Long Engine Cranks

I don't post much here, but I've had an issue now for about four days that I haven't been able to find a solution for, either on the forums, or just checking my truck.

Here in Colorado we've recently had temps cooling down. In the past four or so days with the cooler temps, my truck (2018 Tacoma TRD 3.5) has had longer crank times, to the extent that today I it didn't start successfully the first time, and barely the second attempt. And that was after I took it off a battery maintainer that it had been on for at least 12 hours. Battery is a Duracell 24F AGM.

This seems to happen the most if I've let the truck sit for longer than 45min~1hr. I'd like to think it isn't the fuel pump, as the low pressure pump was replaced (on recall) on 10/30/20.

Maybe I'm just not searching the right key words, but could somebody chime in on what the potential issue is, and solutions?

 

How many miles?

I find with Toyotas they get sensitive to spark plug age, and the easiest way for me to tell is hard starts cold.

The 2GR in the transverse engines is very similar.

Also carbon on the throttle plate adds to the struggle when cold starting.

I just checked denver, its not that cold! Just around freezing! PAH. It's -20C here lol.

 

I'm at 98461 miles right now.

Spark plugs were done at the recommended 60k mi mark.

And yeah, it's not even that cold! I just don't want this issue to get any worse without a resolution before it gets colder.

 

Maybe start with a throttle clean, it doesn't hurt and these trucks like it.

 

Yup, I threw a bottle of Techron in the day before yesterday. Only worked through a 1/4 tank of that so far.

 

Try different gas, you may have had a bad batch. Burn it up and try from a different, higher quality, station

 

Changed stations when I put in the Techron, I'll see if I can run a higher octane better too with another bottle.

 

To be clear, when you said it barely started, you were for certain holding the key over the entire time and it kept cranking and cranking, and cranking, and didn't want to start.

Or are you push bottom?

Just making sure that you didn't turn the key and happened let up JUST before it fired. And then tried to start it again and it took extended cranking.

These engines need just a BIT longer to crank in order to turn over and if you let up too early on the first time it doesn't like to fire right up on the second crank and has an extended crank.

If you have some wet winter gas or could be cranking for just a HINT longer than you are used to and it messed up the rythm

 

sounds like a battery issue. how old is it? corrosion on terminals?

 

I have a push button, so I've learned to let it go through a whole start attempt to see if it'll go, before I try again.

When I say barely started, I should be more clear. It would crank good and strong (Advance Auto claims the alternator, starter and battery are good for what it's worth) but it'll get to the point where you can hear the engine start to catch, but it just wouldn't.

 

Bottle of techron will not clean a throttle body.

 

Sorry, got it mixed up. I'll work on that next.

 

Battery is a Duracell (Sam's Club brand) 24F AGM installed 3/9/20, doesn't appear to have corrosion issues.