Having a Hell of a time

[The emperor has no clothes]

Brenda went to Walmart the other day. When she came out the truck wouldn't start. She called and told me she needed a jump. She lost the extra key fob to her Miata a week after we bought it. And she had the only key with her. So, I jump on the bike, run down and get her keys. After getting the car, jumper cables I get back to jump the truck. Come to find out the battery was fine, it would crank just fine but not even try to start. Looking everything over, I can find nothing obviously wrong. I'm thinking it's probably the fuel pump. The truck has 140k on it. Have it towed to the shop thinking it will be about $300 to replace it. The next day they confirm its the fuel pump, but they want $750. The cheapskate in me can't see that. I order the pump and get it in a couple days. After siphoning out a full tank I get it out and replaced after much crawling on the driveway. By this time the battery had run down. Hook up the charger and nothing. Spent the evening diagnosing it. The overload switch evidently had stuck open. Bypassed that and got the battery charged up. And........nothing, still just cranks away.  I think I've got it narrowed down to a ECM relay that controls the fuel pump. We'll see, it will be hear Tuesday.
 That crawling around and wedging arms and hands in to remove fuel lines, vent lines, electrical connections sucked bad. 6 different individual connections on the tank to remove it ! What happened to the tank behind the bench seat with 2 connections out in the open ? 

[f6john]

Is the $750.00 quote sounding better? I would have probably done the same as you.

[Skinhead]

Many times it is easier to cut a access panel through the bed floor and screw a plate over the hole.  That if take the bed off.  I know know why my dad taught me how to work on vehicle when I was a kid.

[hubcapsc]

After siphoning out a full tank

I would have quit way before that!

-Mike "gave up working on cars in the gravel driveway some time ago..."

[Jersey mike]

Just out of curiosity, has her car been sitting, not being used as much recently?

I’ve had a lean issue diagnosis on 2 cars but after running some Techron through the issue cleared itself, but those 2 cars have not been driven as much as usual.

[cookiedough]

Just out of curiosity, has her car been sitting, not being used as much recently?

I’ve had a lean issue diagnosis on 2 cars but after running some Techron through the issue cleared itself, but those 2 cars have not been driven as much as usual.

same here and both car and truck were sitting 6 months with 1 tank of gas ran thru them was working at home in past 6 months.  Working from home was nice over 6 months but not if causing issues elsewhere I guess on non running vehicles.  My brake rotors were also well rusted and needed to replace front rotors on 1 of 2 so far as well not really from rust but from use and age more so, I think? 

[signart]

My grandson is becoming well known as a go to guy for his fuel pump replacements. He's a wiry guy and good with a wrench. On trucks he jacks up one side of the bed or the front of the bed depending on the location of the tank. Takes him about an hour.

[f6gal]

See, ya should have voted for Trump.

(Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)  

[Patrick]

See, ya should have voted for Trump.

(Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)  

I think the moron that discovered installing the pump inside the tank is ROTFLHAO !

[cookiedough]

Many times it is easier to cut a access panel through the bed floor and screw a plate over the hole.  That if take the bed off.  I know know why my dad taught me how to work on vehicle when I was a kid.

I now know why my Dad made me stand at attention and get him tools and parts while he was under the cars. That wiggling out, up and, and back will wear an old man out. (Although he was still in his 20’s when were inducted into service) 

I hear yah on the up/down moving around part doing car maintenance/repairs.  I did my rotors/brake pads and kept looking for parts/tools I had nearby me but not within reach having to get up and back down dozens of times, sucks to be older and not in as good of shape as once was.   Just doing a simple 4 tire rotation 2x's per year on 3 vehicles takes me 2 hours each vehicle,  about 30 minutes per tire/rim.   The one jack I use doing the actual removing of lug nuts, jacking up, retightening new lug nuts, is only about 10 minutes, the other 20 minutes is moving all the parts from tire to tire to tire to tire on all 4 corners.    I guess I need an assistant like drs. do in surgery or dentist having an assistant handing them tools? 

[Jersey mike]

Many times it is easier to cut a access panel through the bed floor and screw a plate over the hole.  That if take the bed off.  I know know why my dad taught me how to work on vehicle when I was a kid.

