Engine shuts off when put into gear

Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 CHEVROLET TAHOE
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 202,500 MILES
It will turn over and start most the time and it will idle but when you rev it up it hesitates but stays running. If you turn the wheel and shift it into any gear but neutral it shuts off right away. No codes the last time I checked before this happen. It would lock and unlock randomly while driving then shut off while driving. I put a different battery in it it started up and I drove it home then it was doing the above problem.
Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 4:19 PM

14 Replies

Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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  • 14 POSTS
Ran codes nothing came up. This is the ready test results.
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Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 AT 4:32 PM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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Also noticed these two ground cables hanging loose.
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Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 AT 4:33 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 54,137 POSTS
Those ground wires can be causing all of your electrical problems they need to be connected. Where is the other side of the cable? Clean the cable connections before installing them. Clear the codes and try again.

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken
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Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 AT 6:49 PM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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The one goes to the frame the other one goes to the engine. It looks like and they perfectly reach each other should I connect them together?
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Thursday, July 19th, 2018 AT 4:47 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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The large one goes to the engine and the small one goes to the frame/body. Can you take pictures of the other end so I can see to be sure?
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 10:16 AM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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  • 14 POSTS
That is where the small one goes.
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 4:53 PM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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The large one goes into that tube towards the engine.
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 4:54 PM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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Also the large one.
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 4:57 PM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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Also noticed this was wet with oily liquid.
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 4:58 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 15,233 POSTS
Those are both grounds. One should go from the frame to the engine, the other goes from the engine to the body. In this case you have the middle point where both of those attach to the frame. Does not really matter where you attach them as long as it is a clean connection with no paint or rust and they can flex as the engine and body move around. Does not matter if the braid is oily, as long as the rings are clean where they meet the other parts.
With them loose as they are you will get many strange electrical issues as well as possible parts failures in what seem to be unrelated parts. This is due to the currant from the battery seeking to find a path to complete the circuit back to the battery or from the alternator though its circuit paths.

From the first picture they were either both bolted under the cable clamp or in the hole to the left. Either will work as long as you clean the rings on the braids and the spot on the frame.
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 5:21 PM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
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Okay, I will do that. Thank you both very much. I will let you know if it works.
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Friday, July 20th, 2018 AT 5:55 PM
Tiny
TBIEDERMAN5
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
Got them connected fixed all my problems. Thank you very much.
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Saturday, July 21st, 2018 AT 11:58 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
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Nice work, we are here to help, please use 2CarPros anytime.

Cheers, Ken
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Saturday, July 21st, 2018 AT 12:58 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 15,233 POSTS
Great to hear you solved the problem. One of the mantras an old gentleman I knew always said when presented with an electrical problem - "Check the Grounds". These days it is even worse due to all the electronics on the vehicles.
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Saturday, July 21st, 2018 AT 6:16 PM

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