When you start the vehicle, turn the key to the "ON" position and stop. The whine of the fuel pump pressurizing the system should be audible. Some people believe that the key should be turned from "OFF" straight to "START", which is incorrect. The fuel pump whine should be audible for 2-3 seconds and then cease. At that point, turn the key to the "START" position.

When the vehicle finally does start, does it struggle to come to life, or does it roar to life. I'm *almost* inclined to believe it could be either the fuel pump or the coil pack.

 

just a thought.... When it finally starts does the rpms stay high till the engine reaches operating temps or does it stay constant warm or cold...
Fuel injection engines have a fast idle for warm up that is regulated by the PCM with info from sensors telling it is cold or hot..You could have a bad sensor or 2 or the PCM could not be sending the right info to the engine for cold starts, hence the engine won't run till a sensor reads a certain temp which is why the block heater works so well..

 

No start again this morning, even with this magnetci heater thing. Very very cold today.

I don't think the oil is the cause, although it may help out a bit. Just another bandaid if it does start. The battery feels strong enough, though it may be weaker than new. I used to leave my van doors open for work all day. Last year my battery started to go dead by the end of the day when I left those doors open. I'm talking 6 to 8 hours. It never did this in the past. But now when I crank the engine it still has plenty of initial power for 5 to 10 second cranking spurst. I don't go longer. Heard it's not good. I let it rest and try again. But maybe it's not giving enough power in the cold for pcm?

Could also be fuel pump. But I had that replaced 2 or 3 years back. Or could it be fuel filter blockage when cold weather settles in and takes a while for fuel to get through cold filter blockage? I know, I know, I'm grasping for straws here. I'm going to pop the fuel line when I go out to try and start it again and see if gas squirts out with some force or not. I'll check for spark. Thing is, yesterday I was desperate to get to work and I took a propane space heater and set it up just outside on top a garbage can with door open and interior van engine cover off. And within 5 or 10 minutes the van started up. It ran rough as usual with this problem took pumping the pedal to keep it going for a few minutes but it worked. The colder it gets the longer it takes to start and keep running. But once it's warm up. It just purs smoothly.

The clicking noise reminds me of a solenoid click. Not sure if they still use those now. It's a very quick clicking almost sputtering and dies off as the battery loses it's kick. So if everything checks out with gas flow and spark I guess I'll have to start with a new battery. I think I read I can bring to Auto Zone and they'll check it for free. I'm low on funds with economy and winter coming. Construction is very slow now. And waiting for some checks to come in. So I need to keep spending at a minimum.Already charge 400+ for repairs and tools neede for it.

Water in gas happened once before on me. But this is a consisstant problem since last winter and only in cold, cold conditions. And this problem has gotten progressively worse since last winter. Just surprises me if the battery is the problem, that it lasted this whole past year.

You guys have help out alot. So thanks, I appreciate any help I can get. I fix the plenum problem I had from reading everyones posts here and other forums. It has help me out a great deal and learned a hell of a lot.

 

Just read this post. I'll check again like you say here and listen closer and I will pop the fuel line off the injector rail and let you know what I get.

When it starts in these temperatures it takes some time before it stops struggling to run and then it roars

What's a coil pack? Is it the coil from distributor? And if I get spark does this mean coil is good or do I need to do a resistance/voltage check? I'm hoping it's not the fuel pump since it was replaced recently. Before the pump got change by mechanic, the fuel guage used to flutter around the 1/4 tank mark. And kept doing this after the change of pump. I thought that would be fixed with new pump. This spring or summer the guage started a new pattern. Guage would show full when filling tank, but after 50 miles or so, the needle would flutter and soon bottom out. At a little less than 1/4 tank need would start to show it is working again. Still the same pattern now too. I've read that a fluttering guage is alarm for a bad fuel pump. But I have no problems with engine once warmed up. And like I said, this engine hasn't ran this smooth and strong after plenum repair since it was new. No more pinging, and I can use regular gas again. Doesn't seem like bad fuel pump to me. But I deffinitely ain't no mechanic, just someone who can figure things out in time and with help.

 

Sounds like engine is tryin to run with out warming up first..The only thing that is changing from runnin good and bad is temp...Make engine warm it starts...I think the PCM is not sending cold start infomation to the engine or vis-a-versa...

 

Don't go popping injectors off of the rail *****-nilly. If the O-rings are old, they should be replaced; otherwise, you're ripe for an engine fire due to a fuel link. When replacing injector O-rings, always lubricate them with a light film of oil.

