[brandusedintrepid2000]

okay.. so since my last post, I figured out why my intrepid was smoking under the hood... FOUND OUT IT WAS THE COOLANT RESERVIOR LEAKING THROUGH A CRACK AND SPRAYING COOLANT INTO MY ELECTRICAL WIRING... so I changed that out immediately (problem solved) now, the main picture that I had been running across is the engine start up... on a cold start it starts fine, but once you turn the car off it'll have a rough time starting only way I found how to start it with out having to keeping turning the key over is press enough gas and sure enough the car will start, but we all know thats not normal! so I looked into a fuel pump motor going bad? opened up my tank pulled the cap off and put the key in turned it to start and I hear the fuel pump motor running fine, so IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT A FUEL PUMP ISSUE.. (mind you I've switched out the spark plugs) so it wasn't a spark plug gone bad, now I'm thinking could it be either a fuel filter? or at worst fuel injectors? it's not the problem of replacing the injectors, it's just the freakin cost of replacement's and if neither of those are the issue and I'm spending more then what I bought my intrepid for... I'd be the one against the wall. what should I start with? should I do the fuel pump first? or go right at the injectors? if you don't think it's either of them.. what do you think I should do??? or look into? any ideas would be appreciated.

[mnitetrain]

Visual inspection is no good. You need to get a fuel pressure test. Should be almost 56- 60PSI rock steady no movement.

[The_Jackfish]

Might be worth it to check out you throttle body. Might be gummed up around the throttle plate. A good cleaning can sometimes solve that problem. But not always,

[brandusedintrepid2000]

thank you guys for your response I will obviously have to take it into a shop since i dont have all the right tools and supply to fix the issue but I will definitely have them look into the fuel pressure, as far as the throttle body hopefully it isn't going bad.

[SRT6INTREPID]

Don't be silly, parts are dirt cheap and plentiful thanks to the 2.7.

I would not hesitate a trip to the yard and yank what you need. I have two sets of injectors and a spare TB right here. Anything fuel tank related well that'll have to wait until I make my trip to the yard this week.

I had an issue when I cold started my 3.5 during the start of the colder weather it would "chug" like a bone cold flooded two-stroke chainsaw. It wouldn't die, just take a moment to rev up and make a sound.

Turned out to be excess oil in my plenum (PVC valve), leaky injector, miserable performing IAC. Do a fuel system pressure check, and go from there is my suggestion, but there is some food for thought.

[brandusedintrepid2000]

okay so I finally got fed up trying to figure it out on my own... so I took my baby into the shop and they finally were able to diagnose it... IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE ECT (ENGINE COOLANT TEMP SENSOR) replaced it and now she starts up like a champ. after monitoring the issues before I took her into the shop I've noticed that even after I drove my trepi around for about an hour or so you would think the temp gauge would be roughly below the half line of hot/cold on the temp gauge.. well I noticed my engine would run an hour or two and gauge wasn't moving anywhere...just staying cold... so that was one of the symptoms the trepi was having finally had the ect replaced and she starts lovely! I'm soo happy!!!!

[peva]

Fuel mileage should be better now - it would have been running very rich once it warmed up. Good info. in case someone else posts with the same problem.