First gen Tacoma hard start

A

AdamB18

Member
Hi everyone, I just recently bought my first Tacoma 2003 2.7L 4X4 and I really enjoy it. However, every now and then it will turn over 8-10 times before it will start, sometimes it only cranks once or twice before starting. The battery and starter seem fine, it always cranks very fast but just takes a while to fire sometimes. It seems to only start hard when it is warm like when I shut it off and come back 5mins to an hour later. The issue appears to be getting worse, happening more frequently and cranking for longer and longer. I just replaced the valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals as there was a little oil getting in the tubes. I thought there may be a head gasket leak since there was oil on the threads and tops of one of the spark plugs but upon examining the inside of the valve cover and seeing how clean it was I think I can rule that out. I also put in all new plugs. Just looking for suggestions on what to check. Any help would be much appreciated.
 
AdamB18 said:
Hi everyone, I just recently bought my first Tacoma 2003 2.7L 4X4 and I really enjoy it. However, every now and then it will turn over 8-10 times before it will start, sometimes it only cranks once or twice before starting. The battery and starter seem fine, it always cranks very fast but just takes a while to fire sometimes. It seems to only start hard when it is warm like when I shut it off and come back 5mins to an hour later. The issue appears to be getting worse, happening more frequently and cranking for longer and longer. I just replaced the valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals as there was a little oil getting in the tubes. I thought there may be a head gasket leak since there was oil on the threads and tops of one of the spark plugs but upon examining the inside of the valve cover and seeing how clean it was I think I can rule that out. I also put in all new plugs. Just looking for suggestions on what to check. Any help would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...

More than likely it’s your fuel lines not maintaining adequate pressure. A vapor lock. Fuel lines are pressurized on a hot start to avoid vaporization of the fuel. When there is any kind of issue allowing the lines to leak, evaporate, or back flow your going to run into this issue.

It can be from your fuel tank valve assembly where the non return valve is allowing the fuel to leak backwards.
It can be from fuel lines close to hot engine and exhaust components with the fuel evaporating.
It can be a bad fuel pump.
It can be because of small leaks/cracks in the fuel line somewhere.
It can be leaking injectors.
Check your gas cap. Make sure the seal is still good.
Check and change your fuel filter as needed.
Go ahead and check PCV and EGR as needed.
I know this is an overwhelming amount of information and sorry for that.
The good news is that it’s probably simple. Trace it down. See if you can find it. The 2.7 liter is a tried and true motor that has been in use for 24 consecutive years. Virtually unchanged. Parts are fairly cheap and there’s a lot of them out there.
Hope this helps.
 
Welcome to the forum also. Congrats on the truck. I had a 2004 2.7 4x4 automatic that I drove for years.
If I could have any vehicle I’ve ever owned back it would be that truck. It was a tank and indestructible. You got a great truck.
 
AdamB18 said:
Hi everyone, I just recently bought my first Tacoma 2003 2.7L 4X4 and I really enjoy it. However, every now and then it will turn over 8-10 times before it will start, sometimes it only cranks once or twice before starting. The battery and starter seem fine, it always cranks very fast but just takes a while to fire sometimes. It seems to only start hard when it is warm like when I shut it off and come back 5mins to an hour later. The issue appears to be getting worse, happening more frequently and cranking for longer and longer. I just replaced the valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals as there was a little oil getting in the tubes. I thought there may be a head gasket leak since there was oil on the threads and tops of one of the spark plugs but upon examining the inside of the valve cover and seeing how clean it was I think I can rule that out. I also put in all new plugs. Just looking for suggestions on what to check. Any help would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum.

Did you make sure the new plugs were gapped correctly?
Did you put the wires back in the correct order?
Are you sure the battery is good? Had it Tested?
 
Bogunn said:
More than likely it’s your fuel lines not maintaining adequate pressure. A vapor lock. Fuel lines are pressurized on a hot start to avoid vaporization of the fuel. When there is any kind of issue allowing the lines to leak, evaporate, or back flow your going to run into this issue.

It can be from your fuel tank valve assembly where the non return valve is allowing the fuel to leak backwards.
It can be from fuel lines close to hot engine and exhaust components with the fuel evaporating.
It can be a bad fuel pump.
It can be because of small leaks/cracks in the fuel line somewhere.
It can be leaking injectors.
Check your gas cap. Make sure the seal is still good.
Check and change your fuel filter as needed.
Go ahead and check PCV and EGR as needed.
I know this is an overwhelming amount of information and sorry for that.
The good news is that it’s probably simple. Trace it down. See if you can find it. The 2.7 liter is a tried and true motor that has been in use for 24 consecutive years. Virtually unchanged. Parts are fairly cheap and there’s a lot of them out there.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice il run through that list tonight and let you know how I make out.
 
I hooked up the fuel pressure gauge and when I first turn the key without starting there is 0 pressure. Once it begins cranking over it rises slowly to settle at around 45 psi at idle. The pressure drops by around 5 psi when revving the engine. Also, when I remove the vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator there is no change in fuel pressure at all. I removed the regulator and applied vacuum and pressure to the vacuum line and it held pressure but I could not hear the internal valve open or shut (should I be able to hear it?). I'm assuming the regulator is bad, is there anything else you guys think it might be that I could check before I go out and buy a new regulator?
 
AdamB18 said:
I hooked up the fuel pressure gauge and when I first turn the key without starting there is 0 pressure. Once it begins cranking over it rises slowly to settle at around 45 psi at idle. The pressure drops by around 5 psi when revving the engine. Also, when I remove the vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator there is no change in fuel pressure at all. I removed the regulator and applied vacuum and pressure to the vacuum line and it held pressure but I could not hear the internal valve open or shut (should I be able to hear it?). I'm assuming the regulator is bad, is there anything else you guys think it might be that I could check before I go out and buy a new regulator?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you may have found the culprit. I’d say the regulator is crapped out. At worst it’s over 15 years old and will need replacing before too long anyway.
 
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