2000 Chevy Van have spark sometimes and mostly no spark whe

Tiny
BCRUZN
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 CHEVROLET VAN
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 170,000 MILES
Went through rain parked van afterward it would not start till next day. Started ran fine then same thing till next day. Got her home realized sometimes she has spark and sometimes she does not. Replaced module, coil cap and rotor only difference is she will start more often but could be cause I am doing diagnostics and I don t let her get hot. But still spark sometimes and not other times the latter being the rule. Battery is good, van cranks, and runs perfect when on and does not shut off on me. Problem is when I shut her down no start only every so often if I try enough times or mess around between coil and cap I feel that if I can get the sparks regular then she will start regular.
Monday, July 20th, 2009 AT 6:40 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
Is the problem it will not start when it's wet?
Or
It will not start if you let it get up to operation temperature, shut if off, and then try to restart it?

Also, how are you testing for spark?
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Monday, July 20th, 2009 AT 8:48 PM
Tiny
BCRUZN
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
As I tried to see if she had spark (coil to distributor/distributor to coil) I notice that she would sometimes have spark and other times not. It is not a hot or cold thing I just tried to keep it cool in case it was the coil for sometimes coils don t work when they get hot as she made me wait already till next day, twice, to start. Mind you when she starts she runs like a top. I am thinking a short or a ground problem. Just at a loss as to where it may be nothing was ever touched prior to problem and all the ground straps I see are in tack as they always were. Sometimes, she gets fuel, she gets spark she starts and runs fine. Sometimes. Starter always turns
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Monday, July 20th, 2009 AT 11:52 PM
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
Pull a spark plug wire off of a plug.

Get a spare plug and connect it to the wire.

Now ground the plug agasinst something metal on the engine.

Dont let any of your body touch anything on the truck or you could get shocked.

Now have have a helper turn the key while you look for spark at the plug.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 9:45 PM
Tiny
BCRUZN
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Buddy thanks for replying to my problem. I did that one too. And so I found that "sometimes" she does throw a spark and the van starts when she does and it runs beautifully. The ground is good as far as I can see. Nothing lose or broken. Oh! One more thing. When I attach a mini computer to look for trouble codes my gadget reads error. I can not get a good reading although it is communicating with the computer.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 10:52 PM
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
That is not a good sign.

When the van will not start, are you missing spark?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 11:27 PM

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