Having trouble starting my truck sometimes recently. When it sits overnight it is OK. If it sits for an hour or more (this varies from 1 hr to sometimes 4 hrs, and it's OK) it starts OK, but sometimes starts with a 'shudder'. When it starts hard the symptoms are that it cranks quite long, and then comes to life very feebly...kind of lights up slowly (fells like if you give it any throttle it will die...just have to let it come to life by itself) Once it is running it runs ok...maybe a slight loss of power, but not sure. Checked a bunch of things but am wondering if my timing chain tensioner could be sticking. My last truck exhibited the shudder at startup for a while before the chain jumped some teeth (at startup) and bent valves (seemed like the tensioner was the culprit). Nothing else is making much sense with these symptoms. Any help/experience out there? Sure don't want to jump the chain again!

Try the fuel pump test jumper and see if that makes any difference:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/index.shtml#FuelPump

Yup, that was the first thing I tried... no change.

I have dealt with this for about 10 years... No solutions to date.

Mr_Wiretender had a possible solution a few years back that is a bit intense. He unplugged EVERY connection underhood, cleaned them all, hit them with dielectric grease, and reseated them. It worked for him, but I don't have the time nor patience to accomplish such a task at this point in time.

I guess retirees really *do* have more time on their hands.

This one sure as heck doesn't. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" />

Sounded like he was sick to death, and that was the final effort before just letting it be.

also check to see if your injectors are clogged/ dirty... I'd recomend an injector cleaning on any 22re motor.. it does a world of difference...:)

Yeah, I wondered if leaky injectors would cause this problem. If when turned off, if the injectors were leaking/dribbling I guess that could do it? Funny that overnight it clears up. Think that the dribbled fuel could dissipate overnight? How much of a job is it to pull the injectors? One of the few things that I have never done on the 22re (always had 22r carbs before this). Seems the fuel injection on these is pretty good but it sur has a lot more controls/sensors/etc to troubleshoot compared to the carbies...

The connector thing would seem unlikely as the problem is so consistant and there is a problem only in certain circumstances, but as a last resort I will do it if I can't find anything else. Thanks.

Also Mac, the fuel injector harnesses are butt-spliced, and tend to corrode and fail on these ol' ponies. We recommend that if anyone is having intermittent problems, or is doing an overhaul or top-end job, to open them up and give them a proper solder connection as a refit.

If they're leaking, an initial startup will be delayed, given the pressure has to build back up in the manifold. You're carbie-familiar with the leaky ol' AAP, but giving the dipstick a quick whiff will tell you if you've got fuel in the oil or not. It all goes to the bottom, carbie or EFI.

How much of a job is it to pull the injectors?