Dodge Dakota starting in heat.

[Gus]

I have an 02 Dakota, 4.7, 53,000 miles. I bought it with 39k on it last September and do not have any previous knowledge about it's history. It's been running and starting fine up until it started to get warm outside. Now when the truck sits in the heat, It will not fire right up.

It takes 3-4 seconds of cranking for it to start. Now this only happens in the heat, when it's been sitting. I can leave it sit all night and it will fire up right away. But if it's been sitting in my parking lot at work, in the heat ~75-80 degrees, it will take 3-4 seconds to start.

I did a test to see if letting the fuel system prime before I crank it would help, and it does. If I turn the key to on and wait 2 seconds, then crank, it will fire right off. Just like it's been sitting all night in the cold.

Any ideas? Is it even an issue to worry about? Just seems odd to me that it only happens when sitting in the heat. Plenty of fuel in the tank when it happens, park on virtually level lot.

Thanks!

[Jeremy airjer W]

I would bet you would get the same condition if you drove it for 15 minutes then shut it off for 20 minutes than tried to restart it. These are no strangers to fuel pump pressure bleed off. A fuel pressure gauge will confirm this in about 30 seconds. Essentially the fuel pump is no longer holding fuel pressure. When the fuel pressure drops especially in a hot engine it will boil leaving the fuel rail full of vapor. Fuel injectors do not work with vapor in the line. It takes 3-4 seconds to re prime the rail with liquid fuel and then it will start.

[Gus]

Thanks Airjer. I take it this isn't something that is critical to replace until the fuel pump decides to quit working?

[jeffreyd]

when this happens it is a sign the pump is going to quit. i had one that did simlar thing. you could drive it fine as soon as you shut it off you were done until it cooled off and then it would start. the temp from the fuel and ambient temp would cause the pump to lock up. i would not mess around and wait until it craps out, you can do it yourself, either by dropping the fuel tank or moving the bed of the truck to access the tank. good luck.

[deadeye]

Fuel pressure bleed off sounds like what you got going on.

The only way to fix that problem is to replace the fuel pump/module as the fuel pressure regulator is part of that. I would vote to deal with it until the pump goes bad.

You can also usually make it fire up immediately by letting the key sit in the on position for 5 seconds or so before you start it (that will give the pump time to fully prime the system). That will save you the extra wear on the starter. My dads Durango did the same thing for a year or so before the pump finnaly crapped out.

[solbes]

I have an '02 Dakota 4.7. Showed same symptoms last spring at 95k miles. Dealer replaced fuel pump and all is good now. Sounds like a fairly common problem with that engine. Set me back maybe $800-900?

[Big Buck Buster]

It is already showing signs of going out. Why limp it along any further. I wouldn't want it to go out on the road, causing more expense than just getting it done now.

Just imagine going on a trip with the family. All packed up for the trip, heading down the road with all goody's for the trip and, oh no, the truck dies along the road. Now you have towing expense, hotel if nobody can fix it till Monday, and setbacks/cancelation in the trip planned. JMHO.

BBB

[jeffreyd]

i have an 04 ram 2500 with hemi and have had 3 pumps in it since new. the thing that i noticed the most was the gauge would not read full and after driving for a while it would finally show full. then while in the high country, the pump started to make noise so that was the time it was starting to go south. good luck, i would replace it save yourself the hassle when it quits totally.

[Gus]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll look at getting it replaced sooner rather than later. I would just hate to end up stuck pulling the boat with wife and kid and dog... sounds like a nightmare.