Difficult Starts - Requires Two Attempts

I have a 2000 Cherokee Classic - bone stock, 88,000 miles. For the past six+ months it almost never starts on the first turn of the key, but always starts like a new car on the second attempt. It is as though the first attempt is just practice or "priming the pump".

I have put in new spark plugs, but that hasn't helped.

Thanks for your help, this baby has to last until the girls are out of college - another four years!

Best wishes --- Morgan

Reply to
Daddy-O
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I believe that there is a check valve or backflow valve that keeps the fuel pressure up after you shut off the vehicle. It will be either on the top of the fuel tank or on the fuel pump/level gauge unit. You can confirm this theory by renting or buying a pressure gauge to put on the fuel rail and check for leak down. Aside from the labor to drop the fuel tank, the fix is not a big deal.

Cheers,

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

Have the same symptoms with my 89. Started about a year after I had it. Took it back to the dealer(s) and complained several times - to no avail. The dealer(s) kept telling me that it was normal. Thing is, it started 1st try every time for the first year I owned it when it was brand new.

Never have figured it out.

Reply to
Brake Down

Probably exactly correct. I had the same behavior on my '93 GC, it was a bad fuel pump that was allowing fuel to bleed back from the fuel rail to the tank. It started fine if it had only sat for a couple of hours but overnight required 2 or 3 attempts to get it running.

Reply to
XS11E

This is probably nothing to do with plugs.

I have a 95 4.0 that has been doing the same thing for over 5 years now. Just turn the key on, wait until you hear the fuel pump stop, then turn it to start. If that works, the problem is that fuel pressure is leaking down as the vehicle sets idle. There really is nothing earth endangering about this as long as you remember to just let the fuel pump run a couple seconds before you turn the key to start.

Reply to
Lon Stowell

Ya, it's weird, even when I wait for the fuel pump to spool up, it still takes two tries.

Reply to
Brake Down

Reply to
Lon Stowell

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