Car taking several cranks to start

[inferno94]

The car has taken up to 8 cranks to start, it's annoying, embarrassing and isn't good for my starter.

It only does this when cold, could my cam timing be off a tiny bit? Car runs awesome otherwise. All I could think of is that I just cleaned the IAC (was having hot start issues because it was clogged, now fixed) and changed the timing belt.

Mind you I had all the timing marks lined up perfectly and triple checked it but you never know.

[me109]

How does it run once you get it started?

EDIT: nevermind I just re-read your post.

If it runs OK it doesn't sound like a timing problem to me. Could be a clogged air or fuel passage?

[wheresthericego]

crank angle sensor? Fuel filter?

[inferno94]

I just did a high flow fuel pump and its sock but haven't changed the fuel filter in a couple years (the car has only been driven 3 months a year out of the past 2 years but..). I was thinking this but then wouldn't there be the same issue on hot starts? It fires with less than one crank on hot starts.

BTW it's a bp26 so no CAS

Could the pump not be coming on fast enough? Its one that uses the factory harness so one would think it wouldn't be that....

[MazdaNoob]

fuel leak in a line ... doesnt have to be much just enough to bleed pressure after sitting for a while? just a guess

[inferno94]

It doesn't leak anything (thanks for the suggestion though)

[323driver]

Too much timing advance could do that too so check you disty position

[bam]

Been here before. It's the high flow fuel pump. The main and COMMON problem is that people try to keep the stock fuel pulsation damper. The little round diaphram looking thing inbetween the pump and outlet. After being in a tank for 15 years it lets the fuel pressure leak down while it sits. It's only sealed with little rubber lips and is pushed on very easily by hand. I just attached my pump in an EGT with a length of fuel injection hose, and fuel injection clamps. IMO the damper is not needed at all. No new cars come with it. I think its just a hold over from the begining of fuel injection days when they thought the pumping action of the fuel pump would hurt something.
If it's a Walbro then there's an anti-drain back valve, in the outlet (Little plastic pintle valve, with little stamped steel cap). This can sometimes get dislogged and cause fuel pressure to leak down. By dislogged I mean coming part way out the outlet and partway into the tube. My little metal cap was MIA and the plastic valve was working its way out.
My car had both these issues, so once the pump was in and out about 5 times the car fires in about a crank and a half.