Slow Starting When Cold

[PTJunkie]

What's up fellas!?..I need you guys input. I did search the forums, but found nothing with the same symptoms my car has.

In the morning it will crank/turn slow to a start. Turns several times, three or four time before it starts. At times, it takes couple tries to get it going.

After that, it'll start at the first turn of the key, on the spot, every time for the rest of the day.

In other words, it does this only after sitting overnight.

The Multi Function Switch has also gone south, since I can't get the fog-lights to work, but I doubt its related to the starting issue.

Any ideas..?

[Handy_Cruiser]

As an EXTREMELY general rule, slow start when hot is a bad starter. Slow start when cold is a bad battery. Again, this rule is very general but offers a good place to start.

Luckily, bad batteries that do this usually show low voltage under a load and can be easily detected when tested at a parts store. Take your PT to Autozone or similar and have them do a free load test on the battery.

On the fog lights, if you have no fog lights, there is a good chance that the fog light fuse has already been pulled in the past since failure of the multifunction switch usually make them stay on all the time. Check that first.

To fix the problem, you may need to either to either replace the multifunction switch or repair it. Here's a link to how I repaired mine.

The "Handy" Aluminum Can Mod To Fix Fog Lights.

[RacerX125]

Handy did you noticed he mentioned it takes several turn for the car to start? Wouldn't that mean like a bad fuel pump? someone made a thread about this that the car will take several turn to start.

[Handy_Cruiser]

He said it turns slow. That indicates a possible battery or starter issue. And often a slow turning engine will take a few revolutions to start. Checking the battery first is the most probable and easiest place to start.

[rckstein]

I recently went through a similar situation with my PT, and it ended up being the fuel pump. Certainly the battery would be the easiest and cheaper part to check and/or change first, but if that doesn't help, then you should consider the fuel pump. My PT would always experience the hard-start-on-a-cold-engine where it would crank for an extended period of time, then finally start. After the pump was replaced, starts right up, no hesitation, no long cranking!

[GrapeApe]

hey guys this may be a stupid question, but here goes. would air in the fuel system cause this to happen? i remember my dad had an old pickup that did tht until he checked the system. once the problem was fixed it fired first time, everytime. had a cracked hose that allowed air in.

[JoeX]

Try this in the morning
Turn the key to on to let the fuel pump build pressure several times before you try to start the car. If it starts up without cranking much, you probably found the problem.

[PTJunkie]

I replaced the battery recently and cleaned the terminals throughly.

The foglights have always work fine, so the fuse is there.

And as far as the fuel pump, wouldn't it do the same or worse once the
Engine warms up?

I'm leaning towards the MFS . I think that sucker somehow shorted and is
Draning the battery overnight.

I will get a new replacement part soon. Hopefully that's it.

You guys are the best...

[PTJunkie]

Originally Posted by JoeX

Try this in the morning
Turn the key to on to let the fuel pump build pressure several times before you try to start the car. If it starts up without cranking much, you probably found the problem.

I've tried that as well... Nada.

[PTJunkie]

Well..for the sake of closure, after replacing the MFS the slow starting went away completely.

It turned out to be the fog-lights switch that was creating a parasitic draw on the battery overnight. No more slow starts.