Bought a 2005 b2300 recently, 5 speed with 54k miles. It has a a strange starting issue. When it's been sitting over night or if you shut it off for a few minutes to run in the store or something it starts great. the problem comes when the truck was driven until warmed up then sits until the engine is pretty much cold, it'll crank and crank, very strongly, but won't start until you blip the throttle, then fires and idles normally. this only happens once in every 5 start attempts. there are no codes being thrown.

So i was thinking air delivery since i don't think the presence of spark isn't effected by throttle, and fuel is more or less computer controlled. i did a new air filter and took my IAC out and cleaned it with electrical parts cleaner but it's still happening. what else can i look at?

 

Try Clear Flooded Engine test.

All Fuel Injected engine computers have this routine.
Turn key on
Press gas pedal to the floor and hold it down
Now crank engine
Engine should NOT start, or even fire a little, fuel injectors are shut off but spark is still on.

As soon as you release the gas pedal, even while cranking, the engine should start, injectors are on again with release of gas pedal.

Just thinking that if you had a leaking injector, you could end up with enough fuel in the intake to flood the engine after it cools off a little.
If it sits overnight fuel evaporates and cold engine likes rich mix anyway, if engine is warm any leaking fuel evaporates quickly, so starting is fine.

If your engine Fires, even a little, during this test there is fuel leaking in from somewhere.

Fuel Pressure test could tell you also.


As another test I would get a can of Quick Start(ether), when engine doesn't start right away, stop cranking, pop the hood, pull off PCV or Power brake vacuum hose off the intake, spray quick start into intake and replace hose.
Try to start again, if it doesn't fire then spark is not on, could be CKP(crank position) sensor or its wire, maybe even loose coil wire but I would think these would all cause codes to be set.

The '05 B2300 should have the 2.3l duratec engine, not the 2.3l Lima

 

thanks for the ideas. it is a duratec 2.3. i'll try the flood test next time it does it.

cleaned the MAF TPS and IAC today too.

I'm also having a little hang-up in my throttle cable, where it kind of sticks when trying to take off from a stop or rev from idle, makes it tough to modulate throttle input. sprayed some white-lithium on the fulcrum points, anyone know any tricks?

 

With engine off, rotate throttle wide open and remove cables ends, both if you have cruise.

Now try the throttle and see if it is sticking, if not then cable is the issue, try manually moving cable in and out, could be it is hitting something under the dash as well.

Not sure how you "cleaned the TPS" but that is hooked to the throttle shaft, so.............maybe it got misaligned and is sticking