Opponauts: Help me diagnose the S10.

"mazda616" (mazda616) 04/18/2015 at 22:31 • Filed to: Truck Yeah

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I’ve been driving the S10 all day. The drive home was 50 miles and I’ve put another 25 or so on it. It runs amazing - once it starts. It starts SO roughly and acts like it is flooding itself. I have to feather the gas pedal a lot to get it to start. This issue didn’t begin until later in the day, when the engine was warm. The cold start at the former owner’s house was good.

If I park, shut it off, and IMMEDIATELY try to start it again, it starts okay. Delayed, but I think the battery is weak. But if I wait a few minutes, like if I went into the store and came back out to the truck, starting it is like pulling teeth. It will start, but I have to struggle with it.

Fuel pressure regulator? Fuel filter? Old gas (it’s been sitting for probably 4-5 months)? I don’t want to do a fuel pressure regulator. With this spider injector crap the 4.3 has, it seems like that will be a bitch.

So far, I have at least identified all the issues - all minor. The dome light doesn’t work, the power mirrors don’t work, the door speakers aren’t hooked up, the rear window is missing its latch (common issue), the tailgate handle is broken, and the radiator has a small crack (leaks a few drops of coolant but no overheating or pressure loss). And the hard starting issue, of course.

For a twenty-year-old truck, I think that’s a relatively small list. Especially when you consider the positives. The power windows work great, the a/c works great, the four-wheel-drive works great, the brakes are good, the transmission shifts good, and the tires are even relatively new. I just need to figure out the hard start, fix the tailgate handle, and replace the radiator. All the other issues are so minor that I honestly don’t care about them that much. It’s an old truck anyway.

It doesn’t even have that many interior lights out. Just part of the HVAC and one bulb in the tach.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > mazda616 04/18/2015 at 22:38

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Maybe it just needs some Viagra?

mazda616 > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 04/18/2015 at 22:40

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It worked for the Fiats in the Super Bowl commercial, so it's worth a try I guess.

scoob > mazda616 04/18/2015 at 22:40

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We are your... opponents?

Alex from Toronto > mazda616 04/18/2015 at 22:40

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O2 sensor?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > mazda616 04/18/2015 at 22:42

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Fuel pump.

505Turbeaux > mazda616 04/18/2015 at 22:42

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check the throttle body butterfly is sparking clean on it, also pull the resistance on the crank sensor and make sure when warm it is within tolerance. Could be fuel pressure regulator, but usually if you put the go pedal down when starting it will fire right off even with a dead regulator

mazda616 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/18/2015 at 22:53

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Nooooooo. :’-(

It sure primes well and sounds alright. But that is a possibility.

mazda616 > Alex from Toronto 04/18/2015 at 22:54

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No check engine light. But, it's OBD 1 or 1.5 I think so it'd take a lot for that to come on.

mazda616 > scoob 04/18/2015 at 22:54

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*embarrassed* Autocorrect owned me.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > mazda616 04/19/2015 at 01:17

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My jeep does that. Doesnt like to start but idles fine. I have to hold the pedal to the floor when cranking. It has a flood switch so it cuts fuel to start the engine. Pretty sure i have leaky injectors

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > mazda616 04/19/2015 at 02:07

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I would bet the internet on it.

mazda616 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/19/2015 at 10:16

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Gross. Is that an expensive repair? My friend and I would be fixing it. I'm guessing fuel pumps aren't too expensive, since nothing else I've looked for is. I don't look forward to removing the bed, though.

brianbrannon > mazda616 04/19/2015 at 13:24

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Spider injection is leaking inside the intake manifold

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > mazda616 04/19/2015 at 14:30

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It might cost 4-5 hundred at a shop. I bet you could find a pump rebuild kit for around $50. You can either drop the tank or lift the bed off. But check fuel pressure before diving head first into the tank.

Hi there > mazda616 04/19/2015 at 20:48

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Fuel pump usually 70-200 usd depending on what vehicle. Can be done in your driveway, is straightforward but somewhat time consuming to drop the fuel tank and replace the pump and put the fuel tank back up properly.

NoneOfYourBiz > mazda616 04/20/2015 at 12:48

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If you have any concern that the fuel is “several months old,” drain or burn it all off and put fresh fuel in. Old gas can absolutely have a problem cold starting.