Wierd starting problem...

[SY#2910]

Well heres whats going on. The truck has been running great. I was heading to lunch and the truck had been setting in the parking lot for a few hours. I pulled to the light to leave the parking lot and had to wait with my foot on the break like usual at any read light. The truck just died! I was like, What the #%&@ ! ! ! I put it in park and turned the key over. It just sat there and cranked over and over. Not even an attempt to fire. I looked at the fuel pressure gauge in the piller pod and it had 38PSI. I turned the key off and waved traffic around and tried it again. Started right up on the first crank. I went onto lunch trying to figure out what in the world it could be. Anyway, No big deal I brushed it off. Well today I went back out on my lunch break to the book store to pick up GM High Tech Perf. so I could check out the Sy article. Nice bye the way, I pulled into the book store lot and shut the truck off. I came back out and got in and turned the key. Nothing like before. Just sat there and cranked over and over. I was like, Not now ! ! ! I called a friend to pick me up and take me back to work. I called AAA and went back a couple hours later to meet them and have the truck taken back to the house. I did a search while I had the 2 hours on here and read every starting problem thread there is. I went back to the truck and put the key in to show the AAA guy that it just cranks over and it started right up again. I was pi$$ed. I drove it home and it was fine. I have new plugs, Wires, cap, rotor, 110 octane gas from Wednesday nights track event still in the tank. Good fuel pressure, No blown fuses obviously, I did notice one thing though. While trying to figure it out when it didn't start at the book store I opened the glove box and took off the ostrich emulator and put the stock chip back in. It still did not start but the ECM was HOT to the touch from being in the glove box with no airflow. Could this be the problem? Has anyone has the truck not start due to a heated ECM? I dove it back home once it started with the glove box door open. I can't think of anything else it could be. Any ideas? I was thinking of getting a new distributor and coil to rule them out. I am at a total loss here. I was going to mod the ECM and put a computer fan on it later tonight for cooling.

I am open to all ideas here.

Thanks

 

[JSM]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

bad ecm

 

[SY#2910]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

Know anyone that has one? :lol: I would like to try a different one and see if that corrects the problem. Did you get my message on your cell?

 

[SY#2910]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

UPDATE: Well I bought a new computer and did not install it until the truck died again to make sure that was the problem. Well the truck died, I swapped out the computer in record time. You will be surprised how fast you can do it when you are setting at a light with traffic behind you honking ! ! ! It started right back up and was fine the rest of the day. Well the next day it started up and drove about 3 blocks, then died. I costed to a stop and it cranked right back up and ran in idle for about 30 seconds then died again. I tried starting it and it just cranked over fast like it usually does but would not even try to fire. I had good fuel pressure e38#'s, and the CHECK light was on while I was cranking over the engine. I poped the hood and looked at everything. I was able to move the coil a little back and forth. I may have ti tighten the coil bracket. I got back in and it started right back up and ran the rest of the afternoon. Go figure. So this morning I was on my way to work and the truck died again about 3 blocks from the house. I was coasting so I poped it in neutral and cranked it over. It started and I continued on to work. Well I got up on the expressway and about 2 miles down the road it died again. This time I could not start it on the roll and had to pull over. Once I stopped it started up and ran fine the rest of the 10 miles or so to work until right now. I shut it off and have not left work to see if it will start right back up. I did leave it running while I went in to Autozone for a new distributor and coil. I will instal them in the morning and see if that fixes it. Any other ideas on where to check? So far I have the following done.

New:
computer
wires
Dist cap & Rotor
Distributor
Coil
Plugs (UR6's)
Battery
Fuel filter

Any other ideas?

 

[nallj92]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

mkae sure you didnt get the bad bach of ostrichs, i guess he had problems with them

 

[cheatham2492]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

I would check the modulator under the distributor cap.something is getting hot then strands you till it cools off.Been there With a fuel pump.
D.

