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Tiny
MEMORIALLANES
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 GMC SONOMA
  • 135,000 MILES
4.3 Vortec. Early this winter when it was cold out at 1 block of driving and only momentairly, engine would feel sluggish, and then run fine, It also did this on the expressway when excelorating. Engine last summer had new cap rotor wires plugs fuel filter and fuel pump. Jan 1 engine did not just get sluggish it shut down,
It has been to 5 shops All say it shows no codes whatsoever, yet they replaced the following parts and it still is not running: Fuel pump, they said it wasn't holding pressure (60 then drop to 54 and dropping). Plugs, they said they looked as if they had 75,000 miles on them. Timing sensor, ignition control module Coil. Fuel pump, they said it was totally blocked.
I now have it back, the oil level is way over full, and obviously full of gas, but it wasn't when it shut down.
Tuesday, March 5th, 2013 AT 10:54 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Codes will tell you nothing about the issue.

When it does not start, the fuel pressure needs to be checked and check for spark.

The guy working on it is guessing at your expense. Get it out of there and to a good shop that will diag the problem and get you back on the road again

Roy
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Tuesday, March 5th, 2013 AT 11:40 PM
Tiny
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Unfortunately 3/5 of the shops that it has been towed into, are ASE Cert shops. The last one said they cant find anything wrong with it except that it wont start. Acording to them on the Tec-2 it is running, but it isnt. It is now in my garage. The fuel pressure is still doing the exact same thing with a brand new fuel pump. (Hits 60, then starts to drop slowly) And yes it has been getting spark all along, and the plugs are soaked. This evening I pulled the oil from it. It is very thin, and probably at least 6qt. I know that just before this all started it was at the low mark because it was due in for a change and schedualled for the week it died.
One Suggestion I was given was that an injector is stuck open and is flooding the engine thus causing the pressure to drop.
Another one by the dealership was that the timing chain has slipped, I asked how this could be since it wasnt a sudden thing, it had acted up for the month before when it was cold yet had never stopped. They reply was Trade in Time!
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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 AT 3:03 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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Check compression, that will tell you if it is a timing chain/

the pressure ahould stay around 50-55 lbs.

It could be a bad spider flooding out the plugs.

Common issue with the regulator assembly.

Roy
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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 AT 3:08 AM
Tiny
MEMORIALLANES
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  • 9 POSTS
Roy thanks, I have a question same topic for a new direction. New motor installed sure beats the cost of new truck, and the rest of it is in great condition. Does this sound wise? And what should I be looking at for $. Except for the carpet and a cracked windshield, this truck is in great shape and I will never find another little one. Its used to 90% highway trip miles.
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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 AT 3:12 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Not a bad idea.

Plan on about 3500-4000 for the job

Roy
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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 AT 3:16 AM
Tiny
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Question going a differant diection,

If it is the timing chain and it was streatching, would it have made the vehicle run odd, only momentairly when it was cold out, or when accelorating onto expressway. But no other time, then going out completely? Or could this be multipul things wrong?

Also if it is the timing chain, how would that have caused the gas to be flooding out the oil.

If it is the timing chain why would the tec2 be reading it is ok?

Would the timeing chain being bad be the reason its spitting out the manafold? And if so what other damage has probably occured?

Why would th fuel pump not hold pressure? As well as he parts that got replaced all go bad at the same time many of them less the a year old,

All this at the same time?

By the way lowest quote of 3 for a new engine with only a 12k 1 year warrenty is $6,000 + this from an ASE shop
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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 AT 11:35 PM
Tiny
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Ok now Spider was changed, there was fuel everywhere under the plenum as well as the lines were to a point of brittle. Everything went in great, and still nothing but backfire out the intake.

Any new suggestions?
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Tuesday, March 12th, 2013 AT 5:06 PM

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