Occassional Hard Starting After Mods??

[Flapjack]

Hey all...

I've installed a K&N FIPK, Edelbrock Shorties, a Gibson Dual Extreme and the Diablo Predator (regular performance tune).

Usually, the truck starts no problem. But once in probably 10-15 starts, it'll take 5-10 seconds to start it! I reflashed to the factory tune with the Diablo, but it still does it.

It's more embarassing than anything... I'm thinking it may be the FIPK.

Any ideas?

 

[kwinsor]

Hi Jack, (don't shoot, I think it's his name)

I've never had that problem but my fuel pressure gauge may have given me a clue to the problem.

It takes a couple seconds for the fuel pressure to come up. When you first turn on the ignition the pump runs until it hits 60psi and then shuts off. It doesn't come on again until the truck has started. After a few seconds, continued cranking does no good.

I usually wait until I hear the pump shut off before I turn the key enough to engage the starter. I don't know what injectors do if the don't have full pressure. Maybe they squirt instead of fog and aren't making a easy to light mixture? Maybe it floods?

Try listening for the pump to shut off before cranking it.

Good luck,
kw

 

[Flapjack]

I'll listen for that.

I rarely wait before I start the engine, though. I put the key in and crank it. It seems like the hard starting has only been since the mods.

Somewhere in the back of my mind... I seem to remember someone saying they had a problem with a hard start occasionally after a particular mod... I just can't remember what. A search yielded no results either.

 

[KenHicks]

I have a K&N and Superchip and mangnaflow and thottle mod and MSD. No headers though. I get a sneeze sometimes and it doesn't alway start the same but does always start in less than 1 sec. I tend to be critical with starting as I like to only bump the starter to get ignition. I can't imagine one of your mods causing it especially since it's less than 10% of the time. I would thyink if it's a engineering discrpency with a mod it would be consistent. I'd check all mod connections for tightness etc. When it does start does it run well at first (listening and looking at the exhaust this first second or two after it starts on a hard startmay point you to the problem. If it runnings fine, it's probably a fuel problem. Any codes?

Good luck and keep use posted, figuring this stuff out is interesting... unless it's happening to you

Lex Luthor

 

[Flapjack]

I remember what I heard about the hard starting after mods... it had something to do with the K&N. Something like the K&N affects how the MAF sensor reads during the initial start.

Like I said, it's pretty rare, 5-10% of the time. But it is annoying.

No trouble codes. Current, or stored. I don't get it...

 

[KenHicks]

Umm...oil from the filter getting on the MAF might cause some issues, Is it improving, getting worse or staying the same? And how does it run after it starts?

Lex Luthor

 

[Flapjack]

Actually... it hasn't happened in over a week (knock on wood).

Maybe it'll go away on it's own!