 

[SY#2910]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

mkae sure you didnt get the bad bach of ostrichs, i guess he had problems with them

Thanks guys, I actually took the ostrich out of the loop and went back to the Brian Green chip straight in the slot. I will have the new Distributor in tomorrow morning. I hope I fix the problem with it.

 

[QUICK STORM]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

don't forget the infamous oil pressure switch for the fuel pump, bad grounds. sounds like you've got it covered on all other aspects. hope this helps.

 

[SY#2910]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

don't forget the infamous oil pressure switch for the fuel pump, bad grounds. sounds like you've got it covered on all other aspects. hope this helps.

Where is it located?

 

[QUICK STORM]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

Where is it located?

oil pressure switch for the fuel pump is located right underneath the distibuter, pick up an AC Delco one. sounds to me like it maybe losing signal and cutting off fuel when it starts to get hot. you never know. while youre going to pull the distributer why not change it, its 14 yrs old. i hope everything works out ok. also check your grounds.

 

[SY#2910]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

oil pressure switch for the fuel pump is located right underneath the distibuter, pick up an AC Delco one. sounds to me like it maybe losing signal and cutting off fuel when it starts to get hot. you never know. while youre going to pull the distributer why not change it, its 14 yrs old. i hope everything works out ok. also check your grounds.

Thanks, I will get a new one also. As for grounds, I am going to run some additional grounds from the motor to frame, and a few other places to make sure there is a good one. Thanks for your time and input.:tup:

 

[QUICK STORM]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

Thanks, I will get a new one also. As for grounds, I am going to run some additional grounds from the motor to frame, and a few other places to make sure there is a good one. Thanks for your time and input.:tup:

anytime, bro:tup:

 

[cloneman315]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

i would check that ign module to when they get hot they act up

 

[critical]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

i was pulling the motor in my truck last night, and found the downpipe had burned through half of the positive batt. cable! Although it never gave me any problems to speak of.

 

[QUICK STORM]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

i was pulling the motor in my truck last night, and found the downpipe had burned through half of the positive batt. cable! Although it never gave me any problems to speak of.

a little off topic, but that sucks.

i would check that ign module to when they get hot they act up

yeah you might want to change the ignition module too while your in there.

 

[SY2932]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

i would check that ign module to when they get hot they act up

Ditto, part number is 1048-2827 BTDT with both of my trucks now . "Usually* (but not always) they just die and you have fuel pressure and spark but no fuel delivery via the injectors because the reference pulses aren't present to open and close them...

 

[SY#2910]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

Ditto, part number is 1048-2827 BTDT with both of my trucks now . "Usually* (but not always) they just die and you have fuel pressure and spark but no fuel delivery via the injectors because the reference pulses aren't present to open and close them...

And where is the ignition module? Is that the thing in the distributor?

 

[SY2932]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

It's a "U" shaped circuit board that is under the distributor cap. When you get a new one, it will come with a little packet of heatsink grease that is applied to the bottom of the module to keep it cool. Wipe off everything with alcohol so that you get good heat transfer as that is how the module stays cool. HTH's

 

[QUICK STORM]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

post results after you do the surgery. good luck!

 

[SY#2910]

Re: Wierd starting problem...

Well, I replaced the diributor and coil about 1 hour ago. It started right up and idled smother than it ever has. The tach needle now is dead nuts solid. No shaking what-so-ever. I sanded the base of the coil plate before bolting it on to make sure it had a good ground. I set the timing to ZERO I believe and then tightened it up. I drove the truck into work today and it did not die or anything. actually runs so smoth now its amazing. Anyway. It was either the coil or distributor. It did not die so I will give it another day or two before saying to myself I fixed it.

As for the timing mark. I pulled the brown/tan wire under the pass dasha nd started the truck up to set the timing. The timing mark on the balancer is fine. I have a problem with the metel timing mark bracket though. It is a little rusted and I cant tell where 0 is. I set it to the first of the 3 points at the bent end where it attaches to the motor. I was thinking this qwas either 0 or 2 degrees. Does anyone have a picture of the bracket or can they tell me where 0 is?

Thanks