 

Ok! Now I'm back to thinking it's the battery. If you have a charger, put it on trickle overnite and see how it's starts in the morning.
This past summer I wired fog lites into my headlight switch so they would come on when I turned on the parking lites (and, so it would ding if I forgot to turn them off). Well, a month later the HL switch burned out from being overloaded so I wired the fog lites direct to the battery. Needless to say, I have left them on numerous times by accident and the battery went dead. Now my battery is only half ok if that makes sense! If I forget the lites it's dead in 2 minutes or so. Which I did today when I went out to run errands (but the first place I stopped was the gas station).My truck has sat all week and turned over slowly but started.The short trip to the gas station didn't charge the battery much, By the time I called my daughter(who would have been late for work if she came to jump me) and the call to AAA, I went out and the battery revived itself enough to start the truck. So, IMHO, I think that leaving your door open (although it may have started) has cycled the battery too much and it's time for a new one.

 

Yea, I started leaning that way too yesterday. I thought the pcm thinks it's warm already (open loop?) and like a choke that's not set right tries to start but won't until the choke is adjusted or temperture change. Because once it starts it runs very rough like it's choking for the right mixture. I would think if it's the battery, once it starts it would be fine. But I really don't know.

I tried to listen for the fuel pump again with key in on position and I don't here anything. So maybe it is pump? But then why would it run so good once it starts and warms up? That just doesn't make sense to me. Again I just don't know enough of the workings here. The biggest thing is yesterday at work, I restarted the engine after a couple of hours to make sure I wouldn't be stuck when the day was done. Had to work til 8pm last night. At 4pm the temperture started to drop into the teens quickly. The van almost didn't want to start after only 3 hours of sitting which is quicker than lately. And again at 7pm I tried to warm it up. Same thing battery almost died before it started. And then ran rough for a few minutes. I would think I must be getting gas pumped in. The battery is suspect though. And it seems that the pcm thinks it's warm and has the mixture set for warmer temps. Just seems to make the most sense to me. I think the battery isn't helping, but would it run rough with a bad battery only at startup in cold weather?

jmhai or anyone,

What and where are the sensors/controls that tell the computor what to do with mixture when temps change. I replace the coolant temp and O2 sensors last winter when this whole thing started but no change. Are thier fuel sensor that limit the amount of gas supplied? or something else.

As for leaving the battery on trickle charge overnight. I've done this a bunch of times and also use the start/jump setting on the charger when cold to help with the battery lasting longer to crank engine over. It seems the longer I have the engine cranking the faster it warms up the engine to get some juice and you can hear combustion starting to happen. That's why I original thought it was the coil. But I don't know if the cold effects the coil that way. And I can't understand while when the engine seems to be getting warmer from cranking it over and over how that has any effect on the coil.

The computer info seems to make the most sense with the battery not helping. Pcm thinks open loop?

I'll be checking things outside for awhile but will come in to check for any more thoughts. Once I get it started after checking for fuel, spark, etc I'll take a ride to autozone to see if they will test my battery. Hopefully they won't just try to sell me one if I don't really need it.

OH yea, I won't disconnect any injectors, I was going to replace the O-rings when I did the the plenum and manifold gaskets but I didn't have enuogh assortments of O'rings and the sales guy had no clue what size they were. So I left well enough alone. I'll just disconnect the fuel line a bit til I see it spitting gas on to the rag. I know it did this last week when I was getting familiar with the plenum repair. So I quickly pop it back on. This also makes me thing the fuel pump works even though I can't here it. Any thoughts on that would help alot.

Sorry for the long posts. I just think every detail helps figuring out what's up.

Thanks again

 

OK, just tried to see if I get any spark while cranking over engine and putting plug to metal engine parts. Tried 2 plugs and couldn't see any spark. Also disconnected fuel line from injector rail and only got a trickle of gas comming out. Battery was also very weak from trying to start up earlier this morning. And I forgot to connect it to charger. Duuhhh It did have enough power to give two 3 second cranks before it didn't have enough juice to crank anymore. (I never let it die out completely.)

Could the battery not having enough juice cause me not to see any spark and gas not squirting out of the fuel line? (I did crank the engine too to see if gas would squirt out). Or could it be the PCM causing these conditions?

Now I'm really getting frustrated a bit. Battery will be my first fix for sure now. Even if it's not the answer I know I need one. Break out the charge card again. Have to wait til this van starts. It's my only ride now. It best not be the fuel pump. I just had it replace not that long ago. If so makes me wonder what kind of parts I'm getting when fixed. Hope not. Must be too little juice and I'm frustrated a little bit and jumping to early conclusions. I'll get it done though. Won't give up. Chalk it up to going back to class.

I'm getting tired of reading my own post. You guys must be too. But don't give up on me yet. Please.

 

I think their are two coolant sensors one for the gauge the other for the PCM (check your service or repair manual) did you replace both. Here is a little thing I read that might help, it is for 2002-3.9 liter but the procedure might be the same..

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...d-cab-1500-3-9

Yes if the battery does not have full charge the PCM will not operate properly at all, fully charge or replace battery before testing again..