trouble starting - Dodge Dakota Forum

Subject: trouble starting
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when i get into my truck to start it in the morning it usually takes at least five seconds of turning over before it starts.. but once it is warmed up it will start first crank everytime. it is a 2000 dodge dakota 4x4 4.7 and it has 165000 miles on it. i changed the plugs and put autolites in at 100000. any ideas on what could be going on?

Kowalski
GenIII

1/30/2009
08:19:45

RE: trouble starting
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Could be the fuel pressure bleeding down, likely either through the check valve in the tank, or a leaking fuel injector. You can check with a fuel pressure gauge. I'd pull the plugs and look for signs of one fouling from a leaky injector, that would be worth fixing. The check valve would be a tougher fix, I'd be tempted to live with that.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way

Kowalski
GenIII

1/30/2009
08:20:57

stevedak
Dodge Dakota
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1/30/2009
14:52:38

RE: trouble starting
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ok thanks alot. i also just bought a brand new battery since the old one was 4 years old and so i could rule that out. but i am planning on pulling the plugs soon so i will definately check for fouling. do you think if i'm gonna pull the plugs that after 65,000 i might as well change them while i have them out?

Kowalski
GenIII

1/30/2009
15:22:16

RE: trouble starting
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Of course ! And don't forget to use anti seize.

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stevedak
Dodge Dakota
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1/30/2009
16:02:02

RE: trouble starting
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alright i'll change them out then. one guy suggested that the fuel pump could be going out too and that it is taking it longer to get fuel moving to the engine until the engine is warmed up.. i hope he is completely wrong though or that'd be kinda pricy...

stevedak
Dodge Dakota
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2/02/2009
16:36:42

RE: trouble starting
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well i went to get new plugs and i wanted the autolite 3923's. the guy behind the counter said this isn't the right plug for the 4.7 and that i needed the 5224's. has anyone heard of using this plug instead of the 3923's? i just walked out and said i'd get it later..

Kowalski
GenIII

2/02/2009
17:55:04

RE: trouble starting
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My truck runs fine on the equivalent to the stock champion plugs - why do you want something different ?

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stevedak
Dodge Dakota
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2/02/2009
18:01:55

RE: trouble starting
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well according to this site the 3923's are supposed to perform pretty well in the 4.7's..

Kowalski
GenIII

2/03/2009
18:25:05

RE: trouble starting
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The stock equivalents perform very well in my truck. I wouldn't consider changing to a colder plug unless it was knocking - and then I'd look at the reason why first. The site actually doesn't take a position either way - others have also advised against going to colder plug for no reason. Posts are more meaningful if you understand the science behind them.

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mchard
Dodge Dakota
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2/02/2010
22:43:55

Trouble starting....sometimes
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Hello
My 2000 Dakota isn't starting right. When I turn on the ignition the check engine light comes on. If I try and start it with the light on, the engine just turns over, but doesn't start. If I wait 5 seconds the light goes off and then it starts right away. I went to AutoZone to read the code but the light won't stay on long enough for the reader to pick up the code. I'm thinking it has to be some type of fuel sensor, but I don't know where to look first.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

?
Dodge Dakota
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2/03/2010
09:08:44

RE: trouble starting
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As one of the posts above -- leaking injector
or check valve ..
May be able to determine which injector
by pulling plugs and carefully inspecting .
= The one which is more blackened , or has most deposits is probably the cylinder with the bad
injector..

Chris G
Dodge Dakota
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2/03/2010
15:12:02

RE: trouble starting
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mchard,

The Check Engine light is supposed to come on when you first turn the ignition, its a test. Roughly 5 seconds is about right.

What's probably happening is, while you wait, you fuel pump is building up pressure in the fuel lines, and that's why it starts after you wait. There's always supposed to be pressure in those lines, on or off.

Simply, you're losing fuel pressure when they pump's off; either a leak, or a valve in the fuel pump. I forget the name of the valve, but I have this problem in my wife's 99 Jeep Cherokee. She just turns it over until it starts - which I tell her is bad for the starter, instead of just giving it a couple of seconds with the Key to ON. She then proceeds to tell me it only happens when I'm around the Jeep.

...Women...

It's a livable situation, if you ask me. Pulling down the tank just to swap a fuel pump that works fine otherwise just doesn't seem worth it.

daddio
Dodge Dakota
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2/03/2010
15:39:06

RE: trouble starting
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Chris G, you're a little off. The fuel pump only comes on for a couple of seconds if you don't start cranking the engine. If the ASD does not see ignition firing it will shut the fuel pump off.

So if you just turn the key once to "on" and wait 10-30 seconds the system will not fully pressurize if it has bled down. Hence, you actually need to turn the key 2 or 3 times to fully prime the system if it is leaking.

mchard
Dodge Dakota
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2/03/2010
16:13:32

RE: trouble starting
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The Check engine light is supposed to come on? I don't remember it ever coming on before this problem. I replaced a fuel sensor about a year ago when it wouldn't fire. I checked that connection but everything looked fine. That is why I thought there might be another fuel sensor somewhere? It isn't a big deal to wait the five seconds, but if it was an easy fix....

Chris G
Dodge Dakota
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2/03/2010
16:33:37

RE: trouble starting
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Thanks for the correction, I knew I was a little off about it but couldn't remember. Maybe this time it'll stick in my head.

But when the ignition switch is turned to START the ASD gets a signal, so it'd last instead of only a couple seconds.

Ah, I remember now. I was delving through all of this when I was trying to wire-out my old Dist so I could have a newer/better Dist. Kept running into road blocks. I mean, sure, I could just have it hot when the ignition is ON, but what if the engine's off? With Fuel Injectors not getting a signal to open, I don't think it'd be much of a problem, but I have a Carb on top of this previously-FI engine. Wouldn't the gas end up just dumping out of the carb?

Maybe I need to read-up on Carbs again. My memory's so fuzzy nowadays ...

Chris G
Dodge Dakota
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2/03/2010
17:47:12

RE: trouble starting
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Nevermind, I figured my problem out.

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