I have a 2001 Taurus SE. It has an engine hot starting problem. On random occasions after driving in hot weather the car turns over but will not start until it cools down 30 minutes to 4 hours later. When this happens it just rumbles to a stop. I have been unable so far to demonstrate this behavior to a mechanic. Has anyone out there solved a similar problem?
Are you saying the car will stall when hot, then not start until it’s cool? It might be a number of things, one thing I’d check is a weak fuel pump, your mechanic will need to put a fuel pressure gauge on it, see if it’s putting out the specified pressure.
The other thing would be heat soaked ignition system components - such as coil packs or the like. In addition to checking the fuel pressure your mechanic could easily get the car good and hot and then check the electrical resistances on those components.
have you ever run this car with low oil? If so you may have fried the rings, and the problem is poor compression when hot. If not, then yeah, the fuel pump is a strong possiblity. It could also be ingition though, sometimes a hot coil/igniter will fail this way. Have your mechanic check for good spark and timing. then check for fuel pressure with a gauge. Ethanol in the gas may be the culprit too, as it tends to eat away at fuel lines and cause clogging of the fuel system. When did you last change the fuel filter?
This would have been my bet.
The car does not stall when running. The problem only occurs when starting and the engine is still hot. Fuel pressure when running was tested and is better than spec. My mechanic told me that the crankshaft position sensor (CKP)could be defective, but he couldn’t say for sure unless he observes the problem. I believe the CMK has some control over the spark while starting.
Will change the fuel filter and check for spark next time the problemm occurs. Thank you