here's my situation...i'll come out to start my car....it will just crank.....wont' turn over...i can hear the fuel pump prime, and it cranks strong......eventually, after trying and trying, it will start.....it runs fine once it finally starts......this doesn't happen all the time and i notice no pattern to it....i recently had a new fuel pump put in, also new distributer cap and rotor, new wires, new magnetic pickup in the dist., new ECM and Mass Air...the engine is a 5.0L TPI....now i also notice a smell of unburned gas while i'm at idle....it's probably there when i'm moving too, i just don't smell it.....i need some advice as to what's wrong and how i can fix it...this is getting out of hand to the point i almost want to get rid of the car..thanks!!!

 

the first thing i would check would by my timing... the second thing i would check would be the fuel pressure.

 

far as i know the timing's fine...but i'll check anyway, didn't even think of that..........do u thinkt he pressure regulator could be the cause...alot of people seem to think it's the ignition module....but i'll try anything

 

ignition modules tend to go out like somebody fliped a switch... driving along and BAM, no power at all. Ask me how i know

 

could a bad fuel pressure regulator cause that nasty unburned gas smell i'm getting and also the car not starting from time to time?

 

not always. ask me how I know, Mine did the slow death...every time it would get hot...the car ran like crap then died, as soon as it would cool down it would run fine. After all that work to your distributor...I would at least leave that possibility open. just my .02

 

if the fuel pressure regulator is stuck open... meaning full pressure all the time, it would be hard to start, and have a rich smell at or anything below WOT.

 

ok, i finally got a chance to check w/ it not starting and it's not getting any spark....first i checked the #1 plug wire....no spark...then i pulled the coil wire off the distributer......no spark.....what do we think, ignition module or coil or something else??

 

Well, if you've got $30 burning a hole in your pocket it could be the ignition module... or if you want to spend a little more, it could also be the ignition pickup coil, i've had one of those go out on me too. If its not either of those, its always good to have new ones. My next step would be the ignition module... but thats just me.

 

Hmmmmmmmm Since you already changed everthing but the modual.... change the darn thing or at least have it checked..tested, acouple of times, sounds like its going bye bye