Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) My turn, Hard starting problem

[aarlucas]

Ok, now it's my turn for the hard to start. Here are the symptoms and what I have done to date.

About a week ago the truck started taking a little longer to start. It has progressively gotten worse. I doen't matter if it is hot or cold. Once the truck has sat for about 10-15 minutes or over night it is hard to start. If I run it and shut if off and start it right away it will start right up. So I have to believe that I have a leak back situation. The million dollar question is WHERE!

I have a new lift pump and the pressures are fine, never below 10 PSI under full throttle towing 8K, 15 at idle and 12-13 at cruise @ 70 mph. I have not got any codes at all. I pulled the VP check valve to check it out. Looks to be working fine, although there is a very small machined hole just above the discharge port which I found to be strange if it is suppose to hold pressure. Don't have any "visible" leaks any where. I changed the filter just to make sure it wasn't the problem, I added fuel conditioner just in case it was bad fuel, no change. Both batteries are fine too and the intake air heater works fine too.

What are the posibilties that a fuel connector tube or o-ring would just go bad? I have also been reading on here about the crankshaft sensor as a possibility, is that a true possibilty?. Any Dodge/Cummins techs have any insight? Anyone with this same problem before? Where do I start? Right now I am in the process of elimination mode sense it doesn't want to make itself obvious! It is somewhat frustrating to say the least. Once fired, the truck runs just great and still gets 22-23 MPG on the hwy. My sig shows 139K miles, I am up to 147K now.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Rick

 

[rmackay1]

hey Rick, I know it says in the shop manual that if the check valve on the VP 44 return line sticks open the fuel will drain out and cause hard starting, the check valves are only about 25 bucks at cummins, you might change it anyways, another thing you might look at is your fuel filter, it could have a tiny tiny leak, if the gaskets got creased or folded last time it was serviced, good luck, ray

 

[aarlucas]

Thanks Ray, I may just change the check valve to be safe. It seems like the problem got worse once I pulled the valve, cleaned it and put it back. It was doing this before I changed the filter too. That is why I changed it, hoping it was the problem.

Rick

 

[tractorface]

Check everything but........

Had same problem for 3 or 4 months before VP quit. Truck ran great otherwise right up until I had to call for a tow truck :{



Hope yours is related to an air leak but thought you should be warned.

 

[aarlucas]

I hope so too! I sure don't want to have to change out the fuel pump. That would not be nice at all! Did you get any codes warning you of the VP?

Thanks

 

[tractorface]

No codes

I have OBD2 software and my VP never set a code. I did notice a little more white smoke at start up while I had the hard to start problem. Mind you this went on from around April until July when the thing just died on my way to work. I checked for leaks and never found any, thought about installing a check valve etc, bottom line is the VP was going and nothing could save it. In hindsight I should have accepted my fate and set up a convienant time to replace the unit instead of being without my truck for weeks. Yeah weeks, I had a lot of trouble getting BOTH updated VP mounting brackets after I found my mounting bracket broken. Anyway the VP R&R is actually pretty easy as far as that type of thing goes.

Good luck.



From what I have read if you have a hard start after sitting you should check carefully for leaks, even in the tank, if the system is good replace your VP44

 

[aarlucas]

I've been checking for leaks every day for about a week now. I ordered all new bango washers this morning. I'm going to change out all of them to make sure one of them is not leaking just the smallest amount. It may end up being the VP, hope it's not, however, I do have 147K on it so I wouldn't be surprised if it is going bad.

Thanks again.

 

[vette75406]

What does the white smoke indicate , I also have some white smoke at start up and a hard starting problem , my problem seemed to have arose after a lift pump failure but was white smoking before all this happened, ive got just under 97k on the truck at this time , the LP went out at about 92k .











_______________________________

2000 qc 4x4

 

[tractorface]

White smoke

I don't want to mislead anyone. Maybe someone else will chime in. I understand white smoke to be common on cold starts, I just nticed additional white smoke where none had been before. I believe it is unburned fuel similar to black smoke only slightly different (help)



Check for leaks on the High pressure side of the VP as well. I think two guys recently had a bad o-ring on an injector feed line cause hard start problems. Should see a puddle of fuel if this is the case. Might also be wise to run the pickup from a bucket, thus eliminating the fuel tank module. The rubber lines sometimes rub through or the fittings on top rust through and suck air.