1996 ford f-150 5.0 starting problem
 

i have a 96 ford f-150 5.0 and it starts hard , turns over good but starts hard ! i put new plugs in, gauged them, new plug wires, cap and rotor but it,s still the same ! i tested the fuel pump pressure on both tanks and the pressure reads 40 to 42 pounds and it don,t bleed off ! i checked the regulator and no gas in the vacuum hose so it,s got me stumped ! after about 2 or 3 tries it fires up and runs good and no hesitation on the road ! i put a new gas filter on it too along with a new air filter ! i did so much i don,t know what else to check ! i would appreciate if any of you ford guys could shine some light on what,s the matter ! once it gets starter then it has all kind of power on hills and on the level ! thanks guys !

Can you try this ?
Set it up so you can see if there is spark available when first trying to start after shutting it down for a while. If it cranks long as stated, you should be able to tell right away if there is spark or not. It would be best if you used the coil wire from the cap end and placed it 1/4 in. from a good ground. Let us know what you find.