Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Strange Starting Problem

[MMcKenzie]

I am still a little new here. I did a search but could not find a thread on my problem. Under normal daily driving my truck starts and runs like a champ. Never have any problems. All guages read normal, and I did have a new lift pump put on a while back. I don't seem to have any problems at all till I hook a trailer to it. I tow a boat, total weight about 6000lbs, and I do not tow in over-drive. After towing and cool down (such as getting fuel), when I go to restart the truck it can take as many as 5-10 seconds to turn over. Is this normal? It does not do this under normal driving, just towing. Any ideas?

 

[bmoeller]

Do you have to cycle the key a couple of times before it will turn the starter over? And either does nothing or just clicks? If that is the case, it could be the starter contacts. They are any easy and fairly cheap fix.



Could also be the starter relay under the hood, in the Power Distributor Center (PDC) on the fender.

 

[MMcKenzie]

I never have to cycle the key. It just takes a little longer to turn over than normal. About 5 seconds. I am hoping I don't have a VP44 on the way out, but I would assume it would happen all the time then, not just when towing?

 

[RJPotts]

If you have a dieing VP towing is the best way to kill it faster. Reason is your VP is forced to push more fuel because the motor is under a load. I'm not sure why it would only do this after towing, mine acted funny all the time before my VP died.

Cycle the key:

on, off, on, off, on without turning the truck on and look in the odometer window for codes. p1693 is normal, p0216 means your VP is on its death bed.

Otherwise, I don't know.

 

[MMcKenzie]

Went out at lunch to check for codes, nothing. Just says P-done.