I'm having some trouble with my '01 SR5 V6 4WD

On occasion, I will need to hold the key in the crank position (turning it to start the truck) for 5 seconds of longer before the engine will start. Occasionally I will also have to depress the gas pedal to start the engine (while cranking). Also, on very rare occasions, the truck will start and idle rough and then stall.

(How many times did I just say 'occasion')

I just did the 100k service-- belts, tbelt,wp, plugs and wires, pcv valve, fluids.

My first thought is the starter contacts, but I haven't experienced the 'clicking noise' I also thought about some sort of blockage in the fuel system, like dirty injectors or fuel pump or fuel filter.

I just replaced the plugs, so I don't really want to do the seafoam and then have my plugs all fouled up.

Let me know what you all think. Thanks!

 

Could be the circuit opening relay that supplies power to the fuel pump. It has two windings, one fired from the ignition switch/ECU while the starter is cranking and one from the air flow meter/MAF once the engine is running. Problem is the first winding can have problems and not pull the relay in properly, thus no power to the fuel pump. The prolonged cranking works because once the engine pulls enough air flow in, it'll pop the air flow meter open to trigger the fuel pump. Older trucks had a handy jumper to test/bypass this, older trucks don't, you'll need to test the CO relay per the FSM testing procedure:
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...shtml#FuelPump

 

Thanks for the reply. I read the linnked tech article but then saw that it will not work for the 3.4 V6. I can here the fuel pump turn on when the key is in the on position, so I don't believe the fuel pump is the issue.

 

Yes, as noted, that page is for the earlier trucks, but have heard of folks with newer trucks (a Tacoma in this one case) that had a similar issue. The key is to figure out if the hard start condition is due to the starter not coming on when the starter is running (START vs. ON key position). I found that was my case when I added a fuel pressure guage and would see no pressure when the engine was cranking then all of a sudden the pressure would jump up (after playing with the gas pedal position) and the engine would start. You could wire a test light or volt meter to the fuel pump to see if it comes on while starting. If so, then you are correct the the problem may be elsewhere. Check for any stored trouble codes in the computer.

 

Will do. Thanks.

 

Anybody else? I've read a lot about the starter brushes and contact points and also checking the battery. The car cranks, it just doesn't fire right away on occasion. To me that says fuel issue. Any other input?