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Cold Start Problems

Stephenbinion

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Ohio
My wifes 98 XJ wil not start the first time you crank it. You must crank it 2 to 3 times. You can crank it forever and it will not fire. crank, release, crank, release, and crank will always get it to start. Hot it starts fine.
 
Join the large club...
Same thing with mine...
If you search the site for "hard starting" problems, you'll see a common cause is the check valve located in the fuel pump assembly (in your gas tank). When the check valve gets old, it allows flowback of fuel to the tank and then it takes awhile for the pressure to build up during the next "cold" start. Since the fuel takes awhile to bleed down, the car may restart easily if it's done within a short time thereafter...

Rather than replace the fuel pump assy, you can do what I & many others do... just turn the key on for a couple seconds & off (do it a couple times, listening for the initial "buzzing" sound of your electric fuel pump) and then the fuel system is sufficiently "primed" for a quicker start...
 
I had a similar problem on my '99 - lots of cranking before the motor caught. I first thought it was my battery, so I replaced it. This solved the problem for a few months, but it came back.

I then cleaned up the grounds where they attach to the body. The one up on the firewall was surprisingly rusty.

This seems to have solved the issue.

I'm not sure of the check valve issue, but I've gotten into the habit of turning the key 80% and waiting until the fuel guage normalizes before starting. I have a fuel guage that will read empty for no reason if i don't.
 
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