HELP! 02 Silverado won't start. Stuck in customer's driveway.

[Moloney]

I need help rather quickly. Thanks to everyone in advance for advice and recommendations.

I have an 02 Silverado 5.3l Lt 2wd that I've owned since almost new. It now has over 200k on the engine. Let me give you a history of my problem.

I first noticed a problem a few months ago while working at my old job. My truck was getting low on fuel and at a stop light it just died. I could not get it to start. Thinking it was out of gas I pushed it to the road side, got gas and it still didn't start. So I swapped around some relays to see if maybe it was the fuel pump. No luck. I then removed the fuel pump and reseated it. It fired up and ran fine. (Please note, I had cut an opening in the truck bed for easy access to the fuel pump the last time it needed changed.)

Fast forward, a few weeks ago my truck starting spitting and sputtering. I couldnt get it to go past 35mph unless i pulled off the road, turned the key off, restarted it, and then it was fine again, as long as I did not push the gas pedal down too far or use cruise going up a hill. Either would cause the sputtering again.

I went ahead replaced the fuel pump. It fixed the problem. For awhile. The next week it's sputtering badly and then would not start at all. So I replaced the fuel filter. Still no start but noticed there was water in the tank and remembered that when I installed the new fuel pump, I realized that the one I removed was not seated properly and was raised up from the fuel tank and water must have gotten into the tank. So I drained the tank using the fuel pump to kick it all out into a container. The last few gallons of draining looked and smelled more like gas than the first few gallons which was like a milky water with little odor.

After draining and adding new gas, it took me several sprays of starting fluid into the intake to get it to run again. I limped it to the gas station (stalled once) and filled it halfway and added a bottle of Heet which supposedly is a (water from gas remover). It had been running a little rough ever since but at least I had full power and speed again. I also added Lucas in the tank with my next fill. Still ran rough days after but I was to start a new job Monday and had no time nor money to have it looked at.

So yesterday it rained all day here in Ohio. When about to leave the customer's house, I started the truck and it did start. I gave it some gas while sitting and noticed that going all the way to the floor with the pedal did nothing beyond idle. Then it started to bog down and eventually it shut off completely. Repeated attempts to start it failed. It will start and run with the help of spraying starter fluid into the throttle body but only for about 5 seconds. Sometimes when I sprayed starting fluid it made a loud backfire and not start. I did check and verified that the fuel pump was properly seated this time.

So now I'm stuck at my customers house with the truck parked along the street and my 16 foot enclosed trailer on her driveway. And I am supposed to start a job at a different location today. I just got this job and will likely be in jeopardy of losing it if I can't perform my duties which require both my truck and trailer.

Hopefully this bit of background history will help some of you to better diagnose the problem. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

Kevin

[j cAT]

water in the fuel is a very bad condition with ethanol fuels. replacing fuel filters is required when the fuel pump is replaced.

running low on fuel and a bad seal on the fuel tank allowing water to get to the fuel a perfect way to screw up the injectors.

lets say you have good fuel pressure , but when you put the pedal down it dies out then you damaged the injectors.

in the beginning first ,, you should have sucked the gas out of the tank. drop tank and wash it out. install new pump complete assy with a new seal and ring . replace the filter . then check that the new pump is with the proper pressure and the injector leak down test.

the wiring if cut at the pump assy need be soldered and heat shrunk sealed.
this will cost you a lot .

[brcidd]

Unless you have a cap on your truck- I would say the cut hole in the bed actually invites the water to lie on the fuel tank- like a drain hole in the bed- pouring rain water down on top of fuel tank. Yes- it should seal- but I would not count on it. Not good on wiring connections to always be in a puddle of water either.

For a short-cut- Instead of cutting hole in bed- why not prop bed up? Remove 6 bolts and you can lift it off frame far enough to replace fuel pump- that's how I do a pick-up. I use my engine hoist- or a good chain hoist to a barn rafter.

