Slow to start
 

Since my new transmission is in place and is now running a bit better than it was, I can get back to a previous issue I was having. My 2001 Ram 1500, 5.2 is a bit slow to start. Cranks over fine, just has to turn over to the point that you begin to wonder if it is GONNA crank, to the tune of 5 to 6 seconds. Then when it does crank, it seems to stumble for a couple seconds and smokes a tiny bit due to the flooding while it was trying to crank (this leads me to believe it is a spark issue). I know some Dodges/Jeeps turn over a few times before cranking up but this is ridiculous. I have gone thru the paces. New TPS, new MAP sensor, cleaned out the IAC, new crank sensor that we did when we replaced the transmission, plenum fix, new coil, wires and plugs (all stock replacement). New distributor cap and rotor button. I talked to a buddy of mine and he seemed to think it would benefit from a hotter coil, but my thinking is that if the coil isn't hot enough to crank it right then I have an underlying issue because it used to be good enough. Any thoughts as to what else I should check? Could I potentially benefit from a hotter coil in this situation?

If it started that after all that work, I would suspect a serious vacuum leak. Have you checked the fuel pressure? Weak pump will also cause that.

Sorry. I was medicated a bit last night. Damn chronic pain. The fuel pump was replaced on July 2013 and was doing it before that. Fuel pressure is great. Runs dead on 50 and over the course of about 5 minutes leaks down almost none. It was doing it and I was trying to figure it out, hence the new sensors. Then I did the plenum fix, and with it, a new cat and new o2 sensors. Other than this issue, it runs like a brand new one. Just stumped by this. Any help is appreciated.

Also, a hotter coil will not fix this. You oem coil should start the truck fine. I would start with the basics. I know.., but you have to start somewhere. Could be crossed wires, rotor button top coil spring could have got snagged and bent, (had that happen before), gaskets moved while setting intake down (vac leak), sensor wires pinched, bad IAC , .... many possibilities.

Sorry, ignore last post. That explains alot more now. Thats odd then. Did you move the IAC pintle when you cleaned it? Not supposed to touch it, maybe try a new one. Also OEM sensors are recommended, aftermarket doesnt have a good track record. Let me think some more, lol

Everything I replaced has been stock replacement. Nothing high performance or anything. I have checked for vacuum leaks best I can. After it gets started and tuns that couple seconds it straightens up and runs perfect. This is wrecking my brain.

When you first turn the the key(to on) do you hear the pump prime the system? Try giving it some throttle when you start it next and see if that makes any difference.

The system is priming fine. I will try it and see how it does. Like I said, it has been doing it for a long time, then the pump went out. I was certain it was a symptom of the pump and it would be fixed when I changed the pump back then, but didn't help.

Have you replaced the IAC with an oem one? Cleaning them sometimes messes them up.

I will try it but money's a bit funny right now. May be a few days.