About a week ago my truck has started having trouble getting started. It cranks over like 15 times before finally firing up. When it used to fire right up. It runs fine as far as power, the way it sounds and all that... but it has trouble at idle. I can leave it idling but give it a few minutes and it'll die. I also can easily stall it out during a drive (automatic trans) it struggles when I'm stopped at a light so I have to keep throttling and I definitely can not leave it in Drive. I drop in neutral at lights, something I normally do anyway but now it's a must or I'll stall out. I feel like I could literally just turn up the throttle idle control and help it or something but I want to fix the actual problem...what ever it may be. One thing I should mention, the day before I had a frustrated speeding drive to and back from miami.. which isnt unusual for me but I know i shouldn't beat on my old truck like that.. so that could have damaged or strained something...
Hey just an update: I found a rip in one of the rubber boots connecting to the throttle body, which was obviously causing an air leak. I patched it up and now my truck runs and drives great again. But the starting issue still remains. I tried leaving the key turned in the "running" position so the fuel pump would run for a few seconds before trying to crank it. And I felt it helped but still it shouldn't have this much trouble. And I assume if the fuel pump was starting to go bad I would feel a difference when driving? right? I just do not understand how my truck went from starting 1st & 2nd crank every time cold or hot.. To now having to crank over 10 times while pumping the throttle.... This was not a gradual change. One morning it started fine, drove to the store near by and parked. Went to start it back up and the problem accrued for the 1st time. hasn't stopped or changed since.
Think simple. Start with a new fuel filter. Could be plugged. When it initially starts the line finally has enough pressure to start and more throttle trying to keep it running is just fuel trying to push through a possible blockage. I'd start there.
So from what I read so far... it seams like a real bitch to change the fuel filter.... I was thinking about removing the entire throttle body/intake manifold... clean out the whole intake assembly because I'm sure it could use it, and then leave myself with plenty of room to get to the filter.. The starter injector was disgusting when I pulled it out to diagnose my problem, but again it runs fine.. I would rather not give myself so much extra work.. Also I paid extra for the fram fuel filter, hoping I never have to change this thing again..
Changing the fuel filter is kinda a mandatory thing to do like I dunno every year. I change mine every year. I never have a problem with my truck not starting or running ruff. I'd just keep that in mind as a friendly reminder.
yeah well... my truck has almost 200k and the filter is OE..so.... yeah lol... a little late... but anyways you think it's worth taking apart the intake system and cleaning everything?
I doubt that it is the fuel filter. A fuel issue would allow startup and idle, but not support enough flow for full throttle. If you want to change it, you can do it with the intake on, it's not that tough. Just expect to get fuel everywhere. All the gunk in the intake is fairly normal and shouldn't cause any issues like this. That's how the EPA and Toyota decided to burn off the oil and excess emissions from the crank case and exhaust. Not pretty, but not a horrible thing. Being fuel injected, holding the throttle open or pumping the gas probably only changes the amount of air going through the throttle body, not the amount of fuel that gets injected like a carbureted model with an accelerator pump. That being said, I'd continue to look down the "air" portion of the "fuel, spark, air" equation required for internal combustion. Not so much for a leak, but maybe a blockage. I'll check my manual for possibilities.
could be a bad cold start time switch or a cold start injector. my truck does this, but i dont let it bother me. plus i have some mods done.
Ok, just changed out the fuel filter, feel like it definitely did the trick! not exaclty 1st crank to start but a LOT better! Also the other sites must be full of scrubs or something... changing the filter was not that bad.. I did it in like 30min.. EDIT: This did NOT fix my problem.. I think Litneon is right, something must be blocked up or something... maybe one of these many lines/hoses, I think I'm gonna start shooting carb cleaner through each.. Also again this is what happens when I try to start.. ill let it turn over pumping the throttle maybe 10 times over.. stop...let it turn over again like 10 times it might fire once toward the end right before I let off again... then crank it again and it fires right up... again idles/drives perfect.
This is extremely frustrating.. My truck is only getting worse. If I didnt have a can of engine start with me just now, i would have been stranded at the gas station. I'm looking at everything in my Haynes book but I can't figure out what could be blocked or malfunctioning to cause this! The starting injector works. the fuel filter is new. the pickup coil has to be good since it idles and runs. I pump the throttle like it helps but really it seams like it has to build some pressure before it starts or something. Like when it finally fires I have my foot on the gas and that's what gets it going. if that makes any sense...
Im carbureted, so IDK if you want to take my advise, but.... Do you have a manual or access to a fsm? I'd start checking sensors mith a multimeter. No CEL? Ever? If you think its somekind of fuel issue, you could seafoam the b***h! Dump some in the tank and get it running with your ether... Just ideas... Maybe the pump or relay is acting up? Just gotta find a pattern. Pumping the pedal doesn't do much for EFI. But I understand pushing the pedal when you hear it fire
I do have a haynes manual and I pretty much started looking at the EFI relay and fuel pump. But yeah I know, the throttle has little effect in my fuel inject but if I didnt do it the truck would never fire. But anyways for some reason the problem has stopped... Literally had no issue yesterday cold or warm start. Back to cranking right up... So I'm happy it works again.. but worried not knowing what caused it or it'll come back..
... sounded like the fuel pump was not pushing (building) enough fuel pressure to start. -possibly due to "cloggeged fuel filter" causing a restriction = slowly tired out the pump. now that the fuel filter is new/clean, the pump can not work as hard to push fuel to start. ..... seems legit.
THIS... If not the fuel pump, maybe the regulator? Idk that they really malfunction or go out on our trucks tho... just thinking of everything in your fuel system
im just guessing, but i dont think there is a cam or a crank sensor on that old of a truck. obviously u changed the fuel filter and things got somewhat better ... so i might be leaning towards a "fuel suppy/delivery" issue. just my $0.02
Yeah I agree, something must have been gunked up in the fuel system somewhere. I changed the fuel filter and air filter and everything just got progressively better. That little motor is back to starting normal and I'm a happy camper. thanks everyone for all your time and input!