1997 TJ 4.0 Now Doesn't Turn Over on First Try.

zamoraography

zamoraography

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Joined
Nov 25, 2021
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2
Location
La Puente, CA
I've had my 97 TJ for about a year now. Daily driving has been great. I live close to sea level and this past weekend I took it up to the mountains for three days. It was less than a hundred miles from home but a 7,000 ft climb. The morning after I got up there, I tried turning the TJ on but it would turn over. I gave it a second, then tried it again and it started on the first try. This has never happened before, so I dismissed it, figuring it might have been the altitude. Later that day, I tried starting it and it happened again. The starter spun several times so I stopped, turned the key back, then tried it again where it started perfectly.

Long story short, I turned on the Jeep five times while up in the mountains, and all five times it did the same thing. Now I've been home for several days and I tried turning it on for the first time this morning and it's still not starting on the first try. Any ideas on a possible cause?

Just a little background, about 2 months ago, I found a crack on the exhaust manifold, so I bought one, installed it, and it's been purring like a kitten ever since. It rides great. I just don't understand this new problem that just sprang up.
 
Fuel pump. There is a backflow preventer in the fuel pump assembly that prevents the pressure from dropping in the fuel rail. When you cycle the key like that, you running the pump for 3 sec, it builds pressure again, then starts on your second try.

The mountains were just a coincidence
 
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X2, leaky check valve inside the fuel pump. Avoid cheap online brands like Airtex or Spectre, and avoid store brands like Duralast from Autozone. Your fuel pump is too critical, stick with a good brand name. For the fuel pump itself, if you're handy and don't mind getting into the fuel pump assembly to replace it, go with a Bosch which is the OEM brand. It holds up. Bosch no longer sells the entire fuel pump assembly though, perhaps a Delphi or Carter. Personally I'd replace just the fuel pump itself with a Bosch.
 
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Thanks for the responses. It only did this once after me posting this. It’s been two weeks and it’s been back to normal. I just hit 90k miles, so I’m going to keep an eye on the fuel pump. Until it it starts acting funny again.
 
Just to help with future troubleshooting, an engine "turns over" when the starter spins it. We can figure out what you meant from description, but the title and terminology was confusing.

And I agree with the above advice on the fuel pump check valve.
 
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