Can heat affect a fuel pump?

In February, while accelerating to get on the freeway, my 2004 Honda CR-V (2.4 l, auto, 150,000 mi) “missed” and I got the check engine light. The shop said it was the fuel pump and they replaced it. When I picked the car up, they mentioned it was hard to start (never happened before) and maybe my battery was weak. They tested the charging system and everything was ok, so they said the fuel pump must be faulty, and they got another new fuel pump. Since then I have trouble starting when the engine is hot during hot weather.

For example: At first start of the day, morning, afternoon or night, there are no troubles. Typical day: morning it starts fine, get to work, leave for lunch at noon, it starts fine (temp in Laredo usually 98 or so at that time). Start car at 1:40 to go back to work (usually 100 to 102 at that time), it takes 2-3 seconds of cranking to start. Start car at 7 to go home (usually 105 to 110 at that time), it takes 4-5 seconds of cranking to start.

Next example: After driving 2.5 hours (couple of times per month to San Antonio) and then let the car sit 30 minutes to one hour, it starts after 5-8 seconds of cranking. Time of day is usually 3 to 5 pm and the temperature is usually 95 to 100.

I have noticed the following: If I turn the key on, but do not crank, I can hear the fuel pump pressurizing the system. If I do this 10 times or so in a row before cranking, then it will start normally or with less than 2 seconds of cranking.

Thanks all…

It sounds like that second new fuel pump is having trouble, probably with its check valve and maybe with being completely up to the task. To really verify that someone in the know could put a fuel pressure gauge on it & watch what happens on cold start/hot start, etc. I think this is still the shop’s problem.

Did you also get a new fuel filter when you got a new fuel pump?

Did the mechanic check the fuel rail for leak down. The fuel pressure regulator may not be seating fully or the plumbing in the tank could be bleeding off pressure.

I need to check with the shop to see if they replaced the fuel filter (I am pretty sure that they did) and to see if they checked the fuel rail. I thought it sounded like a fuel delivery problem…