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ylomnstr
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
21:20:46
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 Subject: '98 Starting hard
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Message:
I've got a '98 Dak with 122,000 miles on it, and it runs fine, but it doesn't always start on the first turn of the key. It tries turning over and sometimes it does start, others it doesn't. It doesn't matter if the truck is cold or hot. I can't pinpoint anything in particular that causes it. If it doesn't start on the first turn of the key, it instantly starts when I turn the key a 2nd time. Does this sound like a starter problem?
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446Kota
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2005
22:54:42
| RE: '98 Starting hard
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Message:
My '94 with a 5.2 does the same thing. Except, it'll start the first time when the engine is warm. After it sits for about 2 hours{minimum} I have to cycle the key twice for it to start...
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candak
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2005
18:30:24
| RE: '98 Starting hard
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Message:
when mine began to cycle a little before starting, it wasn't long before the fuel pump went-
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Rob C
Dodge Dakota
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8/25/2005
21:13:22
|  RE: '98 Starting hard
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Message:
It's because the check valve in your fuel pump is sticking (most likely). The check valve is to prevent your fuel system from depressurizing by draining back into the tank through the fuel pump. Unlike a carburetor, fuel injectors don't have a reservoir or fuel bowl to hold readily available fuel to start and run your engine. Minute dirt and other contaminants in your fuel (smaller than what the in-tank fuel filter can screen out) collect on the ball of the valve and it starts to bind. When this happens, it doesn't return to the closed position when you shut off the engine (thus shutting off the pump) and without a good seal the fuel leaks past your pump into the tank. When you try to start your truck back up after the fuel has slowly been leaking back into the tank, it takes a bit of cranking to get enough fuel in your system to feed your injectors.
A simple way to test this is to turn on your ignition wait 3 seconds, turn it off then back on, repeating this for about 4 cycles and then start the engine. If it starts right away, you have a leak down problem.
You could also connect a fuel pressure gauge to your schroeder valve on your fuel rail and check your fuel pressure when running (about 39 psi) and then turn off the engine and check that you still have pressure. After waiting about 20 minutes you should see only a very minor loss of pressure (like .5 psi). If the loss is significant (several psi) then you either have a check valve leak or injector leak. The injector leak is very bad, but you should smell raw gasoline if this is happening (that is if you have your head under the hood). The check valve can usually be remedied by mixing 50/50 STP Black bottle (F.I. cleaner) and Marvel Mystery Oil and pouring into your tank before you fill it up at your next fill up. With a bottle of each you can treat twice (half a bottle of each on each fill up). Good luck!
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Rich Leon
Dodge Dakota
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8/28/2005
18:44:17
| RE: '98 Starting hard
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Message:
I have a '98 that seems to be doing the same thing, but not everytime. It seems to be an intermitent, although it was doing it every morning when I would go to work, and when I would leave from work for about a week. During that week, I did try cycling the fuel pump several times, before trying to start it, and it started up quicker than it has in a long time, but I'll try the stp thing as well.
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