I agree with above- water is bad-- but I would also check amp pull on FP- if not to spec- usually 6-8 amps- then check for bad body grounds- seen this cause your exact symptoms-- in fact, as I was pumping out fuel tank (with FP jumpered) I could see tail lights dimly lit- an obvious bad ground situation. I found the frame to engine ground corroded in two pieces and that fixed it- without changing FP. Also check FP to frame ground- Usually same as tail lights

[Moloney]

Originally Posted by brcidd

Unless you have a cap on your truck- I would say the cut hole in the bed actually invites the water to lie on the fuel tank- like a drain hole in the bed- pouring rain water down on top of fuel tank. Yes- it should seal- but I would not count on it. Not good on wiring connections to always be in a puddle of water either.

For a short-cut- Instead of cutting hole in bed- why not prop bed up? Remove 6 bolts and you can lift it off frame far enough to replace fuel pump- that's how I do a pick-up. I use my engine hoist- or a good chain hoist to a barn rafter.

I agree with above- water is bad-- but I would also check amp pull on FP- if not to spec- usually 6-8 amps- then check for bad body grounds- seen this cause your exact symptoms-- in fact, as I was pumping out fuel tank (with FP jumpered) I could see tail lights dimly lit- an obvious bad ground situation. I found the frame to engine ground corroded in two pieces and that fixed it- without changing FP. Also check FP to frame ground- Usually same as tail lights

I did have a fiberglass lid on it so it was never an issue in the past but then the lid frame cracked in two soni removed the lid and completely forgot about covering the hole. I used it this way for over a year without an issue. I know I was flirting with disaster. The hole is now covered again but a little too late. Can the injectors be tested to see if they are still functional? Can they be drained? Cleaned? I'm a little poor at the moment so anything I can do on my own would be ideal and likely my only option.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Moloney

I did have a fiberglass lid on it so it was never an issue in the past but then the lid frame cracked in two soni removed the lid and completely forgot about covering the hole. I used it this way for over a year without an issue. I know I was flirting with disaster. The hole is now covered again but a little too late. Can the injectors be tested to see if they are still functional? Can they be drained? Cleaned? I'm a little poor at the moment so anything I can do on my own would be ideal and likely my only option.

so after this fuel system is cleaned up fuel good then the injectors should be sent out to be cleaned tested or replace them. another method that might work is have the injectors power cleaned by the fuel rail concentrated injector cleaner , pressure is applied to this tool that has a container full of high powered cleaner this is connected to the fuel rail. vehicle fuel pump is disabled. air compressor air pressure is set to just below the vehicle fuel pressure regulator set point of about 50 psi .. this is so it does not go back to the fuel tank. start engine and run until the treatment is empty engine dies. $150. this may work .may not .

[Moloney]

Thank you for the advice. I wound up buying a used fuel rail with all 8 injectors for $100. Also dropped the fuel tank and cleaned it out and reinstalled. After doing this, the truck is running again.woohoo. I also changed out all the plugs to Bosch iridiums and changed the air filter. After driving it regularly for about a week I still have a bit of a rough idle; the truck shakes or hops a little when stopped at a light but I'll take that compared to not running at all. Now I need to figure out the gurgling noise coming from under the dash. Sounds like a coffee maker percolating. Also have a new problem with the brakes. Randomly when I come to a stop, I hear the abs kick on and my brake pedal gets hard and will not stop. If I release the brake and reapply right away, I have full braking again. Speed sensor problem?

[brcidd]

Coffee pot noise is air in the coolant- bubbling in heater core- park nose up and run with radiator cap off for an hour- and if that doesn't work, go ahead and reverse heater hoses to reverse flow through heater- seen it solve it before...

[j cAT]

as mentioned could be air in the coolant . engine cold remove pressure cap start engine run until it gets to operating temp rev engine to 2K RPM. continue to add coolant until its at the full hot.should be good . if it continues then you have a leak.

[j cAT]

if the ABS activates at slow speeds less than 10 MPH then it is usually the front hubs. front hubs break down causing the sensors to get fouled with rust.metal since the sensor is a magnet it gets inoperative on the low speed first then gradually higher.

to be safe pull the big ABS fuse 60A. then you will stop.