Our Community is 940,000 Strong. Join Us.


96 Blazer 4.3 cranks but won't start


skrizan
03-03-2012, 03:45 PM
I have my My brother-in-law's blazer in my garage after a 60 mile tow. This is a TBI model with distributor. The dash lights went out, and it cranks fine but does not fire, even with starting fluid sprayed int the throttle body. Below are the details of what has been done so
far:

- Checked all fuses, none are blown.
- Could not get a spark from the coil wire when next to block while turning it over
- with ignition on we are only getting .11 volts from the connector that goes to the coil, should this be 12 volts?
- Ignition module tested ok (out of the vehicle at an auto zone and they said it was fine)
- can hear the fuel pump run at startup, (was replaced with a delphi pump last winter, but we could not get the fuel filter off at the time and he never replaced it)
- Did not check fuel pressure, but it sprayed out at test port when I pushed the valve.

PCM failure? What else?

Thanks in advance for your help.

old_master
03-03-2012, 09:39 PM
1996 has Central Sequential Fuel Injection, (CSFI) not Throttle Body Injection, (TBI) unless it has been modified, (unlikely). Diagnosis procedures are totally different between CSFI and TBI. CSFI looks like this:

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss58/cwhook/CSFIEngine.jpg

Is the Service Engine Soon light on? If so, what DTC's are in memory?

The pink wire at the ignition coil and at the ignition module must show battery voltage with the ignition in the START and RUN positions. The white with black trace wire at the ignition coil should pulse ground while cranking. To test, connect the ground lead of the test light to battery positive and the probe to the coil terminal and crank, the test light should blink as the engine is cranking.

Fuel pressure: Key ON, engine OFF, fuel pump running: pressure must be 60psi to 66psi and must remain above 55psi for 10 minutes after the pump shuts off.

skrizan
03-04-2012, 08:55 AM
I did some more research and I think it is the ignition switch. I went out last night and turned the key off and on a few times and the gauges were not lighting up when I turned the key. They did light up once and it started. It ran for a few seconds and then stalled out. When I turned the key again no guage lights and no start. From what I read it is a classic ignition switch problem.

old_master
03-04-2012, 12:16 PM
Ignition switch is a possibility. Fairly expensive part to be replacing without diagnosing. Do you have a schematic for checking voltage on the various circuits at the switch? Several different circuits are switched by the ignition switch.

skrizan
03-05-2012, 11:52 AM
The new ignition switch fixed it.

I was fairly certain it was the ignition switch after reading several posts and other internet stories; as well as the fact that almost all of the other possibilities had been tested. I was just hoping it wasn't the PCM, that was about the only other possibility left.

When I tore into it we found that it had a remote starter installation installed at one time that my brother-in-law didn't know about. (Probably caused the problem, I've heard many electrical horror stories concerning remote starter installations)

Add your comment to this topic!