Long crank starts in my 2000 Sienna

[lfootmatt]

2000 Sienna, 200K miles, runs like a top all the time, but:

70% of the time I'm getting a long crank start. Always starts, but you have to crank approximately 2-3 time longer than its usual touch starts.

Replaced the fuel filter, this semed to solve it initially, but since it has cropped back up and a new filter did little if any good.

All other general tune-up type maintainence has been done within a reasonable timeframe. Just need to do this and the dreaded valve cover gasket job!

Thanks in advance!

Matt

[sl2eggplant]

This is a tough issue to diagnose.

Here are some things that I can think of from the most direct to indirect causes.


- Starter is weak / old
- Connections are loose somewhere i.e. batter terminal, starter terminal, et
- Weak battery
- Alternator not charging sufficiently
- Fuel pressure maybe low, let the fuel pressure build up by turning to key to ACC/On but don't start until fuel gauge fully registers
- Dirty throttle body
- Idle air control valve (IACV) is sticky, needs cleaning or replacement
- Old spark plugs or wireset old or loose
- Bad gas or bad gas station
- Try a bottle of techron or berrymans fuel injector cleaner, better to use on a long road trip than letting it sit in your tank for a week or two since the berrymans is real strong stuff
- check your oil level
- check valve cover gasket for leaks. clean it good first then check back in a day, week, etc to see if any new oil has leaked out
- crankshaft position sensor could be faulty or about to croak and these things to cause hard starting or no starting at all
-

[SiennaDriver]

Quick question - how can a leaky valve cover gasket affect starting?

I have the same problem and dreaded driveway repair to do on my 2000 in the spring, should I be concerned about it sooner?

[lfootmatt]

Originally Posted by SiennaDriver

Quick question - how can a leaky valve cover gasket affect starting?

I have the same problem and dreaded driveway repair to do on my 2000 in the spring, should I be concerned about it sooner?

I don't think they have anything to do with each other. I was just stating that I need to do the valve cover too.

Good luck,

Matt

[SiennaDriver]

Didn't think they had anything to do with each other, either, and found it confuzzling that a leaking gasket was listed as a possible cause for hard starting.

I would add a clogged cat or restriction in the exhaust to the list.

[Black Sunshine]

I was thinking that the clogged cat/ exhaust restriction could be the cause. I also thought maybe clogged injectors. The problem with all of those is that they will really affect top end. Unless it stalls when you try to rev it up it's probably not one of these.

If the engine still cranks nice and fast it's probably not related to electrical.

I would want to check the fuel pressure. Maybe the regulator isn't working that great. I don't know how they effect drive ability.

I want to second idle air control motor. I would check it and if it looks dirty look for a thread on how to clean it. If you can't find a thread on how to clean it in here don't be afraid to check the other sections of the forum. I've found some good answers in the Camry forum before. The 3.0L was in a lot of vehicles.

I'll check in as the third 2000 owner that is plotting changing the valve cover gaskets soon. I'm going to do mine in the next three weeks. I'm changing the plugs and wires too. I think that I'm going to change the PCV for the first time. I'm at 220,000 miles now.

[lfootmatt]

Update:

Removed and cleaned the Throttle body and IAC Valve. Wasn't all that dirty, and the IAC actuates easily with a 9V battery.

Discovered a small puddle of engine oil in the intake plenum and an oily breather tube and intake duct work.

Got to be a bad PCV! That's easy...right....unless it's factory original, 11 years old and 220K miles, mostly in the AZ heat.

disconnected the hose easily enough. Grab and pull the PCV out, right? (see above comment)

SNAP

And not in the uppity diva way, rather in the brittle snap off in your hands plastic way.

Gromment was equally degraded, fell apart, and yes, it all ended up in the rear valve cover oil baffel.

Guess who is doing his valve cover's this week!

Did I mention we road tripped to Disney Land this weekend? We did, in a brand new 2011 Sienna I rented immediately after hard breaking my Sienna.

Nice van, only 19-20 MPG on a trip my van typically gets 24 on.

And with boys 13, 11, and 6 a reminder as to why we will never get such a nice vehicle as long as they are around!!!

Later,

Matt

[Black Sunshine]

It's cool that you figured out what the problem was. Bummer about not being able to take it on your trip. My Sienna has about the same mileage on it and we're about to take it on another trip. We're going to the Grand Canyon.

What part of AZ do you live in? I live near Phoenix. Have you ever had charging problems with your Sienna in the heat?

I'm planning on changing my valve cover gaskets in the upcoming weeks anyway. I'll definitely replace the PCV too.

[lfootmatt]

Originally Posted by Black Sunshine

It's cool that you figured out what the problem was. Bummer about not being able to take it on your trip. My Sienna has about the same mileage on it and we're about to take it on another trip. We're going to the Grand Canyon.

What part of AZ do you live in? I live near Phoenix. Have you ever had charging problems with your Sienna in the heat?

I'm planning on changing my valve cover gaskets in the upcoming weeks anyway. I'll definitely replace the PCV too.

I'm down in Tucson, but in Phoenix frequently. I recently replaced the alternator with a cheap reman unit. fixed it right up.

Tearing back into it tonight after I go on a run.

Later,

Matt

[hutex]

I believed your starter is worn out. If you are good with fixing, you could buy the starter kits from ebay and rebuild your owned. My Van has the same problems before, right now it work like new.

Originally Posted by lfootmatt

2000 Sienna, 200K miles, runs like a top all the time, but:

70% of the time I'm getting a long crank start. Always starts, but you have to crank approximately 2-3 time longer than its usual touch starts.

Replaced the fuel filter, this semed to solve it initially, but since it has cropped back up and a new filter did little if any good.

All other general tune-up type maintainence has been done within a reasonable timeframe. Just need to do this and the dreaded valve cover gasket job!

Thanks in advance!

Matt

[lfootmatt]

Wow! old thread. Long crank starts are gone. Likely a combo of clogged fuel filter and bad PVC valve.

Fuel filters are always full of gunk! Tank must be a mess.

Thanks,

Matt