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31 Posts
Hello everyone. First time really posting my own topic here so if it's similar to other topics, I apologize but I've noticed when I reply to those posts, I never really hear back from anyone. Anyway, I have a 2004 Pilot with 243290 miles on it. I haven't really had any major problems with it since I bought it a year or so ago until recently. I recently replaced the coolant passage gaskets and the coolant extension tube and o-rings, as well as flushed my coolant system. On top of that, I recently changed out the two o-rings in my power steering pump and drained and changed the fluid for that. I only state that because it's the last thing I did to the vehicle before these latest rounds of issues. Now, I'm not saying those actions have anything to do with the current problem but you never know.
On to the issue....last night I got a call from wife who had gone shopping with her sister saying the Pilot wouldn't start. The battery wasn't dead and the vehicle turned over but would not actually start running. I ended up having it towed home and left it overnight. Today, I went out and tried to start it and, to my surprise, it fired right up like nothing was wrong! Now, this is not the first time that has happened. In fact, it happened twice before now. Once when my wife was at the post office it would not start. Same thing...turned over but no start. After letting it sit for some time, it started up fine like it did with me today. Then, I took it to the gas station about a month after her first issue with it and it wouldn't start for me. Same thing...turned over, no start. I walked home and rode my bike back to where the car was a few hours later...started right up! That was the last time it did anything like that until today and those times were BEFORE I did the work I mentioned earlier (which is why I assume that has nothing to do with my problem).
What it did today was something new, however. I was able to crank it right up after letting it sit over night. I drove it to a few places and stopped the engine and cranked the engine with no issues. But then, after I dropped my stepdaughter off at the dentist, I was letting it idle in the parking lot and all of a sudden it started sputtering and shaking, the RPM dropped to like 200 and I finally shut it off. There was no check engine light during this issue. I let the car sit off for a few minutes then I tried to start it again. It would turn over fine but it would not crank. It tried to at first but then nothing. All of this makes me think it's the fuel system, specifically the fuel pump. Here is where I have a couple of questions. First, can I test the pump without the car running? In other words, if I turn the key to ON does the fuel pump pressurize the system then? Also, could it be something as simple as the fuel pressure regulator and not the pump? Or maybe a clogged strainer on the pump? I know I'm asking a lot here but I haven't got a ton of money to work with so I'm trying my hardest to not change things that don't need to be changed. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
On to the issue....last night I got a call from wife who had gone shopping with her sister saying the Pilot wouldn't start. The battery wasn't dead and the vehicle turned over but would not actually start running. I ended up having it towed home and left it overnight. Today, I went out and tried to start it and, to my surprise, it fired right up like nothing was wrong! Now, this is not the first time that has happened. In fact, it happened twice before now. Once when my wife was at the post office it would not start. Same thing...turned over but no start. After letting it sit for some time, it started up fine like it did with me today. Then, I took it to the gas station about a month after her first issue with it and it wouldn't start for me. Same thing...turned over, no start. I walked home and rode my bike back to where the car was a few hours later...started right up! That was the last time it did anything like that until today and those times were BEFORE I did the work I mentioned earlier (which is why I assume that has nothing to do with my problem).
What it did today was something new, however. I was able to crank it right up after letting it sit over night. I drove it to a few places and stopped the engine and cranked the engine with no issues. But then, after I dropped my stepdaughter off at the dentist, I was letting it idle in the parking lot and all of a sudden it started sputtering and shaking, the RPM dropped to like 200 and I finally shut it off. There was no check engine light during this issue. I let the car sit off for a few minutes then I tried to start it again. It would turn over fine but it would not crank. It tried to at first but then nothing. All of this makes me think it's the fuel system, specifically the fuel pump. Here is where I have a couple of questions. First, can I test the pump without the car running? In other words, if I turn the key to ON does the fuel pump pressurize the system then? Also, could it be something as simple as the fuel pressure regulator and not the pump? Or maybe a clogged strainer on the pump? I know I'm asking a lot here but I haven't got a ton of money to work with so I'm trying my hardest to not change things that don't need to be changed. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
