Rough cold start...rough idle for 20 sec, then fine (1 Viewer)

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In your first video it sounds like it is low on compression. Do a compression test. This would be a good thing to do anyway on a car that you just purchased with little to no maintenance history. Easy to do test and could tell a lot. Also, check coolant temperature sensor. If it is getting a false reading, the ECU will not deliver the appropriate amount of fuel on start up. I just repaired a Volvo with similar symptoms where the temperature sensor would read fine and then all of a sudden drop to -147 degrees Fahrenheit. Needless to say, it was causing the car to run all sorts of crazy.
 
Went out she started right up today, forgot to mention there was a lot of moisture in the morning yesterday as well as rain the day before, not sure if that has anything to do w it. Also looked for and cracks and did not find anything. Decided to look at fusible link since I already bought a spare and noticed a split in the blue wire.

Could this have anything to do w the rough start, moisture getting in there?
 
Thought I would give an update with where she is now. I ended up needing a new starter to help with the issue of it not turning over. Then changed the fusible link and it seemed better but there was still something wrong. I ended up taking it to a local Toyota guy who within an hour found it to be rust in the tank that had gotten in the fuel filter. He swapped the filter and did a Seafoam treatment and it runs great now. We will have to wait and see if I need to pull the tank and find a used one. So if anyone has a tank please PM me.
 
Thought I would give an update with where she is now. I ended up needing a new starter to help with the issue of it not turning over. Then changed the fusible link and it seemed better but there was still something wrong. I ended up taking it to a local Toyota guy who within an hour found it to be rust in the tank that had gotten in the fuel filter. He swapped the filter and did a Seafoam treatment and it runs great now. We will have to wait and see if I need to pull the tank and find a used one. So if anyone has a tank please PM me.
If the fuel filter needed changed, the in tank fuel sock on the fuel pump is probably needing to be changed as well. As far as the fuel tank rust, you might wait until the fuel level is very low, drain the tank via plug on the bottom, pull your fuel pump assembly then let it completely evaporate out. After the fuel has completely evaporated out, you will be left with sediment that you can use a shop vac to vacuum it out throughout the tank. Be sure to clean out the tube that goes into the baffled area with a wire while in there.
 
So today I was pulling into the gas station since my odometer was around 180 miles and I read some people getting 220 per tank. As I was pulling in the cruiser died at the first pump and rolled to the second pump. I thought it was out of gas and I was the luckiest guy around since I ran out of gas at a gas station. I filled it up and only got 14 gallons in the tank. I went to start it and it was cranking but not turning over, I did this for about 10 minutes (off and on) until I gave up. I called AAA and arranged to have it towed to my shop. I waiting the 30 minutes for AAA and as I saw the truck pulling up I figured I would try to start it up and she fired right up. I still had it tow'd to the shop. The mechanic said it started for him everytime and cant figure out what is wrong w it. Does anyone have any thoughts. I was thinking the fuel lines were junked up, but why did they all the sudden clear....
 
You previously mentioned rust in the tank was found. I would bet your fuel pump sock/strainer is probably clogged up again. After you change it and your fuel level is very low, follow the instructions I gave you previously about draining and cleaning tank. That would be my recommendation.
 
Sounds like sediment getting sucked up to the fuel tank sock and plugging it. Then after it sits the sediment falls away from the sock and everything back to working until the next go around
 
I've seen this b4, not only sediment but also a liquid in the tank besides fuel. you will have to drop the tank and remote the slush and debris. somewhere you got this bad gas. in my prior vehicle that this happened to (my wifes while I was out of town) usually would stall many times for a year or so. was still under warranty so the dealer checked it out several times and said nothing was wrong. when I was out of town it wouldn't start etc so she had it towed to a shop. I called the shop and told them it was a fuel problem and they said no-it's electrical. I told them to give the old parts to me. $450 later they replaces all plug wires rotor etc and it died on here way home.long story short (lol) I dropped the tank , took pics of the slush in the tank and showed the shop that the parts they changed were good , got 300 back from the shop.
Anyway, when the vehicle stalls or wo t start, get out , step up on the bumper and give it a good shaking and sloshing. it should start. that's how I got mine home to fix it. also pump the brakes to slosh it around too. good luck.
 
I found a local junk yard that has a tank for $100 bucks, going to pick it up as well as new sock parts and replace it all.
 
