[Humphrey351]

My Odyssey is a 2012 EX-L, just about ready to hit the 140K mark on miles. Lately, last two months, she is cranking longer than normal to fire up...but the problem is not consistent.
In the morning, turn the key, fires right up, going out for lunch, she cranks for about 3 to 4 seconds before firing over....then after lunch, will fire right off again after sitting for 35 to 45 minutes...and then when ready to go home a few hours later, hit or miss, might fire right up, might not.
No codes are coming up, dealer checked it out and found nothing...the tech said it could be due to tight valves??
The only common denominator throughout is sunshine...if she sits for a.few hours in the sun, it cranklnger to fire up. Overnight, no sun, fires right up.
History of the van, bought new, had the recall for piston rings done twice (first time wasn't done right...first recall done at 80K, second done around 110K, with new timing belt added and water pump)
Only one other variable that might be related...everytime I fill the tank, I get the check gas cap message. Could it be when she sits in the sun, the tank heats up and is losing pressure in the fuel system due too a bad cap? Grasping at straws with that idea..

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Michael

 

[egads]

How about the spark plugs? Were they replaced?
I really doubt you would have fuel tank leaks without setting a light/codes.
Also, have the battery load tested.

 

[John Clark]

Check the purge valve as I suspect it may be leaking (indicated by the check gas cap message which means small evap leak). When the vehicle sits in the sun the pressure in the fuel tank increases, and makes more fuel vapor. (think about that gas can in the garage that swells up in the sun.) If the purge valve is leaking just slightly that fuel vapor will make it's way into the intake manifold and it it can be hard to start as there is too much fuel. Is it ever hard to start right after filling the tank?

 

[egads]

How about the spark plugs? Were they replaced?
I really doubt you would have fuel tank leaks without setting a light/codes.
Also, have the battery load tested.

Well duh, you did have fuel tank warnings. I should not reply when I am half asleep.

 

[Humphrey351]

The plugs are good, I get her serviced through Honda, and plugs are checked and changed at the regular intervals. As for the purge valve...have to look into that and see, hope it's that simple. The battery was tested and all was fine.

 

[John Clark]

My money is on the purge valve. It sits right on top of the engine and is very easy to access. It should be closed when not powered on. You can disconnect it and either check it with a hand vacuum pump if you have one or just pull it off and see if you can blow through it. You should not be able to blow through it from either direction. When removed, you can use a couple of jumper leads connected to each terminal and then to the battery and power it on. When powered on you should be able to blow through it.

 

[essie5]

The plugs are good, I get her serviced through Honda, and plugs are checked and changed at the regular intervals. As for the purge valve...have to look into that and see, hope it's that simple. The battery was tested and all was fine.

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I’m having the same issue with a 2011 EX-L and wonder if you were ever able to figure out the cause. I followed the purge valve advice, but that didn’t fix it for me. I also replaced the fuel cap just for good measure. It only happens after the car was shut off (at running temp) and restarted within an hour or less.

 

[Ticket]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I’m having the same issue with a 2011 EX-L and wonder if you were ever able to figure out the cause. I followed the purge valve advice, but that didn’t fix it for me. I also replaced the fuel cap just for good measure. It only happens after the car was shut off (at running temp) and restarted within an hour or less.

mileage?
check engine lights?
any recent work or other issues?

 

[essie5]

mileage?
check engine lights?
any recent work or other issues?

So sorry...140k miles (same as OP). Started happening between services. No work done to it and no CEL. Fresh battery, plugs done 5k miles prior, multiple tanks of fuel and a variety of weather conditions.
Honestly, it almost feels like a vapor lock issue.

 

[Ticket]

So sorry...140k miles (same as OP). Started happening between services. No work done to it and no CEL. Fresh battery, plugs done 5k miles prior, multiple tanks of fuel and a variety of weather conditions.
Honestly, it almost feels like a vapor lock issue.

Yeah this is a tricky one...
The OP mentioned valve adjustment, its due at around 150k if it wasn't done when the timing belt was changed.
Not sure that would lead to hard starts.

These came out of one of the service manuals I have for the Odyssey.
Most of them would throw codes if they failed, so not much help.

