Does it do it all the time.....i.e. right after you've started it and shut it off, will it still take awhile for it to start, or does it start right up then? If it starts right up the second, third, etc. times, it could be that it's bleeding off fuel pressure when it sits. Tell us a little more about the history and how/when this began, and especially the details......hot/cold, all the time, once in awhile, first start of the day, every start, amount of fuel in the tank, etc. Do you have any DTC codes? Have you gotten any MIL's? Has anthing else been done to it lately besides plugs? What type (copper, platinum, iridium) and brand of plugs were installed?

 

It does not seem to be related to temperature. It'll take the same 5-10 seconds to turn over regardless of whether it's been sitting overnight or only a few minutes. Happens with a full tank or nearly empty. I can't recall exactly when it began. I just changed the plugs and that's had no effect on the slow starting, same as with the old plugs. I've had an intermittent DTC for the gas cap leak (bad hose to the tank actually). But the cranking problem was happening well before that code popped up.

 

Try turning the key to run , but not start and wait 2 secs for the pump to prime.then turn it off and back to run again for a sec , then try starting it. If it is the fuel pressure bleeding , this should prime the pressure a couple times and if it starts right away then , that's what the problem is . It may take turning it off and on 2-3 if it's a serious bleed down problem . Another thing it could be is that the pump works fine , but something in the start sequence is causing the pump not to prime at all . listen at the gas tank while someone turns the key to run , you should hear the pump prime .

 

Worn spark plugs would not cause this condition. It sounds like its possible the fuel system pressure is bleeding off after the venicle is shut off. I would check for proper system pressure before trying to start. If the pressure bleeds off due to a bad check valve at the fuel pump it would take a few seconds of cranking for the pressure to build back up.

 

when this happened to me on my dodge ram, it turned out to be a couple leaking fuel injectors. a leaking injector is usually just a drip and the fuel rail has to be removed to physically see a drip when the rail is under pressure. injector cleaner may help, but replacing the leaking injector is best.

another problem you have may be a flakey crank position sensor, but this usually sets a code.

 

Good advice, you should be able to hear the pump prime from the drivers seat unless you're deaf.

 

Excellent advice guys, I'll give the prime idea a try this afternoon and report back. I've never heard the pump from inside the WK. The sound insulation keeps it pretty darn quiet inside. I'll try it with the door open to see if I hear anything.

 

Did you ever find the fix to your problem?
My Jeep (2005 5.7 LIMITED) is starting to do something similar to what you are explaining.

Every once and awhile my Jeep has a starting issue. Its usually after I have been driving, say I go into a store and come back out. When I go to start it, it will take 5 seconds or longer to start holding the key.
It doesnt happen all the time and its usually out of the blue when it does. Seems likes it more common when the vehicle has been drivin then parked for a brief period then restarted.

Any ideas? I just replaced the spark plugs and egr valve. Was looking into the fuel pump relay and pcv valve.

Would love to know if anyone has had a similar issue and can give some advice? Fuel pump, fuel injectors, etc?

 

your fuel system is losing pressure when it sits. this is classic for a leaky fuel pressure regulator. That little part was $75 for my zj.

or it could be any o-ring that seals the fuel system. it barely takes any fuel leakage for this to occur, since the hosing is metal, minimal rubber, and doesn't "balloon up" to store pressure. It's either pressurized, or it isn't. This means that the smell is minimal if you try to locate via sniff test. But you can find it with careful sniffing right after shutting it down, sometimes.

M

 

Taking it into the dealer today, hopefully they can figure something out.

 

They couldnt get it to happen while it was there. They checked fuel pressure, pump, etc. with computer and they said it all looked good.

 

What everbody else said.

However, before you spend megabucks, I recommend you get a battery capacity test (e.g., Sears) at a place that knows what they are doing. They will usually do it for free. This is true if it is the original MOPAR battery or you routinely drain it down.

My '08 has TIP start. That means everything runs through the PCM, so starting is out of the driver's control once the sequence starts.

BTW: Second starts are easier because the engine is warm and takes less to crank and the battery is being freshly re-charged as you drive to the dealer.

When the battery capacity starts to degrade, the terminal voltage drops quickly on load application because the chemical reaction cannot keep up with current demand. Startup is the biggest current draw. The battery voltage may appear fine when the engine is shutdown, but this does not address starting capacity.

 

Ding! Ding!

Battery problems. I've had three batteries in my WK since new. Most recent was a Die Hard that crapped out after 18 months. One sears tried to con me into replacing the alternator and starter without actually doing any testing. I took it to another sears that had smarter techs and they found the battery was defective and replaced it. I upgraded to the AGM.

Now, 3 months later I'm starting to have some slow start problems. This is different that what I've had go wrong before. It's almost like the battery is too low but it does eventually crank enough to fire. It doesn't fall back to the click-click you typically hear with a low battery. So I'm guessing I'll be back to sears again soon...

