truck won't start, has anyone run into this problem?

bagged sonoma · Post by **bagged sonoma** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:04 pm

I just moved last week and I have not used the truck all week. (It's been sitting over at my moms house in the meantime) But anyway, I went to bring it to my new place today and i got in and tried to start it but it would not. It cranked it over for a good 20 seconds and then the battery started to wear down. I checked for fuel and spark and I have both. It has a half tank in it, and I can hear the fuel pump buzzing away. I put a jumper pack on it and all it does is crank over. I even tried to spray starting fluid in the intake and it didn't even try to fire. What I don't understand is if I have good spark, why won't it even try to fire if I spray starting fluid directly into the intake? I am out of ideas. Any help would be greatly appreciated. oh yeah and I also looked through a few of the posts before I started this and saw a similair one about a bad ignition module? thanks in advance

jeff024 · Post by **jeff024** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:10 pm

just a guess here bad gas water in fuel line.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:15 pm

Make sure that your battery cables are in good condition, no corrosion at the posts and that your battery has been fully charged. We don't want to burn out your alternator trying to charge a dead or weak battery.

The fuel pump "buzzing" is a good sign, but check to make sure that you do indeed have fuel pressure. Take the cap off of the schrader valve and depress it. It should squirt fuel. Attaching a gauge would be better if you have one available.

If the fuel checks out for sure , inspect the cap and rotor, as well as the wiring going to the cam position sensor. Make sure that the coil wire terminals are not corroded also.
Watch for signs that "critters" may have chewed something important.

If those check out, and you are not getting spark at the plugs, I'd have the ignition coil and module checked. Ask around many good autoparts stores can test them.

EDIT: Jeff brings up a good point water in the fuel filter being frozen could be a reason for no fuel at the schrader valve. If it has been quite a while , it would not hurt to change that fuel filter.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 6:14 pm

HJ's got the best line of trouble shooting it but, aren't your temps a little on the cold side there now?

adrenalnjunky · Post by **adrenalnjunky** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 6:25 pm

one other morbid suggestion - you could have a broken timing chain/belt -- starter would turn the flywheel, but no valvetrain movement would keep it from firing.

i know it's an outside chance, but it has hapened to me before.

bagged sonoma · Post by **bagged sonoma** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 10:36 am

Thanks for the advice fellas, but still no luck. I depressed the schrader like Henry said and found very little pressure so I bought a new battery and a fuel filter this morning. I changed the filter and now have excellent pressure, but still no starty. I have a mechanic who is a friend of a friend coming over with the computer to see if he can come up with a code. Guess i'll just sit tight in the meantime. Thanks for the help guys. I'm glad this site is here to refer to. I'll give an update on the outcome hopefully soon.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 10:53 am

Just a thought...and one more thing to worry about...err,uh...check.

The crankshaft position sensor. If it fails the PCM will not see the engine turning over and therefore will not activate the injectors.

The same may be true for the camshaft position sensor.

The ignition modules that I have had fail did show signs of intermittent hesitations/stalling prior to failure. I did have my MSD coil fail without notice , but have not actually seen a stock coil completely fail.

Is there any chance that the theft deterrent system could have been activated?

bagged sonoma · Post by **bagged sonoma** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:36 pm

OK everyone. I got an update. After a week of waiting, my mechanic friend came over with his computer and determined that I had a bad temperature sensor, which was not the problem. But anyway, after changing the temp sensor and crank sensor with no luck, he got a call from his cousin who works for the local cable company as a mechanic. The company uses all chevy vehicles. He advised us to check the cap and rotor because there is some sort of defect which causes the truck to fire in reverse order. At least that's the way he described it to us. He says he heard about it in an email from a GM service website or something. But anyway we bought a new cap and rotor and she came back to life. YAAAY. Just thought i'd let you guys know what happened. Maybe this will help someone else. Thanks again for the advice. Mike

Qamar · Post by **Qamar** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:50 pm

Anyone who could give information with pics regarding the location of the rotor and cap of my above subject truck. I also need to change the spark plugs after 10000 KM.

Thanks in advance

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:24 pm

Qamar wrote:Anyone who could give information with pics regarding the location of the rotor and cap...

Distributor Replacement Removal Procedure has some pictures.

Qamar · Post by **Qamar** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:59 pm

Thanks for the prompt and professional reply.

Regards
Qamar

bagged sonoma · Post by **bagged sonoma** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:16 pm

well, here we are several months after my first post and here we go again. Same exact problem with my truck. This time I went right to the source and pulled off the distributor cap. I looked underneath and my contacts were corroded with chalky residue. I changed it again and she fired up, this time i put some electrical contact gel on it to help with the corrosion. Has anyone else had a problem like this before? I've never seen a distributor cap get so corroded looking so fast. Maybe a defect with the AC delco caps? Oh yeah and i've only put about 2000 miles on it since last time.

Post by **HenryJ** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:45 pm

If you are using the AC Delco caps, then it is likely that you have steel contacts. You might try using the Wells Gold Line cap with brass contacts to see if that helps.
Also make sure that the vents are clear. Both are in the bottom under the rotor. One is located just behind the cam position sensor, the other is about 180 degrees from that one. Blow them out with an air hose. They are not straight through so you can not poke a wire through them.
Now a good coating of hairspray around the cap and wires to prevent any moisture from entering (old mudbogger's trick)

If none of that works you might try a "Drag racer's trick". Drill holes between the contacts in the side of the cap. This would be six 5/32" holes close to the level of the contacts. This allows the cap to breathe and helps to alleviate the ionization of the interiors atmosphere.

This is not a wise thing to do when you could be subjected to water or mud though.

bagged sonoma · Post by **bagged sonoma** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 8:24 am

Thanks Henry, if this problem happens again i'll make sure to get that other cap. But since I just spent another 50 bucks on a cap and rotor that is not returnable, I guess i'll just have to wait it out and see if it happens again. Also, the idea of drilling holes would be alright for me since I don't do much if any off road driving. In the meantime I am up and running good. Thanks so much for the info. Damn I love this site!

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 8:32 am

HenryJ wrote:You might try using the Wells Gold Line cap with brass contacts to see if that helps.

Any idea of a good online source for these? I haven't been able to find them around my area or anyone even willing to look. (The people who work for places like Autozone or Advance Auto parts around this area are worthless.)

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 8:39 am

Check out this thread- Hoping I just need a cap and rotor

I linked the kit and part number from Autozone. Some retailers may not even know Wells has a Gold line.
I had to inform my local retailer, and they can indeed get them

I think the one I linked from autozone is cheaper though.

I have yet to try or even see the cap for ours, so I can not vouch for it's quality. The stuff I have seen looks good though.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:26 am

HenryJ wrote:Check out this thread- Hoping I just need a cap and rotor

I linked the kit and part number from Autozone. Some retailers may not even know Wells has a Gold line.
I had to inform my local retailer, and they can indeed get them
I think the one I linked from autozone is cheaper though.

I have yet to try or even see the cap for ours, so I can not vouch for it's quality. The stuff I have seen looks good though.

I tried looking it up using the link you gave. They show it as not available for an '02. All I could find anywhere was the AC Delco junk.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:00 am

Rusty,

It is a problem with their system. I found the same thing as you did and if you look at the thread JIM started you will see how HJ led me in finding it and I have an '02 also.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 11:14 am

DUH!!!

That's what I get for NOT reading the entire thread. I just "skimmed it" until I saw what I thought I was looking for. Thanks Reed!

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truck won't start, has anyone run into this problem?

truck won't start, has anyone run into this problem?

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Re: Blazer 1996 Model, V-6 vortec engine,Rotor and cap

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