Hard Starting
Disconnected hot air tube to air cleaner Reconnect tube and test
control valve
Defective Idle Air Control (IAC) valve Test valve operation and
circuit
Shorted, open or misadjusted T.P.S. Test and adjust or replace
T.P.S.
EGR valve open Test EGR valve and control
circuit
Poor Oxygen sensor signal Test for shorted or circuit
Incorrect mixture from PCV system Test PCV for flow, check
sealing of oil filter cap

 

[essie5]

Yeah this is a tricky one...
The OP mentioned valve adjustment, its due at around 150k if it wasn't done when the timing belt was changed.
Not sure that would lead to hard starts.

These came out of one of the service manuals I have for the Odyssey.
Most of them would throw codes if they failed, so not much help.

Hard Starting
Disconnected hot air tube to air cleaner Reconnect tube and test
control valve
Defective Idle Air Control (IAC) valve Test valve operation and
circuit
Shorted, open or misadjusted T.P.S. Test and adjust or replace
T.P.S.
EGR valve open Test EGR valve and control
circuit
Poor Oxygen sensor signal Test for shorted or circuit
Incorrect mixture from PCV system Test PCV for flow, check
sealing of oil filter cap

Wow, thank you for the trouble of looking that up. I have something I would like to try...a bit out there, but I am suspicious of the ambient air temp sensor. When it happens, the temp reads 110 or more and immediately drops. Granted, this is Florida and there is plenty of heat soak, but I’m thinking a wrong reading of ambient air will set the starting map all wrong. I’ll check to see how much one is and see if it is worth throwing money at. Whatcha think?

 

[Ticket]

Not sure that sensor does anything more than display the temp on the dash...

Also from the manual...

OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE INDICATOR CALIBRATION
DESCRIPTION
The outside air temperature sensor is located behind the center of the front bumper. The gauge control module
NOTE: Before replacing the gauge control module, retrieve the ODO data from the
gauge control module with the HDS (see REWRITING THE ODO DATA ON A
NEW GAUGE CONTROL MODULE).
NOTE: Check the official Honda website for more information on how to write
odometer information to a gauge control module that will not
communicate with the HDS.
NOTE: To test the outside air temperature sensor (see OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE
SENSOR TEST ).
uses measurements from this sensor to display the outside air temperature.
Because of the location of the sensor, it may be affected by heat reflection from the road, engine and radiator
heat, or hot exhaust from surrounding traffic.
These conditions can heat soak the outside air temperature sensor and cause inaccurate readings. Logic has been
written into the gauge control module to help prevent abnormal or fluctuating outside air temperature indicator
readings.
OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE INDICATOR LOGIC
Engine coolant temperature is 140°F (60°C) or higher:
If the engine coolant temperature is 140°F (60°C) or higher when the ignition switch is turned to ON (II), the
outside air temperature indicated the last time the key was turned off is displayed regardless of the current
temperature measured by the outside air temperature sensor.
Engine coolant temperature is less than 140°F (60°C):
If the engine coolant temperature is 140°F (60°C) or lower when the ignition switch is turned to ON (II), the
current temperature measured by the outside air temperature sensor is indicated.

 

[essie5]

So there goes that idea...

 

[Ticket]

Try cleaning your throttle body, that's a low cost place to start off but you will need to do a PCM idle learn procedure which needs a scanner.

I have been trying to troubleshoot a rough idle issue when cold for months now on my van.
still no luck!

If you want the cleaning procedure, pm me and I will send them over.

 

[essie5]

Try cleaning your throttle body, that's a low cost place to start off but you will need to do a PCM idle learn procedure which needs a scanner.

I have been trying to troubleshoot a rough idle issue when cold for months now on my van.
still no luck!

If you want the cleaning procedure, pm me and I will send them over.

Okay, thank you for your help and info!

 

[phattyduck]

Not sure that sensor does anything more than display the temp on the dash...

Yeah, the dash exterior temp sensor is only used for that display and the AC system. The air temp sensor for the engine is part of the MAF sensor on the intake.

-Charlie

 

[Ticket]

any luck?

 

[essie5]

any luck?

No, sorry. Haven't had a chance to clean the throttle body yet. I'll let you know if it helps once I clean it. Thanks again for your thorough answers and help!