Have you explored the possibility into a bad engine harness wire, specifically near the EGR. Mine has had an issue off and on that misfires and rough idle for a bit then levels out and with the cold temps has also had a surging/lunging condition. I am suspect that be abuse it's so intermittent it is a bad wire where my egr (used to) run. No codes so in the next week or so going to pull it into the shop to try and diagnose along with rechecking my timing.
 
Sorry for reviving a very old thread. If my symptoms were different I'd start a new thread, but I have exactly the same symptoms. Keen to know what actually caused this. No start at first. Just swings. Then slowly it sounds like it wants to start. When it eventually does, horrible idle just like the video posted by the OP. Misfires badly, but no unburned fuel (no smoke and no fuel smell at the exhaust). It would struggle on for half a minute or so and then... magically as if a switch is flicked, it idles perfectly. Now if it is a sticky valve, how come it gets unstuck and then overnight gets stuck again? If it's a clogged fuel filter, then how come it runs perfectly after a min or two for the rest of the drive without hesitation. If anyone has anything to add here, I'd appreciate it.
 
Sorry for reviving a very old thread. If my symptoms were different I'd start a new thread, but I have exactly the same symptoms. Keen to know what actually caused this. No start at first. Just swings. Then slowly it sounds like it wants to start. When it eventually does, horrible idle just like the video posted by the OP. Misfires badly, but no unburned fuel (no smoke and no fuel smell at the exhaust). It would struggle on for half a minute or so and then... magically as if a switch is flicked, it idles perfectly. Now if it is a sticky valve, how come it gets unstuck and then overnight gets stuck again? If it's a clogged fuel filter, then how come it runs perfectly after a min or two for the rest of the drive without hesitation. If anyone has anything to add here, I'd appreciate it.
I didn't read all 3 pages so I'm sorry if this has been tried. You or your local shop should hook up a mechanical fuel pressure gauge. Start the truck and see what it's running pressure is when it is idling like it should and see if it is in spec. Then turn the truck off and let it sit overnight. If you loose a decent amount of fuel pressure the pump is probably bad. I don't know if these trucks have an external fuel line check valve but almost everything I've ever worked on built past the mid to late 80s does not, it's part of the pump.

Basically what is happening if the pump check valve is bad is you are loosing fuel pressure and the lines don't have fuel or enough pressure for the injectors and the initial cranking is slowly getting the pressure up and when it finally starts it's clearing the injectors of air. Hope this helps you or anyone else with this issue.
 
I didn't read all 3 pages so I'm sorry if this has been tried. You or your local shop should hook up a mechanical fuel pressure gauge. Start the truck and see what it's running pressure is when it is idling like it should and see if it is in spec. Then turn the truck off and let it sit overnight. If you loose a decent amount of fuel pressure the pump is probably bad. I don't know if these trucks have an external fuel line check valve but almost everything I've ever worked on built past the mid to late 80s does not, it's part of the pump.

Basically what is happening if the pump check valve is bad is you are loosing fuel pressure and the lines don't have fuel or enough pressure for the injectors and the initial cranking is slowly getting the pressure up and when it finally starts it's clearing the injectors of air. Hope this helps you or anyone else with this issue.
Thanks for the response! Makes sense what you are saying, just don't understand why it would run flawlessly when it does eventually run if the fuel pump is bad or there are pressure issues. In any case, it is a good place to start thank you! My fuel pump is also continuously priming when the ignition is on, so something around the pump/relay/pressure needs to be looked at. Thanks again.
 
I second the fuel pressure reading suggestion. It's nice to have solid data vs guessing what the fuel is doing. We have an external fuel filter and an fuel pump "sock" strainer at the pump, which is inside the tank. Both of these items are consumable items and should be swapped out periodically. There's a fuel pump access plate right under the second row seat carpet. How cool is that?

Now, getting a fuel pressure sender to go into the fuel system is not a super simple task but well worth the effort.

Here's a simple writeup I did for installing a "test point" into our fuel system. Hope it'll help with your saga: Start here, may need to scroll up or down Needing some help with P0171 code - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/needing-some-help-with-p0171-code.1325962/post-15248557
 
Thanks for the response! Makes sense what you are saying, just don't understand why it would run flawlessly when it does eventually run if the fuel pump is bad or there are pressure issues. In any case, it is a good place to start thank you! My fuel pump is also continuously priming when the ignition is on, so something around the pump/relay/pressure needs to be looked at. Thanks again.
The pump itself could be OK but the check valve that is part of the pump assembly could be bad causing the loss of pressure when it sits. A mechanical fuel pressure test will show what is going on.
 

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