73-87chevytrucks.com
General Site Info => General Discussion => Topic started by: yellow76 on December 24, 2012, 05:19:03 pm
-
Want to try something different? Need some extra cash to pay Christmas bills or buy your 4 wheeled baby some new parts?
Troubleshooting contest! NOT SPAM I PROMISE
OK so here is the deal,
97 Chevy Suburban/ 5.7 Vortec
Vehicle ran fine when parked.
I had just filled tank with about 17 gallons of new fuel in a 42 gallon tank.
Sat for one and a half days and then NO start.
Checked fuel filter, was good as you could blow through it with your mouth. :P
Was replaced about 8 months ago.
You can hear pump running when key is turned on. I have no way of checking pump pressure.
Due to the fact that I had just filled the tank I suspected a fuel/ fuel delivery problem.
Poured a small amount of fuel down Throttle body and let sat for a few seconds then cranked,
Not even a bump. Used starting either several times, both in small amounts and enough to blow the hood off, but again no fire.
Used an ignition tester to check for spark at #1 plug wire and off the coil wire both.
Spark was present and would throw a ways. The tester I am using is like a spark plug with a clamp on it that you hook up to the wire and clamp to a good ground.
I would see a pretty healthy spark like a bright yellow color. Not a real hot blue spark.
Hooked up a Craftsman professional dial back timing light and it would pulse the light while cranked.
Checked both coil and ignition module for power on the pink wire. Had 11.7/ 11.8 V
I did try many times to add fuel and either to throttle body again just to see if I could even get a bump or a pop, NOTHING!
OK your turn.
You tell me what you think the problem is, I am out of ideas. If your answer is correct and the vehicle starts then you WIN as long as you're the first one to post the correct answer. We will use the posted forum time. I have got all day off Christmas and will try what ever you come up with.
SO to the first person with the correct answer I will cut a check for 100 dollars US funds and mail it to you. No BS! It is worth it to me to not have to go through towing and the dealership charge.
If you live local to Roseburg, OR. I will give you the 100 in person and buy you the drink of your choice.
Contest will be over on Thurs. morning 27 DEC 2012 at 08:00 PST when the vehicle is scheduled for its appointment with the dealership.
Again no BS, Not spam, not a joke.
(I hope this is OK with you Capt.) IF not please feel free to delete and there will be no hard feelings. Just thought we would have some fun over the Holiday break.
-
bump as in cranking or as firing up?
-
A stupid question you didn't perhaps put in 17 gal. of diesel fuel ? It could have mixer with what gas that was in your tank and ran OK when warm, and partly fouled your spark plugs so it would not fire when cold.
-
How many miles ? may have jumped time. A friend of mine had a v8 falcon he told me it never ran so good as it did that night the next day it acted just like your truck
-
Has it been raining? As much as you have cranked on it and primed it you going to have to replace the spark plugs,if it has been raining or very high humidity try spraying the hole ignition system with WD 40 ,plug wires distributor cap and coil.
-
To describe bump would be like the bump bump when everything is just getting ready to fire but it ain't quiet there yet.
Like my old Chevy when it has not been fired up for a few months, Gas kind of drains back or something and as it just gets up to the carb it kind of... Ugh I don't know bumps.
Fully charged battery and good cranking speed.
No diesel fuel. I don't even think they sell it there. At least not at that pump. You are not allowed to pump your own fuel here in OR. So they always ask what type IE. Reg./ Mid./ Premium.
Yeah the thought crossed my mind about jumping timing. I think we are at about 184K right now.
That would explain the spark but no fire up, and I guess all the fuel in the world would not matter if the spark was not at the right time. I have heard some motors way out of time at least try, backfire, sputter, bump and all but this one is not doing anything. At least those motors had the valves in time with the crank and pistons, just the distributor was out of time. If the chain did get real loose and the sprockets allowed the cam to move without the crank then who knows what would be going on.
I have a compression tester but I am not sure it will screw into this motor. Stupid half metric, half SAE truck.
One way to find out.
Thanks guys.
Update to your last question Ralph, Yeah this is Oregon in the winter all it does is rain. Everything is dry under the hood though. All factory wiring, newer plugs and wires. This truck has ran in some real bad rain storms for hundreds of miles with not even a hint of a problem before. If you have any kind of loose wiring or anything that should not be wet Oregon weather will show it to you quickly.
-
Fuel pump... hit the tank a rubber Mallot or something where the fuel pump is and give er a start.
don't b scared to hit the tank just don't bust a hole.
-
You are not allowed to pump your own fuel here in OR.
Sorry i dont have any suggestions but I'm floored by this is this some kind of union deal or is it big brother run amuck?
-
Yeah 454 man I had read tons of stuff about the fuel pump going out and how a lot of them seemed to go out right after a fill up.
However I poured raw (known good) gas right into the throttle body several different times. I also used starting either several times. Both little squirts and big shots and then some bigger shots as I said "enough to blow the hood off". Still not even a little attempt to start. So if it was the fuel pump I should have gotten at least a little run out of it right?
I know an old Chevy motor you can run them without a gas tank even in the truck just by soaking a rag or a sock and putting it in the air cleaner can. It will run bad but it will RUN. I have even started old motors on just either. I know not good but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
About the gas pumping thing. First time I ever got into Oregon and they told me that I about got into it with the kid. I could not believe it myself. Seems it is something to do with their misguided attempts at reducing pollution and creating jobs all in the same dumb law. Its been this way for a very long time.