 

I put my vote in for the canister solenoid valve.

 

I think it is a bad fuel pump check valve probably is just sticking sometimes. Replacing the fuel pump will probably resolve your issue.

 

Does affect the WK's? I have searched the internet and could not find accounts of a bad fuel pump check valve on wk's.

 

I don't think its a common problem, but unless you have fuel leaking out somewhere something has to be relieving that fuel pressure.

 

It hardly ever happens to me, it is very sparatic.
I have had the vehicle for about 3 months and it has done it maybe 5 or 6 times.

 

It's a possibility you could have a bad injector. I had a 07 ford a while back and I had the same problem. After I got a new injector I started fine. Now I have an 05 dodge 5.7 and haven't had any problems out of it.

 

I thought based on your first posts that it was doing it alot more often. I also though from your posts that it was something that just started all of a sudden. I can tell you when I had my 06 Grand Cherokee with a Hemi it would do this every once in a while from when it was new. I never took it in for this because it was so rare that it would do it that I knew they would never be able to verify the problem.

Sorry for the confusion...like i said it is very sporadic.

How would you test for a bad fuel injector?

 

.....How would you test for a bad fuel injector?

1. Leakdown test. Pull the injector headers out of their operating position one bank at a time. Put a small metal tin under each injector tip overnight and see if there is an accumulation of gasoline. If you have a Schrader valve on your fuel header, install a pressure gauge. [It was deleted on the '08's.] The fuel rail stays pressurized, so be careful. Do not try to undo anything if you do not know trhe depressurization procedure.

2. PID and Code Reader. Get a PID reader to see if the injectors are
operating correctly. Chrysler has a set of specific Parameter ID"s that look at injector pulse width. Also, Long Term and Short Term Fuel Trims and misfire codes may provide a clue. That's how we found my bad one. We also switched the injector from #8 cyl to #4 cyl and the misfire DTC followed it. [Dealer is replacing it today under warranty.]

Before you do anything else, run a can of fuel system cleaner through your gas tank first. Much cheaper first step...............

 

I don't know if you can test for it but if you get in the throttle good and it hesitates for a minute then thats another sign on a bad injector. Advanced or auto zone could probably plug a decoder to it and check.

 

If theres not engine light forget going to autozone there won't be any code. The only way an injector would cause this condition is if it were dripping after the engine was shut of and flooding it. The way to check is to look and see if you get any black smoke out of the exhust on startup. I doubt this is the problem because it would do it all the time.

 

meh... throw a bottle of techron in there for 2-3 tanks and see where it goes...

 

after a costly dealer cleaning of my injectors on my Dodge RAM 8.0L, I removed the fuel rail with the injectors still attached, then I turned the key on to pressurize the system, I could see at least 2 injectors dripping fuel and replaced those. You may need to do the same.

 

How hard is it to pull the fuel rail? Is there a write up on this?

 

It did the long start twice this weekend. I was wanting the dealership to figure out what was going on.
The vehicle has the remander of an extended warranty until the first or second week in November.

 

Has anybody replaced the camshaft position sensor and had any luck fixing this issue?

http://www.lxforums.com/board/f61/trouble-camshaft-position-sensor-replacement-237990/

What about the crankshaft position sensor?

 

its back in the dealership....going on day 3.
They have checked the fuel pressure and it does not seem to be a leaking fuel injector (its not losing fuel pressure). They have a fuel pressure guage mounted and have even drove around and taped it to the windshield and have not noticed any fuel pressure issues. They also have a computer in the passenger set hooked up and have not picked anything up.
No stored codes, no check engine line, etc. Has only done the long crank once while it has been thier. They have drove it around town and warmed the motor and parked it and its been starting fine. They havent had any luck replicating the issue. Any further advice would be appreciated. It seems like such a simple problem, but hard to pin-point.

 

Mine did this for the first time ever today. Took maybe 3-5 seconds of cranking to start. I shut it off, tried again and started right up. I'll be keeping my eye on this thread if this continues.

 

Exactly what mine is doing. It is very sporatic, so it may not happen again for another 20 or so warm starts.

 

if it starts cold but struggles warm, it isn't likely fuel pressure leakdown. sort of unusual, actually. might wait until it gets bad enuf to throw a code???

M

 

It never has a issue starting cold, ever! Most of the time it starts when its warm with no issues. Its just every so often it has a long crank.
Its not a big deal at all and no way affects anything, performance, etc. on the vehicle. It is just more of an aggrevation than anything. Once I first started looking in to it, I was assuming that it was an easy fix. Which it probably will be once I figure out what exactly is causing it.

It almost has to be something eletrical because if is wasnt it would happen everytime you start the car warm. Seems like it is a problem that a few others are having as well, maybe someone will eventually find a solution.

 

Fuel rails were pulled today no leaks were present.
Any ideas? I'm bringing the car home tomorrow whether they have found the problem or not.