Slow Start

I have a '94 Dodge Caravan with the 3 litre 6. It starts fine when it's
cold but after I drive it and shut it off and leave it for a while I have to
crank it over quite a bit before it fires up. The longer it sits the harder
it is to start. If I just shut it off to get gas it starts ok or if it sits
over night it will start ok. The mechanic says no error codes and couldn't
find anything else wrong with it. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Rod

"Rodney" > wrote in message
...
> I have a '94 Dodge Caravan with the 3 litre 6. It starts fine when it's
> cold but after I drive it and shut it off and leave it for a while I have
to
> crank it over quite a bit before it fires up. The longer it sits the
harder
> it is to start. If I just shut it off to get gas it starts ok or if it
sits
> over night it will start ok. The mechanic says no error codes and
couldn't
> find anything else wrong with it. Any suggestions? Thanks.
>
> Rod
>
>
Rod, It sounds as if you have a leaking injector causing your problem, when
the engine is hot you don't need allot of fuel to start it, therefore the
leak is causing a flooded condition.
When you start the engine cold you would need more fuel such as a choke
(your coolant sensor does this) and the leaking injector is also giving a
rich mixture but not causing a problem due to a cold condition.
When you start it up after a hot soak do you notice any unusual smoke from
the tail pipe?

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005, Rodney wrote:

> I have a '94 Dodge Caravan with the 3 litre 6. It starts fine when it's
> cold but after I drive it and shut it off and leave it for a while I
> have to crank it over quite a bit before it fires up. The longer it
> sits the harder it is to start. If I just shut it off to get gas it
> starts ok or if it sits over night it will start ok. The mechanic says
> no error codes and couldn't find anything else wrong with it. Any
> suggestions? Thanks.

You may well be losing fuel system pressure with extended sitting. This
can be due to a faulty fuel pump output check valve, a faulty fuel
pressure regulator, one or more leaky fuel injectors, and/or a pinhole
leak in the fuel line.

DS

You might be able to discern between the possible causes listed in Dan's
post by trying to let the fuel system pressurize a couple of times (ignition
key on position, do not attempt to start for about 20 seconds, then shut
off, wait a minute, then repeat) before attempting to start the vehicle. If
it starts more easily, then it would indict the check valve for instance.
If it makes matters worse, then it would point to the fuel injectors. You
may be able to determine which injector is leaking by removing the injectors
then wrapping each in A paper towel overnight. If it is wet in the AM you
found the culprit

Bob

"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
n.umich.edu...
> You may well be losing fuel system pressure with extended sitting. This
> can be due to a faulty fuel pump output check valve, a faulty fuel
> pressure regulator, one or more leaky fuel injectors, and/or a pinhole
> leak in the fuel line.
>
> DS

"Bob Shuman" > wrote in message
...
> You might be able to discern between the possible causes listed in Dan's
> post by trying to let the fuel system pressurize a couple of times
(ignition
> key on position, do not attempt to start for about 20 seconds, then shut
> off, wait a minute, then repeat) before attempting to start the vehicle.
If
> it starts more easily, then it would indict the check valve for instance.
> If it makes matters worse, then it would point to the fuel injectors. You
> may be able to determine which injector is leaking by removing the
injectors
> then wrapping each in A paper towel overnight. If it is wet in the AM you
> found the culprit
>
> Bob
>
> "Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
> n.umich.edu...
> > You may well be losing fuel system pressure with extended sitting. This
> > can be due to a faulty fuel pump output check valve, a faulty fuel
> > pressure regulator, one or more leaky fuel injectors, and/or a pinhole
> > leak in the fuel line.
> >
> > DS
>
>

If it were the check valve in the fuel pump causing the problem it would be
a long crank time as the vehicle sat overnight. The OP said it starts fine
when left overnight.
It appears to be only a hot soak restart, more then likely a flooded
condition from and injector leak. That was a common problem on that vehicle.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

"maxpower" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Rodney" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I have a '94 Dodge Caravan with the 3 litre 6. It starts fine when it's
>> cold but after I drive it and shut it off and leave it for a while I have
> to
>> crank it over quite a bit before it fires up. The longer it sits the
> harder
>> it is to start. If I just shut it off to get gas it starts ok or if it
> sits
>> over night it will start ok. The mechanic says no error codes and
> couldn't
>> find anything else wrong with it. Any suggestions? Thanks.
>>
>> Rod
>>
>>
> Rod, It sounds as if you have a leaking injector causing your problem,
> when
> the engine is hot you don't need allot of fuel to start it, therefore the
> leak is causing a flooded condition.
> When you start the engine cold you would need more fuel such as a choke
> (your coolant sensor does this) and the leaking injector is also giving a
> rich mixture but not causing a problem due to a cold condition.
> When you start it up after a hot soak do you notice any unusual smoke from
> the tail pipe?
>
> Glenn Beasley
> Chrysler Tech

No actually it fires right up with no smoke. What you say makes some sense
though. Thanks
>
>

"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
n.umich.edu...
> On Sat, 8 Oct 2005, Rodney wrote:
>
>> I have a '94 Dodge Caravan with the 3 litre 6. It starts fine when it's
>> cold but after I drive it and shut it off and leave it for a while I have
>> to crank it over quite a bit before it fires up. The longer it sits the
>> harder it is to start. If I just shut it off to get gas it starts ok or
>> if it sits over night it will start ok. The mechanic says no error codes
>> and couldn't find anything else wrong with it. Any suggestions? Thanks.
>
> You may well be losing fuel system pressure with extended sitting. This
> can be due to a faulty fuel pump output check valve, a faulty fuel
> pressure regulator, one or more leaky fuel injectors, and/or a pinhole
> leak in the fuel line.
>
> DS

I was wondering if there was maybe a loss in fuel pressure. Thanks.

Rod

"maxpower" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Bob Shuman" > wrote in message
> ...
>> You might be able to discern between the possible causes listed in Dan's
>> post by trying to let the fuel system pressurize a couple of times
> (ignition
>> key on position, do not attempt to start for about 20 seconds, then shut
>> off, wait a minute, then repeat) before attempting to start the vehicle.
> If
>> it starts more easily, then it would indict the check valve for
>> instance.
>> If it makes matters worse, then it would point to the fuel injectors.
>> You
>> may be able to determine which injector is leaking by removing the
> injectors
>> then wrapping each in A paper towel overnight. If it is wet in the AM
>> you
>> found the culprit
>>
>> Bob
>>
>> "Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
>> n.umich.edu...
>> > You may well be losing fuel system pressure with extended sitting. This
>> > can be due to a faulty fuel pump output check valve, a faulty fuel
>> > pressure regulator, one or more leaky fuel injectors, and/or a pinhole
>> > leak in the fuel line.
>> >
>> > DS
>>
>>
>
> If it were the check valve in the fuel pump causing the problem it would
> be
> a long crank time as the vehicle sat overnight. The OP said it starts fine
> when left overnight.
> It appears to be only a hot soak restart, more then likely a flooded
> condition from and injector leak. That was a common problem on that
> vehicle.
>
> Glenn Beasley
> Chrysler Tech
>
Right, Thanks.
It sounds like a similar problem as with a carbureted motor with a dripping
carb. I'll look into the injector idea.

Rod