Newby question,

I have a '96 SE with a little over 326,000 miles on her, starts fine when cold, but hard to start when driving for awhile. When I try to restart, it takes 5-6 tries before she will fire.

Any suggestions???

Crank sensor? If it is faulty, it will allow the car to start 1 out of 6 times, on average.

Every time when hot? Is it an extended crank before it will start? Do you have fuel pressure (check the schraeder valve on the rail)(Caution with a hot engine though, use a rag).

When the crank sensor is faulty it'* output will drop as it gets hotter until the point that it cannot open the zenor diodes within the ICM resulting in the car stalling and not starting again until it cools down.

First thing is finding out if it is fuel or spark that is not allowing it to start when hot. Have you checked for codes yet?

By hot do you mean up to temp (normal) or hot as in over heated?

Ahhh... This sounds like a leaking fuel pressure regulator. It doesn't leak to the outside; it leaks through its regulator diaphragm into the vacuum line, which cheerfully snorks up the gasoline and drowns its sensors, basically. It only does this on a hot restart since the pressurized fuel system pushes it through the hole; the system recovers (somehow) when the engine is cold, possibly because a cold start mode ignores sensor readings and squirts enough gas in to get started with a rich mixture no matter what.

So anyway, this is a quick easy check. With the engine off, locate the fuel-pressure regulator at one end of the fuel rail -- it'* a little round canister with one vacuum line attached -- and just unplug the vacuum line. If it pees gasoline at you, it'* leaking. (It won't come blasting out, but have a rag nearby anyway.) If there'* any gas present in the vacuum port, replace the regulator and you're all set.

Andy stupid question.....can you replace the fuel pressure reguatlor without depressurizing the fuel system?

No...open up the gas cap, located the schrader valive on your fuel rail, remove that cap, get a rag and a sharp tip instrument or tool. I used a mini Philips head screwdriver and push down on the nozzle. Cover it up with a cloth, fuel comes out of there at 35-40 psi

326,000 on a an original Series II?!?!? That'* gotta be a record! Wonder how many upper intakes he'* gone through?!?! He can probably tell us who makes the best ones.

Thanks for the tips.......Still original intake, but after reading the forum.........i'm a little nervous.......

As the others have said, No.

Of course, if the problem is a leaking pressure regulator, you won't _have_ pressure in the fuel system. Har!

So anyway, did you do the vacuum port check as I described, and find gasoline in there, or what?