Questions and Answers

Hard Starting Dodge Ram Q. Hi. Iv'e got a 1995 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5.9 liter engine. It has always started on the first revolution of the engine. Now it turns over ten or more times before it starts then it stumbles for a few seconds. It runs beautiful other then that. It has 98,000 miles. Can you help me out? Thanks...

A. It sounds like the fuel pump check valve in the fuel pump has gone bad. This check valve is supposed to hold fuel pressure so the engine starts easily. A quick way to test this theory is to turn the key ON but don not start it. Wait until you hear the fuel pump shut of (or about five seconds if you can't hear it) then turn the key OFF.

Do this five or six times then start the engine. If it starts like normal then you probably do have a bad fuel pump check valve. Next step would be to do a fuel pressure test to confirm it.