1994 Dodge Dakota Hard to start

Fuel pressure should be maintained for weeks in preparation for starting the engine. It can bleed off through a leaking injector or through the pressure regulator. If you have access to a pressure gauge, monitor the pressure after stopping the engine. Typically, a leaking regulator will bleed the pressure off within a few seconds, and it will come back up very slowly while cranking the engine. It must be high enough before the engine will fire up. Chrysler has very little trouble with regulators, (unlike GMs), but I have found two with cut and leaking o-rings.

If the pressure bleeds off relatively slowly, like up to a minute or longer, suspect a leaking injector. Usually this doesn't result in a very long crank time because the pressure can build quickly. The pump will only run during engine rotation, (cranking or running), and for two seconds when you turn on the ignition switch. If you turn the switch on, wait a few seconds, then turn it off, wait again, then turn it back on a few times, the pressure should come up enough for starting. Related to a leaking injector, one or more cylinders could be getting flooded and the long crank time is needed to clear them out. I've had mixed results, but you can try holding the accelerator to the floor during cranking. If it starts in less time, suspect an injector.

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First, pull the vacuum hose off the regulator. Chrysler regulators give extremely little trouble, but it's very common for GM units to leak fuel into the vacuum port. That raw fuel will make its way into the intake manifold where you will likely smell it.

If you suspect the regulator, which would make more sense if cycling the key doesn't help, try pinching off the return hose that goes back to the fuel tank. You could also disconnect the hose, run it into a container, then cycle the key and watch the pressure gauge. I believe it should hold about 45 psi. If it drops way lower than that, and fuel is still coming out of the return hose, the regulator or its o-ring are leaking.

An injector will leak much slower, and you may not smell fuel until you start the engine, then you'll see black smoke out the tail pipe right after start up. You may also smell the fuel up front, depending where the engine stopped and which intake valves are open. Check the oil level and smell too. Raw fuel from a leaking injector will wash past the piston rings into the oil. The oil level will go up, but the fuel will likely burn off on long drives and be drawn out through the PCV system and burned. If you do a lot of short trip driving, the raw fuel will cause sludge and will reduce the oil's ability to isolate moving metal parts. That will lead to severe engine damage. If the oil smells like fuel, suspect an injector.

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