Hard start when the engine is hot

[The_Josh_Bear]

I also bought a Pensacola pump and it was worse than the worn out, no-hot-start pump it replaced. Called and complained they didn't like it but sent another, same thing. Finally third try they sent one that worked "ok". That's as good as that pump ever got and I had priming and hot start issues within 2 years, and I don't put a ton of miles on my pickup. Maybe lasted 40k before I got a proper rebuild from Russ @typ4, also pop-matched injectors. This pump primes awesome and fires up RIGHT NOW every time. I had her sitting for over a month during this Covid junk and the first start was like I drove it that morning.

Point is... get your money back, don't get another pump from them. If you can send back the injectors do that, too. They are professionals at polishing a ****.

I've never bought from Wes @Thewespaul (yet) but he is a site sponsor and has excellent pump builds and matched injectors also, along with turbo goodies and much more. Either one will get you what you need for 100k miles of happy IDI'ing.

 

[quickster]

Make sure your return lines and line coming up from the lift pump are tight/good. I just went thru the same thing. Pump and injectors have maybe 10k on them and the truck was hard to start when hot. Replaced my caps ,o rings and all up top fuel lines. Tighten the hard line to the pump from the filter. No problems now. If you did replace the returns, double check them. Push the caps down good. Check the back line that goes under the cdr across- that line snapped like a twig when I took it off.

 

[groovemonster]

The return line kit they sold me was not fitting well over the injectors. So I removed them and put the oem plastic tee's back and it has significantly helped the hard start problem. Now it starts within 5-7 seconds.. Which is still longer than a cold start but way better than 30+ seconds.

I tried the cold water heat sink test and it seemed to help, so I think the IP is low quality

Does anyone know if PD give refunds or are they exchanges only? If I can get a refund I can replace it with a quality built pump from Wes or one of the other respected builders. Otherwise I'm short on funds to do anything other than replace it with another PD pump and based on feedback and their reputation, I might be just as inclined to deal with the 7 second restarts until I can buy a better one outright.

 

[quickster]

Sounds like you're still getting air. Keep looking. The caps should snap down. Little fuel on the o rings helps them go down. Rule evrything else out before you pull the pump. Yeah, over the years I've been reading about the Pensicola pumps being hit or miss. It still sounds like a slow air bleed.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

****DOH. I just remembered this was a HOT START thread not cold start. Ill leave the info for anyone that needs it cause I already typed it out. *****

How's your check valve at the return line off the fuel header? Its the line going to #1 inkector return cap. Inside the brass fitting is a duck duckbill style check valve and when they eventually fail they let air draw back into the fuel filter. There is an updated type with a check ball and spring too. I found that the aluminum aftermarket valves work well and are very durable. Ford later had that return line removed because of all the hard starting but you want something to purge air when you get it, I've run it both ways and having the air purge is invaluable.

A way to check if it's working is to install a clear line between the fuel header and #1 return line. If you see air in that line in the morning then you're getting drain back.