At least most of the guys are cool when you pull in with a old hot rod with a fuel cell under the bed and open your tontou cover then open the cell their like 'OH here ya go" and let you do it yourself.
I really hate anybody touching my truck.
-
OK did a sort of compression check and got a quick hop up to 120. (doesn't that seem kind of high to you?) Not that its a bad thing but??? No telling how old or new this motor is. I have had the truck for 2 years. Everything looked like new under the hood when I got it.
My 25+ year old Sun comp. tester has the little hold button on the side but now it does not work. You used to be able to run the motor over for a second and it would HOLD the max reading until you pressed in the little black button. Even tested with the air compressor and it will not hold anymore. But we cranked it over several times and it was pulsing up to 120 quickly and it was gone again just as fast. Wish I had a leak down tester. Man they are cool and will tell you a lot about your motor.
-
Good luck.
-
How is your distributor rotor?
-
No have not checked it Zieg. Figured if I was getting spark at both the coil and at #1 then at least everything was OK.
Stupid thing ran great right before this no start problem. I did check to see if the dist. was tight and could not turn on its own.
Guy I knew did a bunch of work and forgot to lock down the dist. and it ran fine for a while then all of a sudden it moved I guess. He had just snugged it up enough to set timing.
I will check it in the morning.
Thanks guys!
-
Pull the distributor cap and check it as well as the rotor.
-
You are not allowed to pump your own fuel here in OR.
Sorry i dont have any suggestions but I'm floored by this is this some kind of union deal or is it big brother run amuck?
Oregon has never changed since it was all full service stations. And yes it is to help create jobs for high school and college age kids mostly.
If you are getting good spark at the plugs, how is it turning over ? Does it sound normal or slow ?
-
replace your distributor cap. when you take it off look at the rotor button, alot of times they get burned and wont let just enough spark through to actually ignite the gas. same thing happened to me on my friends truck.
-
OK so here it is!
(http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL1021/3459001/24277322/405118033.jpg)
(http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL1021/3459001/24277322/405118031.jpg)
Found the cap and rotor bad.
Found plug wires that looked good on the outside (Bosch) but corroded and coming apart in the cap.
Found several plugs that looked like they were burned back a bit.
So I wont know if that is the correct answer until I have a chance to go buy everything and replace it all. I do have to work in the morning. Will go out at lunch and get all the parts then replace everything tomorrow night. Lets hope it starts.
HOWEVER I am left with a little dilema,
Zieg85 Got my nose pointed in the right direction, He was first to post to check the Dist. rotor.
Vile gave me the little kick in the behind to pull the cap and check the rotor.
81 Chevy nailed it right on the head.
So to be fair... Whom should I say is the winner? (No I dont have 300 sorry guys)
I asked my Wife (The Boss) and she said the first guy.
What do you guys say? I want this to be fair!!!
We could aslso call it a draw and I send 100 to Capt. Kaos to keep this site up and running.
Help me out I want it to be fair to everyone.
-
Pay the Capt, I heard the the other three were rockstar rich.......LOL
-
LOL^
-
Well first off we offer up our support here for one another for free because of our passion for these trucks. Even though we don't all know each other here in real life we get to know each other and enjoy helping so paying another member on the board for giving you good advice doesn't sit well with me although it's a generous offer & I'm sure CapT would agree. If anything you should make a contribution to the site and become a site supporter and while you're at it maybe buy yourself something.
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=profile;area=subscriptions;u=44
http://store.73-87chevytrucks.com/merchant2/
-
No offence meant in an way shape or form Mr. Zambonie,
You sir are always quick to jump in and help out in anyway you can with your knowledge and insight. Your one of the good guys!
Most of you guys are very quick to jump in and try to help out. If I was a bit better under the hood I would too.
As I was going to have to pay a stealer-ship anyway for the same exact thing I got on here plus have my vehicle TOWED (something I hate) I thought what the heck.
It is the Christmas season and it seemed like something fun to do for the guys. These are tough times for a lot of people, I have been blessed enough to keep my job and keep my head above water this year. All I was trying to do was liven things up and help somebody out.
I don't post here often, However I do read a lot. I went through a major medical issue and really lost it for a while. I held onto my old truck and would come back in here often to see what was new. It was being in here and seeing these old Chevy's kept alive and running that gave me a glimmer of hope. You guys are like Friends, but you just don't know it.
SO somebody please tell me, How do I make a contribution to this site? I have read all over it and cant find a link.
If it means anything the truck in my avatar was built with a lot of parts from this site. Rockers, floor pans, 1 door, inner fenders. Probably other stuff I forgot. They are of high quality and shipped fast.
If you are on the home page and logged in it says in the upper right to go into your profile and click paid subscriptions. However when I go into my profile I can not find anything like that.
There is also a link but if I click it, I jut get taken right back to my profile page.
Anyway we know where Vile stands on this, anybody else?
-
I am with Vile on this, please become a site supporter at the very least. I am just glad it wasn't anything to serious. We are all here to help, I wouldn't take the money and would donate it back here anyway. Vile and BD as well as many others have talked me through many issues...
-
Rockstar rich, I wish, I can't afford to pay attention...
-
OK done deal, ;D
I figured it out, If you look at your profile page and find the "Action" tab, click that and it opens the site supporter tabs. I also set it to do reoccuring charges.
Done with my Paypal account made it so easy.
Thanks again you guys!
-
Did you see the links I posted above?