Rav4.2 Slow Starting.

[P11SCL]

Hey peeps, got my 2004 rav4 d4d couple of weeks ago but I noticed that it seems to take a while to start.

It's not just cold starting its all the time, when you turn the key it turns over quickly about 3 times before it starts. No smoke or anything and it runs perfect once started.

It has fully toyota history and done 91k

Any ideas would be good

Thanks

[anchorman]

Yes they do this. My mate has a perfectly healthy one and it does the same - always has from new. It cranks quite quickly and starts after one or two seconds.

[Pogle]

Exactly as Anchorman reports....mine is exactly the same and always has been. I think you can relax as yours seems perfectly normal.

Enjoy!

[Tech01]

Mine too. There's always a bit of cranking/turnover first. I guess they're programmed not to start immediately on the twist of the key. Even do this (more briefly) when restarting hot.

Chris

[anchorman]

Wonder if they bring the fuel up to pressure in the fuel rail?

[rambler]

Mine too. There's always a bit of cranking/turnover first. I guess they're programmed not to start immediately on the twist of the key. Even do this (more briefly) when restarting hot.

Chris

Interesting Chris.....

How the engine management system is as you say " programmed " to crank the engine a few times......before it fires.

I wonder why this is......hmmmmm.

I had a customer ( amongst many at work today ) who had a K reg hilux for farm work ( similar to top gears wreck ),had 130'000 on clock and that fired up.....on first twist of the key......good powerful, TEW sound and it fired instantly.

So i wonder.....why can't Rav4's ? ? ?

[rambler]

Come to think of it....another daily customer of mine who has a Hiace ( 51 reg )...194'000 on the clock,looks pristine and looked after again ..that fires immediatley.

[Tech01]

Why the delay in starting? Could be as Don suggests (pressure build-up), which would avoid a possible ragged or lumpy start-up. I've never known this on non-common rail diesels (eg older Citroen-Peugeot) which always fire up immediately when warm, BUT can be ragged to start when cold IF you don't let the glow-plugs do their stuff for a few seconds.

Toyota (and others) nowadays are very focussed on minimal emissions (smoking) on start-up . . . bad for 'image', and don't help in the testing leagues . . . and will do almost anything to minimise these emissions and fuel consumption - often to the point of absurdity. I have a feeling that T. are also concerned to minimise engine low-speed vibration and judder (for whatever reason), and a smooth start must help in this request. DMF-thinking must be tied in with all this.

Interestingly, what doesn't help on the 4.2 D4D is the designed-in function whereby fuel supply to the engine is suddenly cut if you try to drive at below or just below idle speed (eg when executing a three-point turn, or letting in the clutch just a little without opening the throttle). This causes the engine to immediately stall whilst still in gear, and the shock to the transmission, engine and drive-train is quite alarming: like its being stopped with a sledgehammer. Why the ECU couldn't have been programmed to lift the revs back up to idle is puzzling. On Citroens, taking a little power at sub-idle simply results in slightly increased fuelling to prevent a stall (unless you overdo it!). Then again, it's possible that fuelling at idle is so lean, even gentle torque just isn't available.

Chris

[anchorman]

They seem to have eased that stall function on later models Chris. I can remember the first time I did it my fillings nearly dropped out and the shock through the car was horrendous.

[Big Kev]

My SR 180 did that a few times due to my not paying attention to whit I was doing.....most disconcertful.....sounded like the propshaft waving me goodbye.....

[Tech01]

. . . Forgot to say that the "forced stall" doesn't happen if the brake pedal is pressed (it inhibits the programmed-in stall), which thus allows sub-idle manoeuvring.

But good to hear that this drop-anchor (no pun intended, Don) ker-thuddd had been softened on later models!

Chris

[rambler]

Remember a few years ago now,i was on holiday in Devon in a small cottage next to the beach,we had to drive down quite a steep slope to get to the cottage.

One morning during the week i decided to see if my Rav4 would pull itself up this slope in 1st gear.....on tick over,on torque alone,....it did it easily,the slope i reckon must have been one in three.

But it did do it......to my surprise, no judder,just a smooth steady pull.

[Tech01]

Jamie,

That makes some sense to me. The kerthuddd-stall happens (I think) only when the revs dip suddenly below idling. If you gentle the clutch up (with no use of the throttle), and ease the revs downward, the stall doesn't happen . . . presumably the ECU lifts the idle speed back up. I guess this is what you did on your "one foot" hill climb.

As a habit now, I really do try not to stall the D4D (because of the whack it delivers), but both of us manage to do it once or twice a year (and no puns on this one, either!!!).

I can't imagine what a DMF must go through when such a stall happens on these older vehicles: I'm glad I no longer have the DM lump.

Chris

[rambler]

Jamie,

That makes some sense to me. The kerthuddd-stall happens (I think) only when the revs dip suddenly below idling. If you gentle the clutch up (with no use of the throttle), and ease the revs downward, the stall doesn't happen . . . presumably the ECU lifts the idle speed back up. I guess this is what you did on your "one foot" hill climb.

As a habit now, I really do try not to stall the D4D (because of the whack it delivers), but both of us manage to do it once or twice a year (and no puns on this one, either!!!).

I can't imagine what a DMF must go through when such a stall happens on these older vehicles: I'm glad I no longer have the DM lump.

Chris

I must admit Chris,i did ease the clutch out and was very gentle doing this ,with no revs....nothing,just took up the drive .....very gently and had a lovely big grin on my face at the time.

But...i come to think of it,i do feel a slight ' clunk ' on the driveline in traffic some evenings ,when i dis-engage the clutch in traffic when queueing....only crawling in first gear though.