# 00 Frontier hard to start only when hot



## dlj189 (May 15, 2006)

00 Frontier V6 3.3L 2WD KC, manual transmission, 115,000 miles

First of all, thanks to everyone who helped me diagnose my recent power steering pump issue and get me motivated to do my 100,000 mile maintenance (timing belt, pulley, sparks, cap rotor, v-belts, air, pcv, fuel filters, cam shaft seals, crankshaft seals, water pump, etc., etc.). Your input on that job made me feel so much more confident in getting the work done pronto. And also not feeling like I was getting ripped off or anything if I wanted the shop to do some of the work because it was too complex for us. I understand (and my husband finally does now as well thank goodness) that on a post 100,000 mile vehicle we must pay very close attention to maintenance schedule, and also to the subtle signs of wear and tear items that will need attention as we speed through the next 100,000miles.

Shortly after that all that expensive work was done we noticed a couple of odd things that we had not noticed before:

1.)The clutch seems to not have so much spring back anymore. It works fine, no gear grinding or anything, but its just a little less springy than it used to be. It was not immediately like this upon drive away from the shop as I recall, but it developed quickly shortly thereafter.

2.) My husband reports that suddenly he is noticing that the truck is hard to start when hot. For example, it starts fine in the am to go to work, and in the pm to come home, but if he goes out for lunch or a coffee, or to stop for gas or grocery on the way home, it is hard to start the truck again. It always starts up, it just has to be cranked a bit longer than in the AM or PM when its cold. 
Note: (Keep in mind that this may have been a potential problem for months and not noticed becuase he was not leaving the office during the day as much as he does now due to new responsibilities that require him to do so, and also the price of gas, and his reported lowered fuel economy, makes it where he has to fill up more often and at different intervals than before causing him to stop more often on the way home or during the day while on company errands, hence more opportunities to notice the hot start problem.)

3.) My husband reports that he feels his gas milage has declined since the tuneup, instead of increasing like we thought it would.

I have been into the Haynes manual in the starter section and in the this section mention is made of the components of this system which include:

starter motor
clutch interlock switch
clutch interlock relay
connecting wire
battery-it's not new, but it's the second one in this truck so its not original
ignition switch

The clutch is suddenly acting weird and the starter is suddenly acting weird. 
Could they be related? 
However, if it were a clutch relay or interlock switch related problem, or a connecting wire, then wouldn't it be the same whether hot or cold?

The troubleshooting section the haynes manual says:
engine hard to start when hot=

Air filter-it's pretty new
fuel system or ignition system-?
fuel not reaching injectors-?
low cylinder compression-related to recent timing belt change?
malfunctioning EVAP system-?

What do you think?


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## dvdswanson (Nov 6, 2005)

check the fluid level for the clutch, just a guess. as for the hard starts, try turning the key to the on position for like 3 seconds then to start, it may be a weak pump when its hot. just thoughts.


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I would take a look at the fuel filter. If it takes longer to crank, but cranks at the same speed as before, it may have been installed imporperly and is leaking, thus causing your fuel economy problem. If it is cranking slower than before, it is possible the starter is heat soaking or is worn out. As for the clutch, that can be adjusted under the dash by adding a little tension on the turnbuckle that is part of the clutch master cylinder's actuator arm. It can be adjusted with a 12mm wrench and a pair of plyers. Be careful: a little goes a long way.


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