So my wife's 2007 TL-S with approximately 90K miles on it has recently started to take a long time to start. It is not a battery issue, turns over just fine. It is more like it isn't getting enough fuel to start the combustion process. The best way I can describe it is when you turn the key and engage the starter instead of taking a few revolutions of the engine (maybe 2-3 seconds) to start it now takes 5-6 seconds to start. One additional bit of data she pointed out to me is that it only seems to do this after sitting for a longer period of time (4+ hours) and when the weather is hot. It's been consistently in the 90's here lately and it does it when she goes out to leave work at lunch. But if it's a cooler day or we start the car after sitting in the garage over night it doesn't seem to do it. And if you just turn the key to ACC (ie don't turn the starter over) a few times before trying to start the car, it doesn't seem to have this problem. Which suggests to me that doing such and priming the fuel lines/system is somehow related.

Dirty fuel filter? Or malfunctioning fuel pump? I did some searching on this site as well as general Google searches and didn't come up with a lot. It's likely on this site somewhere but I didn't search "correctly" or look long enough. But any ideas or input would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

 

Might want to try the liqui-moly fuel injector/valve cleaner stuff. Might help out

 

Your car doesn't have a fuel filter, so cross that one off your list. I'd cross the fuel pump off as well, they generally work or they don't, no middle ground.

 

Do you mean it doesn't have an external fuel filter? Admittedly I have never dropped the tank on a Honda/Acura product but I have to assume there is still some kind of in tank filter that has the potential to get clogged. Although honestly i suspect there would be other driveability issues if this were the case but still thought it might be a possibility.

 

Nope, I mean there is no fuel filter at all; these days most cars, as in something in excess of 90%, do not have a fuel filter at all.

 

TL does have fuel filter but they are built into the fuel pump assembly, no external filter.

 

Are you sure; if I recall correctly Honda completely did a way with the filter early in the 2000s. That said, the pump assembly does have what amounts to a screen.

 

Regardless of a fuel filter, or not, does anyone have any other ideas as to what might be causing this? I did order an EVAP purge vacuum switch the other day. Now I mostly did this to stop the "tighten gas cap" code/warning that keeps popping up but I didn't know if by some chance this was might be some how related to the problem described above. I guess we'll see.

 

Not sure about on the TL, but on other cars I have this is caused by a drop in fuel pressure when hot. This usually happens when the check valve on the fuel pump starts to fail and leaks pressure/fuel back into the tank. What then ends up happening is that you need the extra cranks to build up the fuel pressure again. On our TL's I believe the check valve is build into the pump itself.

Another possible culprit may be the check valve for the actual fuel tank. If the fuel tank can't vent it could cause issues with hot starting in hotter weather. Do you have issues with the fuel pump cutting off when filling the tank before it is full?

 

Injectors clogged?

 

Seafoam has worked wonders on all my cars. Highly recommend running a can or two through (1 can per tank of fuel), do not run two back to back though.

 

I was in the autoparts store today for some caliper paint and overheard a guy saying he needed some seafoam. what does it do?

 

It drains your wallet for no appreciable benefit.

 

if you run premium fuel you wont need seafoam....good fuel has cleaners and detergents which keep injectors clean

 

It keeps my mowers in tip top shape is what it does.

 

It can do a couple of things. The can states that it can be used to clear out gummed up oil (if you do this, do not run the engine with it in the oil for extended periods of time, please read up on this), put it into your intake via a vacuum hose (you run the motor until it is hesitating then shut it off. you let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and then start it back up. You will get lots of smoke coming out your exhaust as all the carbon burns off) or you can put it in your gas to clean injectors (I also use it as a fuel stabilizer when storing my cars over the winter).

Some people use it, some don't, but I have had good experience with it on my classics and for cleaning out my TL Type-S injectors.

 

I rather doubt your injectors were in need of cleaning in the first place so you can you say it cleaned them? The thing is, modern fuel has more than enough additives to keep injectors clean and in tip-top shape for hundreds of thousands of miles, even if you routinely put rot-gut gasoline in your car.

 

I get all the Type-S work done at the dealer. Car was showing a lean condition and the dealer recommended the injector cleaning. One of the few items I opted-out of doing because of my results I have gotten with seafoam from my other cars. After running two cans through it (spread out) the dealer checked the flow and it was within spec and my lean condition went away. To your point, maybe the 93 octane helped assist in that cleaning with the Seafoam (the only fuel I put in the car is 93).

I have also used seafoam on a bench mechanical injector cleaner and it cleaned out 30+ year old injectors to flow just as much fuel as new ones. Everyone's experience is different, though I have seen good results.

On that note though, I will say that there is no 'off the shelf' alternative to what they use/do for the injectors at the dealership. The way they clean then there is no can solution that can substitute that.

 

scan the car

 

seafoam sound great however I worry about the particle might broke loose from cylinder clog up CAT and cause a major repair, no thanks.