Montero Hardstart

[SD_Montero]

Thanks for posting that. At this point, I don't think the idle is an issue. That may have contributed to my initial symptoms, but it idles fine now and we have about 1000 miles on the car.

Right now, it starts up cold 99% of the time. The hard start only occurs when it's hot (or warm) and if it sits for more than 30min to an hour between starts. Smaller time frames between hot starts, it does fine.

Engine runs perfect otherwise.

Have you figured this out.i have the exact same issue . Been driving me nuts ....I think it has to do with maybe a leaking fuel injector or something. Sometimes when the car is hot it loses pressure slowly sometimes it doesn't .

 

[djcommie]

Bleeding down the pressure in the fuel system can really only be the pump's check valve (built in it), the filter/lines leaking, the regulator, or the injectors themselves. My 95 24V 6G72 had hard starting and was the original pump's check valve bleeding down instantly, and replacing the pump solved it.
My second Montero (a 94 12V 6G72) has a good pump and pressure with little bleed down, but the ECU doesn't send the prime signal on key on engine off, and the IACV setup is slow to respond when dead cold, similar symptoms but different reasons.

 

[Leeson]

I'm chiming in with the same issue. The colder it is, the more it has to crank. It may sort of fire up but immediately dies and I have to crank it over some more. Putting the pedal all the way down so far has worked within a couple seconds to get it to fire up and stay running. Once it fires up and is running, it's flawless.

I don't believe it could be the ignition starter switch in my case, as DenTar mentioned, because it wants to run it just can't keep itself running. That switch wouldn't allow it to even attempt to fire up if it were faulty.

I'm reading online that it could be a fuel pressure issue, like mentioned in this thread. I've also read it could be a dirty intake, bad cam position sensor, idle air control valve or about a hundred other things. Anyone else had this issue? How did you resolve it? Should I see if the fuel tank is holding vacuum? Maybe that's a good place to start.