starts fine with remote, not with key

So i bought a 2000, and it has a hesistant start when you try to start it with a key, but the remote starter fires it right up! what is going on here, my 98 used to start so quick, til it was stolen, now it doesnt start no more, but anyway, any ideas?

What do you mean by "hesitant start"? Like you turn the key to start it and it doesnt do anything for a couple seconds, then starts?

The remote starter will generally allow the fuel pump to prime.

I'm guessing when you manually start it, you just rush in and turn the key to start immediately without pausing with the key in the "on" position to let the fuel pump prime?

You aren't doing anything wrong but this may be an indication of a fuel pump that is going south. Just possibly.

Unless you can get more descriptive with what you mean by "hesistant" start. Do you mean it takes more cranking to get it to fire up when you start it manually than with the remote starter? If so my theory is at least partially correct

yeah, when you just jump in and turn the key it cranks but doesnt start for a couple seconds. however it fires right up with the remote starter. Ill try pausing in the on position to prime the pump, that sounds like a good idea.

mbiker72 said:

yeah, when you just jump in and turn the key it cranks but doesnt start for a couple seconds. however it fires right up with the remote starter. Ill try pausing in the on position to prime the pump, that sounds like a good idea.

Click to expand...

Are you doing this testing back to back?
For example: (#1)
You jump in and start it. It cranks for a bit then fires up (pretty normal in an XJ btw). You then turn it off and use the remote start to start it and it fires almost instantly. (all normal behavior)
Example (#2)
You do the same as #1, but when you start it the second time (with the remote) you have waited at least a few hours before doing so.


Have you tried using the remote first?

If you doing things like explained in example #1 i wouldnt worry too much about it, its normal for an XJ to act that way. You can try leaving the key in the run position for about 3-5 seconds and then start it. However this test only confirms that you have normal XJ behavior. Some people have installed a type of "check valve" (from BMW IIRC) near the fuel pump to keep the pressure from bleeding off overnight allowing the Jeep to fire right up most of the time. I would also assume a new fuel pump would do the same thing, since the pumps have their own type of "check valve" to do the same thing. It seems pretty common however for them to go out (the ones in the pump that is.. havent heard really anything about the BMW valve).