I now know why my Dad made me stand at attention and get him tools and parts while he was under the cars. That wiggling out, up and, and back will wear an old man out. (Although he was still in his 20’s when were inducted into service) 

I hear yah on the up/down moving around part doing car maintenance/repairs.  I did my rotors/brake pads and kept looking for parts/tools I had nearby me but not within reach having to get up and back down dozens of times, sucks to be older and not in as good of shape as once was.   Just doing a simple 4 tire rotation 2x's per year on 3 vehicles takes me 2 hours each vehicle,  about 30 minutes per tire/rim.   The one jack I use doing the actual removing of lug nuts, jacking up, retightening new lug nuts, is only about 10 minutes, the other 20 minutes is moving all the parts from tire to tire to tire to tire on all 4 corners.    I guess I need an assistant like drs. do in surgery or dentist having an assistant handing them tools? 

Treat yourself to a 1/2” cordless impact gun if you’re not already using an air gun for your lugs. It beats doing it manually.

[scooperhsd]

Be real careful how tight you make your lugnuts with an impact gun.

[h13man]

Just out of curiosity, has her car been sitting, not being used as much recently?

I’ve had a lean issue diagnosis on 2 cars but after running some Techron through the issue cleared itself, but those 2 cars have not been driven as much as usual.

same here and both car and truck were sitting 6 months with 1 tank of gas ran thru them was working at home in past 6 months.  Working from home was nice over 6 months but not if causing issues elsewhere I guess on non running vehicles.  My brake rotors were also well rusted and needed to replace front rotors on 1 of 2 so far as well not really from rust but from use and age more so, I think? 

Might check for rodent/bird life under the hoods if left out in the weather storage. Our Sienna is under attack constantly because of getting no use.

[DDT (12)]

Rob,

Had such an experience last summer... It seemed like with each new malady, the solution was producing yet another problem! I caught myself grinning at the spectacle and thinking, "This will make a great story!" Nothing to do but endure and plow ahead... You will eventually get somewhere... or not. For my money, it usually works out far better for me to seek help in the first place... Of course, unlike you and many others on this board, I ain't handy even one tinsy little bit!!! Thanks for the grins the rest of us got...

DDT

[da prez]

  Rob , I am a cheap skate like you. If it cost to much in my mind , then I try to do it myself.
  Mechanics short cut. Give the engine a whiff of starting fluid. If it tries to start , it is a fuel issue. If not , it is an electrical issue. Half of the battle is won.
 The last fuel pump installed with a lifetime warranty failed in about a year. I had to pay the labor for the reinstall. When I picked up my truck I was told that is the extent of the lifetime warranty. I guess my lifetime was one year. If any one has work done , get the info in writing.

                                           da prez

[Ramie]

Sounds like you retired just in time.  Now you've got all the time in the world right?  Just a note, I once tried to have my wife run tools while I was under the car, didn't work out so well.  She kept asking me if I was sure I knew what I was doing and not understanding which tool what which.

[Bigwolf]

Rob,
Wishing you a very speedy and correct diagnosis.  

With all the numerous electronics in modern vehicles, I have found that it is best and cheaper to do a thorough testing and diagnosis before buying and installing any new parts.  Sometimes that requires special equipment and it may be ok to guess and take the risk,......if it doesn’t cost too much and you have enough money to cover it when you are wrong.

I have a 99 Suburban that has averaged less than 200 miles a year for the last 10 years.  It had low mileage on it ten years ago too.  About 3 years ago it began to have a problem when the air was damp.  It would start and then die.  If the air was dry, there was no problem.  Since I rarely use the truck, time allotted to the repair of it is short and only on an occasional basis.  So the diagnosis and repair has dragged out over 2 years.  That has not lessened the aggravation on those occasions that I needed it.

By the time I actually found the culprit, I had tested every piece of hardware I could think of, checked all of the important circuits, found what appeared to be a bad fuel pump, replaced the fuel pump assembly, found a crazy ground circuit, pulled and cleaned all the grounds and reinstalled them, and still had the same problem.  

After searching the internet for ideas, I discovered that my truck has a VATS.  Apparently it has a VATS that often causes problems.  These problems are aggravated by the fact that I keep the battery unhooked when I’m not using the truck.  At least now I know how to get my truck running when the air is damp.  It just takes a few minutes longer.  I read that the VATS sometimes keeps the vehicle from starting at all or sometimes and more often lets the engine start and run a couple of seconds before shutting it off.

Good luck with your truck.


Bigwolf

[Skinhead]

Glad you got it fixed.