2002 Thunderbird starting issue resolution - leaky injectors

S
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Dec 6, 2018
Thunderbird Year
2002
Just thought I would pass on the resolution to a starting issue that I was having with my 2002 Thunderbird.

The car would struggle to start if it had been more than 15 minutes since it was shut off. The starter would turn the engine over, but it would take 6 to 15 cranks before the engine would fire. The engine would often sputter briefly and then run smoothly. Often white/light gray smoke would come out the exhaust with a gas smell when the engine finally fired. The stating problem would typically go away if the car sat for more than 12 hours.

Over a 2 year period I had 3 different mechanics look at it. Finally I took it to a Ford/Lincoln dealer in another city. I gave him a history of the problems and what had been replaced (fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel pressure sensor, etc.). Less than a hour later he told me that 2 of my injectors were leaking. Got them replaced and now car starts immediately regardless of how long it has sat between starts.
 
Just thought I would pass on the resolution to a starting issue that I was having with my 2002 Thunderbird.

The car would struggle to start if it had been more than 15 minutes since it was shut off. The starter would turn the engine over, but it would take 6 to 15 cranks before the engine would fire. The engine would often sputter briefly and then run smoothly. Often white/light gray smoke would come out the exhaust with a gas smell when the engine finally fired. The stating problem would typically go away if the car sat for more than 12 hours.

Over a 2 year period I had 3 different mechanics look at it. Finally I took it to a Ford/Lincoln dealer in another city. I gave him a history of the problems and what had been replaced (fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel pressure sensor, etc.). Less than a hour later he told me that 2 of my injectors were leaking. Got them replaced and now car starts immediately regardless of how long it has sat between starts.


Why replace two. Why not all of them. You had trouble with two your going to get more.
 
Why replace two. Why not all of them. You had trouble with two your going to get more.
I actually did have them all replaced. Both injector banks were effected, so the labor to replace them all was the same as the labor to just replace the bad ones. It was an extra $400 for parts, but it made since to do it.
 
If you can afford it when you have a problem don’t do it half way.
 
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