We have a V8 4.6L 2002 explorer that all of the sudden would not start. We replaced spark plugs and a coil pack about a month ago when it started driving rough and threw check engine light. This time nothing just would crank over and over but not start. Here is what we do know...

Fuel pump primes
We have fuel in the lines
We have NO spark to the spark plugs
Battery was low but we had it put on slow charge
Checked all fuses and are ok
Have replaced camshaft and crank sensors just yesterday
When turning key to ON position the Check Engine Light does come on and stay on
Antitheft light NOT blinking
Hooked up to a xray auto scanner and no codes coming up. I am not sure but tech line says I am doing it right, but said I should be getting some sort of code with light on

Any other suggestions to look at???

 

The PCM (powertrain comtrol module, aka engine computer) turns on the check engine light to let you know it has something to say (that is, it has set at least one error code). If your scanner returns nothing, it could be either that there are no codes OR your scanner is bad, misconnected (loose wires on the car's OBD connector) or misconfigured (wrong communication protocol: older Fords like mine used PWM, but I suspect newer ones use CAN). Is the scanner confirming that the communication with the PCM has been established?

As far as I know, the PCM will only set codes after the engine successfully ran for a little while, even in the presence of problems. Also, if you disconnect the battery and leave it so for 10 minute, all codes are cleared, together with the engine-specific learned conditions stored in the KAM (keep-alive-memory). If you have codes set, you should read them before disconnecting the battery, or else that info will be gone.

It is normal to have CEL on with the ignition on. If the check engine light goes off while you are cranking the engine, the shaft position sensors are working, so the lack of spark could come from another place - ignition control module, maybe?

Let us know ... and good luck!

 

We finally got it running. We sprayed some starter fluid like spray in front of the engine and cranked it at the same time. Started right up. Had to replace two spark plugs and now having to replace the coils. It threw a code after it was started for the camshaft sensor, which we replaced, but didn't reset the computer afterwards.