Is a pickup truck a tool...

CKain(MI)

Well-known Member
There are many pickup truck owners around here, some sound quite knowledgeable... I have a 1993 Chevy 350cu. Started right up this spring, ran well. Now 4 weeks later it has stopped runningstarting. It seems to fire a bit but sorta like a hick-up.. over & over, reminds me of older engines, with carb and flooded. spin fast and go 'poof' every few seconds. I see gas spraying in the venturi. but is it enough ?? Thanks for replys.
 

ASSUMING the fuel injectors are delivering fuel the prime suspects would be the distributor cap and rotor, COMMON points of failure on those engines.

Genuine GM/AC Delco are the preferred replacements for many of us.
 
Sounds like my 2007 GMC which I have to replace the distributor and rotor every 2-3 years..

Happens in the spring warm up and cool nights. Condensation.

No warning, just like it has no spark.
 
Something cheap to try, take the distributor cap off and spray the inside with WD-40, then wipe out the excess. There may be small cracks in it that have filled with moisture, the WD-40 will chase it out for awhile.
 
is

Maybe......
Fuel pump in the tank is going out, it might still be slinging fuel but not enough to run the engine.
Could check the fuel pump relay in the box under the hood.
There might be an identical relay in there that you can move to check with.

Your 1993 350 should have the throttle body fuel injection unit on top of the intake versus eight injectors.
You should also have the original style HEI distributor.
Never had any issues with cracking or moisture intrusion ever.

Do you have an obd scanner
 
(quoted from post at 13:32:49 05/01/22) is

Maybe......
Fuel pump in the tank is going out, it might still be slinging fuel but not enough to run the engine.
Could check the fuel pump relay in the box under the hood.
There might be an identical relay in there that you can move to check with.

Your 1993 350 should have the throttle body fuel injection unit on top of the intake versus eight injectors.
You should also have the original style HEI distributor.
Never had any issues with cracking or moisture intrusion ever.

Do you have an obd scanner

"You should also have the original style HEI distributor."

The large-cap HEI ended in the trucks in1986, give or take a year.

Fuel pump relay isn't in "fuse box under the hood", it's under a shield above the heater/AC and is unique to the job, no similar relays on that particular vehicle.

His 1993 has the "small cap" distributor with external coil with the rotor and cap troubles.

There's over a 90% chance a new cap and rotor will fix the O.P.'s issue, and even if it doesn't, unless it's had new ones very recently there's no harm/loss in replacing them.

Dunno WHY you want to deflect him away from the most likely problem/fix???

To the O.P., you could check for spark coming out of the coil wire and then check at a sparkplug or two, just for giggles.

Look at both ends of the coil wire for corrosion or burning, you could also check it with an Ohmmeter to be sure it isn't "open", should probably read 5K or so.

This post was edited by wore out on 05/01/2022 at 02:17 pm.
 
(quoted from post at 14:16:59 05/01/22) There is only 2 injectors, throttle body.

"There is only 2 injectors, throttle body."

Have any of the replies stated anything contrary to that truth???
 

You need to check spark with a spark checker you cannot tell if the spark is good by a guess. Like Geo's they suffer from bad ignition coils. If the coil has a white dusty spot on it its no good trash it.

If you have spark of any kind you can rule out the computer and most likely anything to do with the electronics. The fact the injector plusses tells you the computer is receiving inputs and ordering outputs.

Until you prove it has good spark with a spark tester I will not offer anymore info : )
 
If that truck uses the same distributor as my (long gone) '88, there's a pickup coil in the distributor that is prone to failure. The coil has fine leads that can break; in my case the failure was intermittent at first, then a hard failure.

Like Hobo and others have said, you need to check for spark.
 

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Like the bad coil on my 2007 GMC?
 

Thanks Geo...

#1 GM HEI big cap tester The one I would use first your small cap ignition will pop it are a no go.

#2 A universal spark checker one that should be in everyone's tool box. On yours set to 35 it should have a constant spark and POP on each event.

#3 Only shows' the event is happing confirms the system is triggering spark. (that's a good thing) The bad it does not confirm it has good spark and will lead you down a rabbit hole : (

On Electronic ignition if it has spark it would be a extremely rare event the issue would be in computer, module, are trigger. Your mission prove good spark to the spark plugs with a spark checker not your best guess. Clear your mind mission one prove good spark/good spark. WHY its the easiest test to perform it should be everyone's #1 test no matter what the poster states. Prove it!!! life will be good...




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I had an old Cadillac, 70's model, that had a high voltage coil. It's been a long time ago. I think I had to replace the distributor and rotor a few times.. Never had to replace the coil.

The Cadillac could pass many things on the road except a gas station. 13 mpg on a good day..
 
My '94 K1500 with a 350 did something similar, a half hour after I parked it one day it would spin over normally but barely sputtered and would not start. I struggled with parts swapping with no improvement for a week then had it towed to a mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed it as a bad coolant sensor that put it into extreme cold weather starting mode, the injectors were flooding the engine with way too much fuel. I would not have guessed that could be the problem.
 
I would go with spark too. If it is the big cap, check the distributor rotor for blowing through to ground on the distributor shaft. Common. As HOBO stated, check spark.
 
I second this problem as a possible cause as it happened to my 92 chevy truck. It will make the engine flood out and not start. However, my check engine light came on with the code for the temperature sensor.
 
My 1990 did something like you are describing. It was the temp sensor for the ecm. This sensor is located near the thermostat housing. It was telling the ecm a false temp. I think there are some Youtube videos about how to check the sensor with a multimeter. The sensor was less than $20.

Garry
 
The ethanol has absorbed so much water it will not burn if it has sat for a while. If it tries to start but just can't you can verify it has spark then pull the fuel pump fuse and dribble some good gas I said good gas in both sides of the throttle body and see if it starts. If yes disconnect the fuel line at the throttle body and connect a long hose to a jug and jump the fuel pump and pump that garbage out.
 

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