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Stumped & need help

I have '97 Chevy Express Van with 110K miles on it. Last week it wouldn't start. Since it cranked, I checked for spark -which it had. It didn't have any pressure at the bleed valve when I checked. The relay also seemed functional since I could feel a click when the ignition was first turned on.

So I replaced the fuel module (which includes the pump and sending unit in one handy albeit expensive package). By the way, the module was installed in the van at 65K miles. Before I dropped the tank, I checked voltage at the connector just to be sure it wasn't the relay. It was about 5 volts for the sending unit circuit, and 11 for the pump. The battery was about 11 at the time.

At any rate...Voila, the Van started, and worked like a champ after I put in the new module. That was yesterday.

Today, my wife drove 8 miles, gassed it up, then drove across the street to the grocer. After parking it, it wouldn't start.

I don't hear the usual purr when the ignition is switched on, although I can still feel a click on the fuel pump relay when I hold my finger on it as the ignition is turned on.

I suppose it could be the relay. Or, the connector. Or...the new module could have been defective. But right now, I'm not sure what to do next.

If someone else has had this sort of experience, I'd sure like to hear from them.

-Allan

Reply to
knucklebanger
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Reply to
Tech 117

you might want to check the fuse box a friend had a 98 express van that did this and we found the problem to be a loose connection on the back of the fuse box

Reply to
GARAGE OWL

Reply to
David J and Lynne J Shepherd

the reply with check relay and possibly wiring is the first step!

Reply to
Baboo

Went over it thoroughly this morning. swapped the relay with one that works -no difference. disassembled/reassembled the connector (both sides) no luck.

Turns out to be the ignition switch. Sometimes it doesn't trigger the fuel pump to pressurize the system. On the occasions when it doesn't, we found that if we slowly continue switching to the "start" position, that it will hit a point where the fuel pump kicks in. Showed my wife how it works in case it strands her again. But it shouldn't; I'm going to have a dealer replace the ignition switch sometime next week.

We used to have a problem with the driver side power window. Occasionally, it wouldn't close We found if we turned the key on and off long enough it would start working again. A new ignition switch will probably permanently cure this problem too.

-Allan

Reply to
knucklebanger

"David J and Lynne J Shepherd" wrote

I don't know if you realize it or not, but on any GM vehicles that I've worked on for a quite a while, the oil pressure switch is not in series with the fuel pump relay circuit, it simply provides a parallel circuit "in case" the relay stops working. So contrary to what seems to be the prevelant view in these newsgroups, the oil pressure switch malfunctioning will have no effect on the fuel pump at all.

This may have been the case years ago, or possibly on other makes of vehicle, but I don't believe it's been the case on GM vehicles for a while.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Check for water in the fuel?

Reply to
JAG

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