This one has me stumped. Truck seems to start ok when cold cold. Truck also starts fine when warm after it was just running. But in between, it acts up. Like park it, run into the store for 20-30 minutes, come back out and problemos.

It's an 88 22re. Motor is brand new. All sensors have been checked and fine. TPS adjusted. All ignition parts new. Fuel filter new, injectors new and intake fully cleaned.

This was a problem that was beginning to act up with the old motor, but I figured it would solve itself with the replaced engine. Not quite.

To further compound the head scratching, I also had a fuel pressure regulator problem. While checking vacuum lines (looking for the source of this problem) I noticed fuel in the one coming off the top of the fuel pressure regulator. I replaced the FPR and hoped that would solve things but no such luck. It still starts and dies right away a few times and/or cranks for a really long time. It runs awesome once in gear. Lots of smooth power. Idles fine once up and running, this issue is just at start.

Ideas?

 

Just started it this morning after sitting all night and it fired up easily. Could this be a fuel pump heading south on me? What are some symptoms of a failing fuel pump. THere just has to be something to the reasoning why it will start easily when cold and hot, but not in between.

 

Sounds like a fuel delivery issue, possibly. Replace fuel filter and then check fuel pressure at all times, especially when the issue happens.

 

Well the CEL came on on the freeway the other day. Jumpered the diagnostic box and got a code 71, which I believe is an EGR malfunction of some sort. Could this cause the problem of a hard start/long crank when the motor is luke warm, as described above?

I was also having a minor overheating issue too, but just changed out the thermostat to a dual stage one and that seems to have corrected the problem. I was hoping that maybe in some odd way, this would correct my hard start issue too, but nope.

So where to start with this code 71, and what does this tell me given the hard start condition?