2001 Ford Ranger hard to start after being warmed up

sfcvickers

I have a 2001 Ford Ranger XLT. In the morning it will start right up. After you have driven the truck for a few miles and go to start it again, you have to try starting it and try starting it again because it will not start at first. Sounds like a fuel problem of some type. The ford Company said that they replace the in tank fuel pump, but I DONT REALLY KNOW HOW DEPENDABLE THEY ARE.
Any thoughts?

PF_Flyer

Could still be a fuel pump issue and you're losing fuel pressure. Could be the check valve. To check if you're losing fuel pressure, start up and drive for those few miles and stop and shut down. Instead of trying to start the truck, turn the ignition to the ON position (don't start the engine) and back to Off 4 times. Then try to start the engine. If it fires right up, you're losing fuel pressure, either in the fuel line or at the pump.

sfcvickers

The check valve you mentioned, where would this be located at?

PF_Flyer

In the fuel pump. And I should have explained, when you cycle the key On-Off like that, you're running the fuel pump to build up fuel pressure in the line. If the check valve is the problem, it's letting that pressure bleed off. If it was a leak in the fuel line somewhere, you'd possibly smell gas. I had a leak in a fuel line and had a similar hard starting problem, but the gas odor was the key.

When you start a vehicle, when the key gets to the On position, the fuel pump starts to run just before you turn the key to the Start position. If the fuel pressure has bled off, that's usually not quite enough for the engine to start right away. That's why it's taking you several tries at starting until the fuel pressure comes back up.

Starting issues COULD be a lot of things, but I'd wager you're looking at the check valve