Long crank

New owner of a used '14 RAM 1500.

Sometimes when I start my truck after it's been sitting for more than 24 hours, it will crank for an unusually long time before starting. Not alarmingly long, just longer than what I would consider normal.

Normal start sounds like: R-R-Roar
Weird start sounds like: R-R-R-Ro-R-R-Ro-Ro-Roar

Maybe that's normal? I've never driven anything with an engine this big before, so maybe it just takes more cranking to get all that mass spinning. But since it doesn't do it all the time, I thought I'd ask if others do this, since I have nothing to compare to.

It's definitely not a battery thing. The cranks are plenty strong and it doesn't sound like it's struggling to crank the engine, it just seems like it's not getting enough fuel or air to get itself up and running.

My Jeep had a TSB for long cranking on start due to a faulty crankshaft position sensor, so I'm wondering if it's a similar problem. That was 10 years ago, though.

I'll bet it is fuel related.

Try this, after it sits for that 24 hours, put the key in and turn it to On (but not start), Wait until all sounds stop (fuel pump priming), then try and start it. If it starts right up, it is just lack of fuel, because of loss of pressure in the lines.

In a civic we had, if the tank was below 1/4 it would have a longer than usual crank.

My money is fuel or air, since the other guy says fuel, I say air problem somewhere, or puter problem reading air intake. It reads the mass air sensor and determines how much fuel to add. If it is starter related, don't worry it will go out at some point. No clicks at all?

undertow said:

New owner of a used '14 RAM 1500.

Sometimes when I start my truck after it's been sitting for more than 24 hours, it will crank for an unusually long time before starting. Not alarmingly long, just longer than what I would consider normal.

Normal start sounds like: R-R-Roar
Weird start sounds like: R-R-R-Ro-R-R-Ro-Ro-Roar

Maybe that's normal? I've never driven anything with an engine this big before, so maybe it just takes more cranking to get all that mass spinning. But since it doesn't do it all the time, I thought I'd ask if others do this, since I have nothing to compare to.

It's definitely not a battery thing. The cranks are plenty strong and it doesn't sound like it's struggling to crank the engine, it just seems like it's not getting enough fuel or air to get itself up and running.

My Jeep had a TSB for long cranking on start due to a faulty crankshaft position sensor, so I'm wondering if it's a similar problem. That was 10 years ago, though.

Click to expand...

Hey undertow,

I did find a STAR case, #S1408000026, from 2014 that your dealership might be able to look up to see if it helps with the long crank issue.

Kori
Ram Social Care Specialist

JPT said:

Try this, after it sits for that 24 hours, put the key in and turn it to On (but not start), Wait until all sounds stop (fuel pump priming), then try and start it. If it starts right up, it is just lack of fuel, because of loss of pressure in the lines.

Click to expand...

I tried that this morning, and it fired up on the first crank. It looks like you may be onto something here. So is a loss of pressure in the fuel lines a normal thing? Or is it something I should be concerned about?

ramcares said:

I did find a STAR case, #S1408000026, from 2014 that your dealership might be able to look up to see if it helps with the long crank issue.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that info - I will definitely pass that along to the dealer if I end up taking it in for this.

undertow said:

I tried that this morning, and it fired up on the first crank. It looks like you may be onto something here. So is a loss of pressure in the fuel lines a normal thing? Or is it something I should be concerned about?

Click to expand...

Glad it worked! If you're still under warranty, I would tell the dealer this, but I have a feeling you will get a can't replicate issue. They will have test this the first time they start it (before pulling it into the bay, or leave it in the mechanic's bay over night and work on it first thing in the morning). I would be detailed so they will try that, and be sure to let them know it wont do this without a log wait. I wonder if there is a check valve that is supposed to maintain pressure that might be failing.

If you are out of warranty, and can live with it, all you have to do is just change your pattern to turning the key to on, waiting a couple seconds then starting it (wont help with remote start though).

This is a common vehicle thing, not a Ram thing. Audi (we have an A4) primes the fuel pump as soon as you open the drivers door (to avoid this issue) instead of waiting for the key to be in the on position.

EDIT: or maybe it could be the fuel pump itself, maybe it is designed to prime fast enough and yours could be on it's way out?