2003 Hemi hard starting when cold
 

I have a 2003 Ram 2500 Hemi 4x4 with a little over 79,000 miles. This is the 2nd winter I have owned the truck. I did not have the problem last winter. When it gets cold (under about 20 degrees F) and the truck sits over night, it has a hard time starting. What it does is crank over fast and after about 3 seconds it fires once. If I let off the key it will not keep running. If I hold the key on and continue to crank it, she'll start after a few more fire attempts and once running she runs perfect. There are no codes currently. The last code I had was for the coolant temp sensor. That code showed up after I had the block heater plugged in for about 1 hour. It never came on again...that was 4 weeks ago. If I plug the block heater in over night, she starts perfectly fine.

I just replaced the battery yesterday with an 880 CCA NAPA Legend 75 and this morning it was 8 degrees out and she started hard. I replaced the batter for a few reasons. 1. I was researching the hard start and a possibility was a weak battery. 2. The battery was original. 3. I installed a Fisher V plow this past spring and in the heavy snows the battery voltage drops to 0 and the "check gauges" light comes on and finally 4. The voltage "eye" was black on the battery instead of green.

The plugs were changed in October 2007 at about 67,500 miles and the TB was removed and cleaned then. A new PCV valve was installed at that time as well.

I dumped some "dry gas" in the tank and also added 1 can of Sea Foam to the tank in hopes of cleaning up the injectors a little.

Any info would be awesome! :)

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Anyone with ideas?

I just covered a whole bunch of things to look for the other day in a thread, try here:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen-ram/186959-2005-dodge-ram-problem-please-help.html

I will check the TB when it warms up some...too damn cold to be out there playing. Once I clean it again, I will do the sea foam trick.

You mentioned the evap core...what would be the issue there? Aren't they only used when the A/C compressor is running...if so it would have nothing to do with starting the truck.

The object of the evaporator system is to prevent the escape of gas vapor into the atmosphere. A functioning gas cap has a two-way relief valve in it that forces evaporating gas up a vapor tube into the engine compartment and into the evaporation canister, where it is trapped in charcoal.

When the engine is started and warmed up, ported vacuum at the "purge signal" cap opens a valve and the trapped vapor is pulled into the engine by way of the purge line and burned.
Canister purging should not take place at idle or when the engine is cold, when the CTO should prevent ported vacuum from appearing at the canister.
This system can cause hard starting and a rough idle if any part of the system is leaking, which forces the engine to run lean, if the leak is sufficient a CEL will be generated by the PCM, if extreme, non-starting or even engine damage can result...

Bringing this back up as my truck is still starting hard. If I let off the key when it fires the first time, the truck will not start. I then have to crank it over quite a while until it fires. It acts like it is flooded. Once warmed up it starts right up with just a couple rotations of the engine.

I get no SES light or codes and it runs and idles perfectly except when first started for the day (or night).

Is vehicle stock?

If yes...
try a fuel pressure test ...leakdown test.

As far as I know it is stock. I bought the truck with 65k on her.

I will check the fuel pressure. What is the "normal" range.

Try putting the ignition to run but not start for a few seconds before cranking.....could be your fuel pump is getting weak and taking longer to prime and build pressure in the morning.

Bringing it back up...

Truck is getting real hard to start as it is now getting into the 20's. Anyone have any ideas before I surrender it to a garage?

I have not checked fuel pressure as I don't have a gauge any more. Once it has been run and warmed up, it will start with absolutely no hesitation until the engine gets cold again.