Hey Y’all, just picked up a 02 with 112k miles. No codes just having a hard starting issue. It takes 2-4 sec of cranking before it starts up. It always starts just cranks over for longer than usual. I’ve tried a couple things but now I’m stumped.

After filling up one time it cranked for about 8 seconds before the engine ran. Then when I was idling at the pump it stalled out. After researching, I replaced the evap vapor canister thinking it was vapor locked but still started hard.

I replaced the idle air control valve, old one had a good amount of carbon. Cleaned up the mating surface before putting in the new one.

Fuel pressure is about 49-50 psi when I prime the pump and went down maybe 2-3 psi in 10 min. I replaced the fuel pressure regulator anyways thinking it was staying shut. But still a hard start.

Spark plugs/wires and starter are new. Battery is good.

Short term and long term fuel trims are within the +/- 10%

Possibly leaky injectors or bad fuel check valve but I don’t want to spend that money if I don’t have to.

Any ideas or is this normal? Much appreciated.

 

FUEL FILTER!

Check the fuel pressure after you initially turn the key to "START", if should immediately hit the "trigger pressure" or "minimum pressure to fire the injectors". In another test, watch the fuel pressure as you crank the engine before it starts and after it does start.

At one itme, we had a bunck of Chevy C/K vehicles which came in with "Extended Crank Time" issues. Like 2 minutes of cranking. With a fuel pressure gauge hooked up, the teck cranked the engine. When the fuel pressure hit the min of 55psi, THEN it started and ran. So, in any event, it takes a minimum pressure for the injectors to fire. Until that pressure is met, all that will happen is "cranking".

You might try turning the key to "START", pause there a second or two, letting the fuel pump build pressure, and then see if the engine starts normally, with a new filter.

NTX5467