mechanics - best guess please...

[Anonymous]

Gonna take it in but I am curious what you guys think is the problem I am having. 2004 Odyssey with 200k miles. Problem started this week - Wed afternoon. Engine cranks but won't start. After 3-4 tries, it starts. Once I get it going, no problem driving. Sounds like when your battery has gone bad - you know when your battery doesn't have enough juice to start. I drove 150 miles yesterday with absolutely no issues. This morning, I stopped at gas station to fill up and it did it again. After 3-4 tries, engines starts and no issues...

New battery about 1.5 years, new starter was put in about 3-4 years ago. Other than "get a new car", your thoughts? I am think the starter is going bad (again)...

[Anonymous]

It's unlikely your 1.5 year old battery is bad. It sounds like either the starter or the alternator isn't charging the batter. Get your battery's charge tested.

[Anonymous]

Time to get a new car lol

[Anonymous]

Fuel pump issue possibly. Not enough pressure in the fuel line to start but a few tries builds up enough pressure so you can drive. Might just be the filter, might need to replace the fuel pump. I am curious what your mechanic says.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fuel pump issue possibly. Not enough pressure in the fuel line to start but a few tries builds up enough pressure so you can drive. Might just be the filter, might need to replace the fuel pump. I am curious what your mechanic says.

This....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fuel pump issue possibly. Not enough pressure in the fuel line to start but a few tries builds up enough pressure so you can drive. Might just be the filter, might need to replace the fuel pump. I am curious what your mechanic says.

This....

I also thought this but the OP clearly said it sounds like when the battery doesn't have enough juice. So the engine is turning over with some labor, rather than quickly. If it was a fuel problem, the car should crank normally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fuel pump issue possibly. Not enough pressure in the fuel line to start but a few tries builds up enough pressure so you can drive. Might just be the filter, might need to replace the fuel pump. I am curious what your mechanic says.

This....

I also thought this but the OP clearly said it sounds like when the battery doesn't have enough juice. So the engine is turning over with some labor, rather than quickly. If it was a fuel problem, the car should crank normally.

OP here. Maybe my post description wasn't clear. The engine cranks but it fails to start until a few times trying. It's like "i got it, i got it... I don't got it" kinda thing.

i will def report back once my mechanic tells me what's wrong with it. thanks guys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fuel pump issue possibly. Not enough pressure in the fuel line to start but a few tries builds up enough pressure so you can drive. Might just be the filter, might need to replace the fuel pump. I am curious what your mechanic says.

This....

I also thought this but the OP clearly said it sounds like when the battery doesn't have enough juice. So the engine is turning over with some labor, rather than quickly. If it was a fuel problem, the car should crank normally.

OP here. Maybe my post description wasn't clear. The engine cranks but it fails to start until a few times trying. It's like "i got it, i got it... I don't got it" kinda thing.

i will def report back once my mechanic tells me what's wrong with it. thanks guys

If the cranking is pretty "vigorous", then the battery, starter, and alternator are probably good, then it's looking more likely to be a fuel-related issue.

[Anonymous]

I hear ya. I'm on my second Odyssey with +200k miles. Love it.

Easy things first. Have your mechanic do a basic test on the battery/alternator and a current draw test on the starter. These are basic tests. I've had a newish battery go bad, I've had alternators go bad and I've had a starter that drew more current as it got older and killed the battery and alternator (that was a VW, not the Odyssey). Anything is possible and these three are easy to test.

After that, have the mechanic plug in the OBD reader and see if there are any codes indicating another problem.

After those super easy things are done, sure, take a look at the fuel system. An old fuel pump could cause this, but I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hear ya. I'm on my second Odyssey with +200k miles. Love it.

Easy things first. Have your mechanic do a basic test on the battery/alternator and a current draw test on the starter. These are basic tests. I've had a newish battery go bad, I've had alternators go bad and I've had a starter that drew more current as it got older and killed the battery and alternator (that was a VW, not the Odyssey). Anything is possible and these three are easy to test.

After that, have the mechanic plug in the OBD reader and see if there are any codes indicating another problem.

After those super easy things are done, sure, take a look at the fuel system. An old fuel pump could cause this, but I doubt it.

Could it be dirty fuel injectors? I was told by someone to not drive the car until fuel tank is nearly empty as over time, tiny dirt/debris in fuel that normally sits at the bottom of the fuel tank will find its way through fuel pump and fuel injector and potentially cause issues with those.

[Anonymous]

Dirty injectors usually will affect one cylinder and not all cylinders. You'll notice rough idle, misfiring, etc, and the car will likely be throwing the check engine light if it got to the point where it would not start. This sounds more like a fuel supply problem as other posters have previously guessed.

[Anonymous]

Once a vehicle gets up there in year/miles like this and things start to fail, it's time to start thinking about getting a new one. You can obviously get it repaired but inevitably you'll regret it. Today it's the fuel pump. Two months from now it's a like in the exhaust hoses. Then you've got your second 100k mile service that costs a thousand bucks. And you're in need of new tires for 800 dollars. Then the engine or transmission blows after you did all that other work and you're pissed you didn't just get a new vehicle.

Ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear ya. I'm on my second Odyssey with +200k miles. Love it.

Easy things first. Have your mechanic do a basic test on the battery/alternator and a current draw test on the starter. These are basic tests. I've had a newish battery go bad, I've had alternators go bad and I've had a starter that drew more current as it got older and killed the battery and alternator (that was a VW, not the Odyssey). Anything is possible and these three are easy to test.

After that, have the mechanic plug in the OBD reader and see if there are any codes indicating another problem.

After those super easy things are done, sure, take a look at the fuel system. An old fuel pump could cause this, but I doubt it.

Could it be dirty fuel injectors? I was told by someone to not drive the car until fuel tank is nearly empty as over time, tiny dirt/debris in fuel that normally sits at the bottom of the fuel tank will find its way through fuel pump and fuel injector and potentially cause issues with those.

OP here, I doubt dirty fuel injector is causing it. Once started, the engine runs fine - as smooth as ever. No misfiring and rough idle as one of the PPs said above. But who knows, I will take it in this weekend and will report back. Thanks everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once a vehicle gets up there in year/miles like this and things start to fail, it's time to start thinking about getting a new one. You can obviously get it repaired but inevitably you'll regret it. Today it's the fuel pump. Two months from now it's a like in the exhaust hoses. Then you've got your second 100k mile service that costs a thousand bucks. And you're in need of new tires for 800 dollars. Then the engine or transmission blows after you did all that other work and you're pissed you didn't just get a new vehicle.

Ask me how I know.

Understood. Wife is very sentimental about the minivan. We (mostly she) raised three kids driving that car and it still runs good... but your point is well taken.

[Anonymous]

Fuel pump is getting tired.