2011 Grand Cherolee 6 cyl 2WD with TIPM external fuel pump relay

This one really has me stumped. It starts fine in the morning & then again several hours later. At the end of about 5 hours of running (mail route), I shut it off & come back 10 to 30 minutes later & that's when it happens. It steadily cranks but won't start. I then take my foot off the brake, press the ignition switch again to stop the cranking, depress the brake again, press the ignition again, & it cranks & starts normally.

I have to add that this only started after I ran the fuel extremely low.

Thoughts?

 

Could be clogged filter screen on fuel pump, inline fuel filter, or fuel pump going bad. Have you tried to just turn the key on, waiting a couple seconds and then cranking? If so, did it make a difference?

 

I think either fuel or spark is not happening adequately when it cranks without starting on your first attempt. If you can predict ahead of time when it usually doesnt start firing the engine, you could pull a plug, ground it to the engine, and look to see for spark happening adequately before you go to start it. You can still pull a plug anytime to check for adequate spark too though, and it is easy.

It does sound like it could possibly be more of a fuelling issue to me. I would go down the fuel pathway with a guage to look at the different readings you get. Watch the fuel psi go for about an hour, seeing what it does, plus the static testing, and all of the other fuel psi tests to see what you get.

The newer Jeeps are a bit more difficult at times in ways.. I know the newer ones have a lot of starter type of problems..

For you, I would check two things firstly:

1. Check for any recalls.
2. Check your fuel pump relay.

There should be a recall for your Jeep on the fuel pump relay. They will by-pass your now present potentially faulty relay from outside of the box at the stock location for you. They should do it for free.

(edited to add):
If you have this recall.. I'd still go there to check either way at the fuel pump relay, checking it to see if it is functioning correctly? Maybe even if you have the newer version fuel pump relay in there already, the designers could of still messed that version up too, or it could of went bad.

 

I cycled through the startup procedure twice before attempting to start the engine & there was no extended crank. Cycling may have fixed it, or it just didn't have the issue at that time.

I have the external fuel pump relay on its way. I was hoping it would've been here today, but my luck continues.

 

Garage says it's the main fuel pump or the regulator, which is part of the pump. $800

 

Check this: https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...assembly,10147

 

Regulator or the fuel check valve, which are part of the pump.

A new Mopar fuel pump assembly is ussually about $500.00 for a WJ. Or, a different decent one could be had new for not much more than ussually $150.00. Of course, no labor cost included with just the part. I'm not totally sure about a 2011?

$800.00 is a lot to pay