Mechanic diagnosed it as a failed check valve in the fuel pump. Fuel pressure drops overnight. Any idea if putting an inline check valve is worth it? Even for short term till I get up the energy to swap the pump?

 

If its not that annoying, I wouldn't bother with any of it. Run it till the pump dies, then replace the whole thing.

 

So, I'm going to try this again cycling the key to on before starting, but when I tried last time it didn't seem to help. Given the diagnosis of a failing check valve in the fuel pump assembly, I thought this should have worked.

HeyYou suggested to cycle the key twice. Why cycle the key twice?
Should the fuel pump kick on and stay on when I turn the key to on?
Should I leave it there for a few seconds, or is the trick to cycle it a couple times?

 

Cycling the key works if the check valve is leaking, but if the check valve has failed completely, then the pressure disappears as fast as it appears. The pump only runs for 2 seconds when the key is turned to ON. Cycling the key will give you 4, 6, 8, etc. seconds of pump on time. With a leaking check valve, this added pump on time allows pressure to build more than just that first 2 second window does.

 

Awesome. Thanks for this detail. I'll cycle the key a few times and see if it cranks right up. Now I see why HeyYou suggested cycling it twice.

Unless it is rapidly degrading, the check valve is going bad, not completely bad. It holds pressure for long enough that the tech had to leave the gauge on it overnight to confirm that it's bleeding down.

Thanks,

 

So... It's still a little weird. I turned the key to on for a two count, then back to off, then back to on, then off. I repeated for 4-5 cycles, and it still took forever to crank.
The next day, I cranked it up (long crank), then immediately shut if off. Waited for a 10 count or so and cranked it again. It cranked right up.
It still seems like a fuel pressure issue, but it doesn't seem to be precharging the fuel pressure when I turn the key to on without starting. I guess I need to go get a fuel pressure gauge from Harbor Freight.