Its driving me nuts trying to figure this out, my 03 dak takes a long time to start, cranks for like 4 sec every time, but only when cold, fires up every time, but takes so long i always think it wont start, when its hot it starts normally.
Only engine codes i have have something to do with an emissions vacuum thing, but thats been there since i bought the truck in September, and this long start only just showed up a month or so ago.
Anyone have any ideas what it could be?

 

Fuel pump bleeding down?

 

Try turning the key on and wait till you hear the fuel pump shut off then start the truck.

 

you may have to do it a couple times say 4 to 5 then start it, i have the same issue and pointed it to being fuel leaking back

 

thats what it sounds like to me. like they said cycle the key a few times waitn each time for the pump to shut off then try it. might be the injecters leakin down or the pump also i hear about crank postion sensor goin bad. good luck

 

It sounds like a bad fuel pressure regulator, which is an internal part of the fuel pump. There is a check valve in the regulator that goes bad, and causes the fuel to bleed out of the fuel line after the truck is parked overnight, or even for a few hours. That's why it causes the truck to have to crank over for a longer period of time before it starts when it is cold. I have heard and read that most of the time the regulator fails at around 125,000 miles.

You can buy a cheap fuel pressure tester gauge at Harbor Freight or a parts store. The Haynes Book tells how to check the pressure. It's not hard to do. Be sure to use thread sealer tape on the fittings of your fuel pressure gauge. First remove the fuel pump relay from the Power Distribution Center, start the truck, let it run until it finally dies. Then crank it over a couple times to get all residual fuel out of the line. Then connect the tester to the Schrader Valve test port on the driver's side of the fuel rail. Reinstall the fuel pump relay, turn the key to ignition on for about 15 seconds, then start the truck. The fuel pressure should read between 47 and 52 psi at idle. Turn off the ignition and leave the tester connected. If the pressure falls below 30 psi in less than 5 minutes, the regulator is bad. Replacing the fuel pump is the only way to fix the regulator problem. When I tested my truck before I replaced my fuel pump, the fuel pressure fell below 20 psi in less than 3 minutes.

Jimmy

 

you just made me laugh silver, mostly cause i picked up a haynes yesterday and read how to check the fuel pressure and you just quoted it almost word for word, but i plan on checkin mine this week. there was a thread a while back to sayin supposibly if you got the extra hands rather than droppin the tank to replace the pump just pull the bed off and its a lot easier

 

I wished I had some extra hands when I did my fuel pump last year. I agree 110% if you have the helpers it's a lot easier to just R&R the bed. I did my fuel pump by myself with about 15 gallons of gas still in the tank and that tank was heavy. I figured out a way to use my floor jack, some nylon ratcheting tie-down straps, a piece of plywood and 2 paint cans to support and maneuver the tank off and then back on to my truck.

I did start out by removing all the bolts and everything to R&R the bed and get to the pump but I could not move the bed myself and I had no one else to help so I dropped the tank instead. Once I figured out how to R&R the tank, it was not too hard of a job.

Jimmy

 

yea i did the fule pump in a suburban that had a 30 gallon tank which happened to be half full, not to fun

 

so i just checked the price on pumps from advance and was a lil shocked $220 to $280 is crazy, does anyone know if theres a cheaper one?