pickup hard starting

[MF294-4]

2001 chevy silverado 5.3L MFI started starting hard last Friday. Have to crank 5 to 10 sec stop and re crank to get it to start after it has set for a while. It will start right up if you shut it off and restart within a few mins. Tell me it can be something other than a fuel pump. Something cheaper that is. Is the fuel pressure leaking off? They tell me there is a check valve in the pump.

 

[JP in FL]

My 2000 got to doing that and GM dealer found the fuel pressure regulator bad. Good luck, Jim

 

[gregger]

i made adaptor* to put in place of the fuel filter under the driver side frame and hooked up a pressure gauge to check mine -- i wanted to put a outside electric pump on mine but havent got to it yet

 

[ASEguy]

Long crank time is sometimes due to losing fuel pressure and it can be lost at either end. The pump or the regulator. Long crank time can also be caused by temporary loss of the cam or crank sensor signal. If your check engine light is not on, and based on your description I would put a pressure guage on it to see if it drops after it sits.

 

[vhmtach40]

It is most likely early fuel pump failure symptoms. The easiest way is to remove all bed bolts (8) from underneath the truck and move the bed about 2 feet back your fuel pump should be right behind the cab level with the frame. My local dealer wants $685.00 to do that job. Also even though you can still hear the pump buzzing doesnt mean that it is pushing at least 60 psi.

 

[kyle.fenstermaker]

JP in Fl. is correct. That is a sign the fuel pressure regulator is bad. The fuel pressure regulator is located on the top right side of the motor. It has a vaccuum line attached to the top. If you remove the line from the regulator and it has evidence of gas in the vaccuum line, your regulator is bad. It's a common problem on the 5.3 and the 4.8 liter engines. Cheaper than a fuel pump replacement.

 

[Bob]

His 5.3 will have a test port on the fuel rail. NO need for dramatic action to check the fuel pressure!

 

[MartyinVa]

My experiance with a fuel pressure reg going bad was that you will smell the gas real bad and the gas will ruin lots of other parts related to the vacuum system.
This was on a 90 ranger.
Also had lots of gas in crankcase.

 

[kyle.fenstermaker]

Ford is a completely different system. On the 4.8 and 5.3 it will cause slow starting (extended cranking) and may even die when at idle. Won't give a fuel smell unless the regulator is leaking externally. The regulator prevents the fuel system from maintaining a constant pressure on the injectors.