1st post, 2 problems, cruise control buttons, hard to start when warm.

[bolt-on-bandito]

Hey everyone, i have been reading post, but figured i'd join and try to solve some of the minor annyonances i have been dealing with on my car.

I have owned my 2001 LS 3,9L V8 for about 1 year, love it, but i have a few issues, as stated in the title. I have found links in the past but never anything conclusive on either issue.

1) long crank time needed to start. i read about leaking VC gaskets, flooding the coils, i have also read about failed coils themselves, but i have this issue about 1/3 starts, NEVER if the car has sat overnight/extended periods. I do not have any CEL's, and the car ALWAYS starts.

thoughts? how can i trouble shoot this? any "logic trees" availble to test individual components?

2) My cruise control failed. Again, i read about peoples clock spring failing, and they lose the radio controls, and the cruise control controls. my stereo buttons work fine, but the cruise has failed, this leads me to believe the actual switch that activates the cruise control has failed. again, any way (other then throwing parts at it) to trouble shoot this?

i'd really apreciate any help. i love this car, i am not plagued with issues like other owners, it just sucks dealing with the little things.

thx!

 

[scjmc]

I am not sure about the long starts, but the cruise control might still be the clock spring. I had an airbag problem related to the clockspring, but had no problems with cruise or radio buttons. How many miles on the car?

 

[Ken]

I have had my car for 6 years, and I never had long starts. This one puzzle me. LS never had fuel pump problems, unless it was in an accident.

 

[2002_lincolnLS]

for your long start: have your your battery tested, if you haven't replaced it, it may be the original and its getting tired.

 

[joegr]

1a. I'd go ahead and change all the COPs and plugs anyway. If they haven't been replaced yet, you're way overdue on time.

1b. Your symptoms sound a lot like you have one or more leaky fuel injectors. Fuel leaks past the injector valve and floods one or more cylinders. After the car sits overnight, that fuel has evaporated, so no hard starting issue then.


2. Cruise control switches do fail. The resume button on my 04 has failed and I'll be replacing it this weekend. However, it's more likely that you have a clockspring problem. The clockspring has separate channels for the cruise, SRS, horn, and radio controls. It's possible that only the cruise channel has failed on yours so far. (Cruse control switches are in the mid $20 range if you want to try that first.)

 

[2002_lincolnLS]

Hey joe how does one go about finding the leaky injector

 

[joegr]

Hey joe how does one go about finding the leaky injector

The normal way is to pull it out and connect it to a pressurized test rig. The only DIY way that I can think of right now is to use a stethoscope to listen to each injector right after shutdown. If the leak is big enough, you should be able to hear it. In this case, it sounds like a pretty small leak (or some other problem all together).

 

[bolt-on-bandito]

Forgot to say 110k on the car, previous owner did a treat job on upkeep. I'll have to check into these issues.

Got a DIY guide for the clockspring ?

Thx guys!

 

[Hawk03]

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=53760

 

[chocolat1701]

i second that on the fuel injector you must have one or more leaky ones and also it maybe the clock springs for the second issue but if you want buy a switch and if its not the issue return it and get a clock spring.

 

[bolt-on-bandito]

One more thing, I get a strong fuel smell on start up. I am leaning towards a leaking injector. I want to pull a plug and check for fuel, but the aluminum head make me nervous, an if I wait till it's totally cool, I figure the fuel smell will be gone. Thought? Awesome link btw!