Just finished the plenum repair. And everything went well. And I also did a complete tune up, wires, plugs, cap, pvc, 10w-40w oil change, air filter. I was hoping it would correct my trouble with cold weather starts. But no go.

Here's what happens when the temperature is around 30. After my 94 van 5.2L sits in cold weather below 30 or so for 6 or more hours and I try starting it, the engine will turn over somewhat struggling and I hear a clicking sound while the engine turns over. This clicking sound stops after a while and is heard also if I only turn the key slightly just before the engine cranks. Even if when the clicking sound stops the engine still won't start up.

To help this problem I installed an inline heater in the lower radiator hose. Depending on how cold it gets, I plug it in 6 hours or more in advance for the mornings. It worked last winter but it's been 20 degrees the last few nights here and I had a little problem starting it up. Still much better than with no heater.

Sorry for the long description. I'm hoping it will help figure out what's wrong. I just bought some Techron fuel injector treatment and will try that when the tank is closer to empty. I'm wondering if the fuel pump relay is going causing the clicking sound when cold. When I disconnected the fuel line at the injectors, fuel squirted out pretty strong. But it wasn't very cold then. Also once I get the engine to start after a few 5 or more minutes of cranking it will take a good minute or more depending on how cold it is to run smooth. But once it's warm it's running as good as when I first bought it new. Problem is when it's this cold the battery dies out. So I have to use a charger for a 10 minutes or more. If I use the charger to help out for the morning starts, I can get it to crank over a little bit longer, which seems to help warming up and lubricating the engine. I thought maybe the oil pump not getting oil up quick enough to the engine parts in colder weather might be a reason too. But I've never had this problem before. Oh yea, I didn't mention that I had the oil pump replaced 3 times in the past 8 or 9 yeares due to either a bad pump or more likely a small screen getting clogged up due to sludge. Which I was told is a dodge thing with thier pump design. And when I did the plenum repair this week, I found 1/2 dried up sludge that I had to scrap out under the intake manifold. I can only guess how bad the oil pan is.

Any clues as to what this problem is? I've learned so much here and really appreciate everyones help. I've always had my mechanic buddy fix my van since I bought it. But economic times have cause me to do my own repairs. I forgot how much I used to enjoy working on engines as a kid. Even in cold weather

 

It cranks solid but just doesn't fire up? The clicking makes me think electrical but, that would be helped by your warmer I wouldn't think. But once it does fire it runs rough and you have tons of sludge so that doesn't sound electrical. I do not agree about that sludge comment about these engines. That's proper maintenance, tune, and repair.
I think I would start with the fuel system cleaner and also a can or two of seafoam. When you did the tuneup, what did the spark plugs look like? And did they all look the same?

 

Is your distributor lined up properly? It was 25º this morning when I started my truck, which had been parked for 10 hours. Fired right up.

 

Just got home from work. Had new problems today as it got very cold quick. Usually at about 30 degrees once I get the van started it's runs like a champ the rest of the day. Today the temp dropped and the van had a hard time starting after 3 hour of sitting twice. It's like the old carborator days when the choke was working properly. I was wondering if the computer thinks it's in a open loop warmed up, when it's really cold?

The reason the van isn't starting with the heater I purchased is the heater crapped out. So tonight I bought another for now until I can get this solved. This one is magnetic and attaches to either the block or oil pan and gets to 250 degrees. For now I hope to at least be able to start in the morning without hassle.

Distributor hasn't been touched. Also van runs fantastic expecially after plenum repair. Lots of get up and go now.

Spark plugs were most in normal shape. 2 had some black/carbon/oil deposits where the plenum did blow out. But not real bad. As for sludge. I can only go by what I saw. The cleaning I did below the intake area was packed and hard to scrape deposits on the surface of the metal. Not loose mix in the oil. After each oil change I've done once a month lately I check for loose particles to see how bad the oil is getting. And I haven't noticed anything but dark brown oil but clean. Also soak the filters in gasoline to see what comes out. Some grime but nothing major.

As for the clicking noise, this morning it didn't do it. Until after a few minutes of cranking the engine. Battery has enough power to crank over for 5 to 10 second intervals for 5 minutes in the cold before it starts to die out. This is also the same battery from last winter which is when I started to have this problem. I forgot about this problem til now that it's cold again.

