[Blackjeep]

I'm not sure if it would make it hard to start, but if disconnected, it will cause the motor to knock under load. The vehicle will run, but it's best to have it connected.

My 90 4.0 takes 4 to 6 seconds to "light off". If your fuel pressure drops like a rock when the motor is shut off, this will lead to hard starting. I'm told that the fuel pressure should hold at 35 psi overnight, at least. A service guy at a Jeep dealer I talked to said that the drop in fuel pressure was due to leaking hoses in the gas tank, between the fuel pump and the hose exiting the tank. Should be fun to fix! ;-)