Hard Starting 2014 Jeep JK

Thathighcanadianguy

New Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2023
Messages
6
Location
Windsor
Hi everyone. Just picked up a 2014 Sahara Unlimited (manual). It’s got 134,000kms on it. The issue that I’m having is in the mornings or after it sits for more than a few hours, it cranks a few times longer and or it’ll stutter as it starts and the RPMs will drop and then it’ll just start up fine after a second. I’m thinking there is a fuel bleed back issue, before I go through the trouble of dropping the tank and replacing the fuel pump assembly, could the issue be anything else?

Note that it does not idle rough, there is no loss of power, fuel mileage is about average, and after the hard start, if I turn it off then back on, it doesn’t have the hard starting issue (I’m assuming because there is adequate pressure in the fuel lines now) and in addition, when I’m starting it, I turn the key to the on position and wait at least 5-10 seconds before starting
 
Last edited:
I've never payed any attention to see if I can hear the fuel pump run when the engine isn't running, but maybe when you know it won't start like it's supposed to have someone listen for it at the tank.

Then after it was running shut it off and turn the key on and listen for it running. If it doesn't run right away like it does after it was running and then shut off and restarted it could be a electrical problem.

Cold damp weather can cause problems with bad grounds or other connections.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
Just started it, I can hear the fuel pump going when the key is in the ignition. I turned off then turned the key back on but didn’t start the jeep and I can hear the fuel pump working right away
 
Just started it, I can hear the fuel pump going when the key is in the ignition. I turned off then turned the key back on but didn’t start the jeep and I can hear the fuel pump working right away


Then it could be electrical with the coil pack, or the connections for the coil pack. I would think more like a bad connection somewhere since the fuel pump is running. There are some grounds on the engine try cleaning them, I also ran a extra heavy gauge ground from the battery to the alternator.

Maybe with the key on run you could check for power at the coil, also not sure how the ign switch is wired up but maybe it's bad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
I’ve been trying to research a lot and there’s a TSB on bad camshaft position sensors for that year, not sure if it’s been replaced, I’ll give it a check and hopefully that’s the issue