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doogiesdak
Dodge Dakota
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10/17/2006
20:31:10
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 Subject: cold start problem
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Took the truck from Florida to North Carolina this past weekend. It went into the low-30's at night. (truck has never been in that cold conditions b-4). In the morning, I went to crank it over, and the motor just turned for about 30 seconds til it finally started. Happened both mornings while there. Is there a sensor that's gone bad?, cold start some-thing-or-other? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks
2000 QC 4X4
360 w/JBA shorty's
cold-air
single Flowmaster
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OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
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10/17/2006
21:35:28
|  RE: cold start problem
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actually, it sounds like the fuel pump. Posibly leaking down over night. When you go to cold start, turn the key on and listen for the fuel pump. Should run a couple seonds. Turn key off and back on again for a couple seconds. Do this a half dozen times. then turn to start. If it starts right up, you know it's your pump acting up.Other things could be wrong with the pump but this sounds about right. Also...... How many miles on it. are the plug wires original. If so, At night in total darkness, open the hood. Have someone crank the engine while you watch the plug wires, If you see glowing or spark jumping, your wires are shot. What has happened is you are in a damp climate and in the morning te wires are damp allowing spark to jump between them. Good luck.
So many problems .... So little time
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little jer
Dodge Dakota
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10/19/2006
01:22:45
| RE: cold start problem
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Battery loses a lot of cranking power when it gets cold - that's why they have block and battery heaters. Less cranking powere means a longer start time.
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doogies dak
Dodge Dakota
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10/19/2006
14:40:16
|  RE: cold start problem
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The truck has 137K miles on it. Plug wires, rotor, and cap have around 20K miles on them. Bought the good quality (lifetime) wires from NAPA. Spark-plugs are 2 weeks old. Battery is less than a year old. It isn't a cranking problem, it seems more like and ignition/fuel delivery problem. Cranked like a cold old-carburated engine without the choke working properly. I can hear the fuel pump build-up pressure by just turning the key on (with-out cranking it).
Truck doesn't have any problems in this Florida weather, but planning another "northern" trip soon. Any other advice would be helpful. Thanks
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little jer
Dodge Dakota
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10/19/2006
18:52:10
| RE: cold start problem
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problem is, with computer, if it doesn't get a full 12 volts it gives you hard starting. On my Dakota and Durango both, when the battery was failing it took awhile to start, as if the auto choke wasn't working. In fact, unless I kept the revs up it would die. I had to drive to work with one foot on the gas and one on the brake so at stop signs it wouldn't die. When it finally warmed up (or charged up now that I look back ), it was fine. And it always did it when it was cold, not warmed up - again, charged up. Anyway, when I finally got a new battery it never had the problem again. And there's nothing like cold weather to hasten an already failing battery's end. And it is much easier to check the battery problem than any other problem that may or may not cause your hard start. But either way, keep us posted as to what the problem was when you find out, because we all learn from each other's
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zzark
*GenII*
10/19/2006
20:16:12
| RE: cold start problem
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Maybe the alternator is not charging the battery.
Go to Advance and have them checked.
zzark
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PB
Dodge Dakota
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10/20/2006
17:37:58
| RE: cold start problem
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an eisier way to chech the alternator is hook a volt meter up to hte battery posts this will give you your alternator charging voltage. it should read between 14.0 and 14.2 volts to the battery if not your alternator is going bad.
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doogies dak
Dodge Dakota
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10/21/2006
13:58:24
|  RE: cold start problem
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Went to Advance. Battery and alt. checked out good. I did some reading in the Haynes repair manual. Took a stab, and replaced the air-intake sensor and the coolant temp. sensor. (together they were $36.00). Won't know if it took care of the "northern" start (ignition) problem til next week.
I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again for all the advice.
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Chris G.
Dodge Dakota
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10/23/2006
00:49:01
| RE: cold start problem
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Mine does the same thing. But when I turn the key on, off, on, off, on, etc. and let the fuel pump cycle it starts right up.
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Kevin
Dodge Dakota
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10/24/2006
14:51:10
| RE: cold start problem
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Could even be gas quality affecting cold starts.
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OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
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10/24/2006
17:14:35
| RE: cold start problem
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Cris G.... This is exactly the sujestion I made to Doogiesdak . First responce under his. Far as I see he never tried it. It indicates a bad pump leaking back or if it misses on startup a bad injector leaking down. Most likely the pump.
So many problems .... So little time
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