with the fuel pressure regulator, however. It could be bleeding off the fuel pressure while the vehicle sits.
The coolant temperature sensor was the one thing I thought was most likely. If you know that's good, I wouldn't recommend doing any other repairs as guesses. The symptoms you list don't exactly match what I'd expect from the other items. You'll want to check some things while the problem is occurring to get a better idea of where you need to investigate. You'll want to know whether you have spark and whether your fuel pressure is appropriate.
