I have a 2004 Ram 1500 at work that if you try to restart it 25 minutes after shut down takes a little bit of cranking to start. No codes stored.

I suspect the cam sensor. Anything common on these that causes similar issues?

Could be fuel pressure bleeding off at the pump. Try cycling the key on and off before cranking and see if this helps. Also could have some injectors drooling and flooding the engine. Does it act flooded or smoke black after it starts?

Thanks, if you let it sit until cold it fires right up, so I don't suspect fuel pressure bleeding off. We didn't cycle the key cold and it started.

I don't think it smoked, I busy was trying to catch it acting up to check the short term fuel trims, but if it starts I believe you have to wait another 25 minutes to get a crack at it.

If an injector is leaking it still must be firing ok as the fuel trims were real good, between zero and 1. This thing only has 11K miles on it

I want to check/monitor the temperature, time since run, and open/closed loop status when it fails. I do also plan to put a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel rail.

I don't think it's fuel pressure related simply because it will start cold without having to cycle the key. When warm it will start, if you let it sit 25 minutes it just takes a little extra effort (acts like the fuel has bled off.)

So maybe it's a heat soaked part out of spec and open/closed loop effects the start..... when it goes open loop the random access memory allows it to start easier?

Update KOEO it would hit 62 psi (58 + or -2)
it would also drop to just under 20 psi in a few minutes, then to zero around 25 minutes.

If it was warm it didn't seem to energize the pump immediately.

A fuel pump fixed it (the regulator is in the pump)


The funny thing is with all conditions the same but if left until cold it would start. I have to research if the vehicle is still in closed loop and/or the PCM registers at least certain temperature would the PCM not engage the fuel pump?

The pcm turns the f/pump on when it see's rpm. Your fuel trim won't have a effect on the first 5 or 10 seconds of running. Glad you got it fixed.