[suppesm]

1997 Ford Taurus GL 3.0 SOHV
213,000 miles.

My car started acting up today. When I started it it was hard to start and dies if you don't rev it up past idle speed. And when it is idling it eithers dies because it seems like it is not getting enough fuel or too much.

It smells of carbon monoxide really bad and smokes a little. It jerks a little and idles very rough. I have to put the pedal to the floor to get it to start and it seems like it gets harder and harder to start every time I kill it. This just started today. I have already changed the fuel filter added fuel system cleaner and filled up with Premium gas and drove for a little while. This didn't help any at all. It drives fine down the road until you get to a stop light and idle. Any clues? Fuel pressure regulator, camshaft position sensor, vaccuum line????? It's way too bad to just be O2 sensors.

And when I rev it up to try to clean out the system it leaves a black spot on the cement from the exhaust. Like the fuel mixture isn't right maybe.

 

[Guest]

Problem solved. I took off the air cleaner and there was quite a bit of gas in the air filter. So it was obvious that it was the fuel presure regulator. I changed it in less than three minutes and the car runs and idles great again. Luckily it wasn't something more complicated.

 

[tbird100636]

With such a rich running condition as you describe, I'd say you may have one of the Upstream O2 Sensors going bad, but not setting a code yet.