'04.5 Slow Starting

[mberry]

Hi everyone.

My truck has recently began taking a little longer to crank and a little slower to start. This past weekend, it was cold where we were camping and the truck sounded like an old tractor when it started up. I could actually hear the different cylinders fire up the first time around.

It has always ran rough the first 30 seconds or more if it's really cold, and given that puff of blue smoke when started cold, even before the TST.

I just changed the oil, filter, fuel filter, and cleaned the air filter less than 1500 miles ago. Could it be the stock lift pump slowly dieing? I run Red Line fuel treatment almost every tank and it had it in it this tank. Power seems fine once it's running, it's just taking longer to start than it ever has.

I will say this, it used to take . 5 - 1 second to start, now it's taking an extra second or so if that helps. Also, I run the TST on 1/1 almost all the time and my mileage is around 21. 5-22 at 66-67mph.

TIA

Mark

 

[ScottFreeman]

I have a 05 and just had the same problem. I was in the Black Hills. The temp got down around 20 at night. My truck never had trouble starting in the cold before. Once the truck warmed up it ran ok. But after a long stop same problems. I had also changed my fuel filter just before the trip. I reinstalled my filter, it seems to start better, but I am closer to sea level and warmer temps. It will go to the dealer later on this week.

 

[mberry]

Does that mean you removed and re-installed the same fuel filter? Yes, the temps were in the 20's with snow where we were.

 

[Ross]

Are you using the turbo cool down feature on the TST? If so, it may not be running your transfer pump during cool down. It was a serious problem on my 2006. If so, disable the cool-down feature and see if it improves.

 

[ScottFreeman]

Yes I used the same filter. I was checking the O ring to see if I cut it. The truck is at the dealer. And of course it didn't throw a code or smoke on start up for them.

 

[mberry]

Ross, my TST does not have the Turbo Cool Down feature so I'm fairly certain that's not the issue. That doesn't mean that it's not the lift pump dying a slow death. No codes or anything either.

Thanks Scott. I will check the O-ring on mine this weekend when I have time, but I'm 99. 999% sure I didn't damage it. I'm very careful when putting new filters in/on my truck so as to not damage any seals.

 

[mberry]

Strange. Now this morning I get in, start it up and it starts fine. I leave the house and get about 100 yards away and realize I left my wallet at home. I go get my wallet and when I get back to the truck it's shaking like it's running on 5 cylinders. I was only gone from the truck about 30 seconds or so and left it idling in the driveway and I didn't shut it off. So then I just start driving to work and figuring if it dies, it dies. By the time I got 3 or 4 miles down the road it started putting out a little heat from the vents in the cab. I didn't have to stop until about mile 4 from home and when I did it was idling normally. WTH???

No issues with long cranking at all so far today.

 

[mberry]

Ok. I guess I'll just sit here and talk to myself. Thanks guys (non-sarcastic).


p. s. I'm starting to think it's an injector. It's much worse when the engine is cold and you can hear the difference while driving.