I didn't explain myself well about the part about these engines with sludge problems. The screen in the oil pump is what I was told is tiiny and gets clogged easily and is a concern for these pumps. As for the maintainance, this truck has been maintained regular by the mechanic of it's entire life til this year. When the economy caused me to start being my own mechanic. I had the oil pump replace 3 times when it only needed the screen unclogged. I was told each time I may as well have the pump replaced as long as they went that far with the repair. Would hate to have pump go shortly there after and pay again. So I went along. And most major parts have been replaced once or twice. Except coil which makes me wonder. And internal engine parts, valves, valves, rings, etc.

I'm starting to think maybe it's electrical/computer related. I tried changing the Oxygen sensor last winter and temp coolant sensor. But no change. Cleaned up the IACreal good. Below intake manifold where I think is the rods for the valves are spotless now, after the plenum repair. I've been changing oil at least once a month prior for past half year now. And used engine cleaner before last change with new filter. I tried 5w-30w which was recommended by someone. Used Seafoam this past summer and will do it again this weekend along with Techron fuel treatment.

Could it be the coil?
Or maybe some sensor?
Or relay no working when cold?

 

have you checked your fuel pressure? when you turn the key to on, where all the lights come on, and before you turn it to start, you should hear the fuel pump come on, and it should make a high pitched whining sound. i don't know of any clicking sounds that are supposed to happen.

second question, when trying to start it, if you press the gas pedal slightly to open up the throttle plate, does that help ?

third question, when it wont start, remove a spark plug, stick it back in the boot, and ground the electrode to the block while an assistant turns the key. does it spark ? if not, it might be the coil.

 

I have tried to here for fuel pump sound when it starts easily in warm weather and now that it won't start so easily. I can't really hear the pump going to be honest. But when took the fuel line partially of the intake manifold, gas squirted all over the place. So I guess the pump is working?

As for stepping on the pedal, it doesn't help until the engine seems to warm up from constant cranking for 5 to 15 minutes depending on how cold and also if battery last. I usually keep a charger on battery when cold trying to start it to help out. So after cranking the engine over and over, I'll wait 5 minutes or so, but not too long as the engine cools off quickly. It's deffinitely related to how warm the engine gets when it will start. So once the engine start to warm up from the friction I guess, and it wants to start, I do step on the pedal slightly and try to give it quick slight pumps to keep it going. If I let up it dies. And then starts to go again when re starting. It's a slow warming up process.

I'm going to check the coil this weekend with plugs. But why would this only be a problem in the cold and worse the colder it gets?

The magnetic heater I bought tonight, I put on the oil pan. And so far every few hours I go out to start it up. And it cranks right over easily like it was summer. 1/2 second crank and boom, runs smooth. Just don't get it. Why the engine temp has so much to do with this.

Thanks for helping out. This is making me nuts. Now that the plenum repair is done. And the van runs like I first bought it almost, it's frustrating to have this going on.

 

maybe you should try a lighter oil?, 10w 40 is good for the summer and hard heavy driving / towing. 10w oil is still very thick when cold (are you talking f or c degrees?) if the temps are getting that low i would use 5w 30 or even 0w 30 oil, you will be amazed at how much easier it will crank.

 

I was going to say the oil should be 5w-30 too, But it sounds like the starter or battery is weak. Even if it was 20w-50 the motor should turn over ok. If it's the battery, the cold gets the oil thick obviously and the battery is using all the voltage to try to turn the starter and not supplying the PCM with enough power to supply the ignition. And as we all know, these trucks need a good battery to start or even run properly.

 

well, cold weather does sap the battery, but, if your cranking on the engine for 5 to 10 minutes, then the battery must be pretty strong.

as a quick test for fuel, you can remove the air filter cover and filter and open the tb and toss in about a 1/2 shot of gas or spray in a little starting fluid. don't smoke while doing this.

test for spark at the plugs.

i'm not buying into the thick oil, thin oil, cold oil, warm oil as the problem unless you tell me that when cranking over its going soooooo sloooooooooooow that its just barely rotating. and even if it is, if its got gas, compression, spark and timing, then it still ought to fire off (unless its a damn diesel)

edit - the only clicking sound i'm familar with is the sound the starter/solenoid relay thing makes when the battery is too weak to turn the starter. when this happens it makes a clicking/fluttering noise and the starter doesn't turn at all. that doesn't sound like your problem.

edit #2. if you have any water in the gas it will freeze in the line and shut off your gas flow. this is usually a temporary problem thats associated with one tank or one brand of gas. just to rule it out, get a can of fuel treatment that removes (isolates) water and prevents gas line freeze.

 

Sorry, I meant to say "if it's the starter". Because he says it turns over slowly. You are right about the battery though.