1995 van dificult starting

Got a 1995 G-20 that gave some trouble starting, this week. Wouldn't start, so I tried pushing the gas pedal. Starter spins, and the pitch of the engine noise goes treble and bass. Higher and lower.

I wasn't sure if it was flooded. Several squirts of ether later, it did start.

It's been wet the last few days, and I park on a gravel driveway. Do these tend to flooding, or wet wires, or some of each? When the van finally started, I dove it around the block, and then to a service call and back. Ran fine, the rest of the day.

The next day, I restarted the van, don't touch the gas pedal. Started after several seconds.

Occurs to me to check the install date of the battery. Might be weak.

Ideas, anyone? No money to replace, so, that's not option.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon
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Check over the battery cables and the engine grounds.

My 95 did this once and it was a bad chassis ground, was causing the computer to see the wrong signals while cranking.

I have three volume factory manual set if you're interested. $100.00 + shipping. (1) GMT95G1 - 1995 G-Van Shop Manual (2) GMT95G2 - 1995 G-Van Electrical And Emission (3) GMT95LUR - 1995 Light Truck Unit Repair Has all the info you would ever want on the G-Vans.

Reply to
Steve W.

Firtst thing to do is next damp morning grab hold of one of the spark plug wires and have someone crank the engine. If you feel even a TICKLE you want new wires. If your eyes make like flashbulbs you KNOW the cables are BAD.

I'd bet on bad cables - quite bossibly made worse by worn plugs.

Ether would (most likely) not start the engine if it had bad grounds affecting the computer. The fact the cranking speed changed would inticate possible cross-fire - making a cyl fire when the piston is coming up, instead of at the top getting ready to go down.

Reply to
clare

Sounds like a dry day project. Where would I find these grounds?

I don't have the funds to pay you for shop manual. I'm sure it's worth every penny.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Check over the battery cables and the engine grounds.

My 95 did this once and it was a bad chassis ground, was causing the computer to see the wrong signals while cranking.

I have three volume factory manual set if you're interested. $100.00 + shipping. (1) GMT95G1 - 1995 G-Van Shop Manual (2) GMT95G2 - 1995 G-Van Electrical And Emission (3) GMT95LUR - 1995 Light Truck Unit Repair Has all the info you would ever want on the G-Vans.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Very possible. I don't know off hand, when was the last time the van had plugs and wires. Sadly, I've got so much tools and stuff, it's a major project to get the motor cover off.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Firtst thing to do is next damp morning grab hold of one of the spark plug wires and have someone crank the engine. If you feel even a TICKLE you want new wires. If your eyes make like flashbulbs you KNOW the cables are BAD.

I'd bet on bad cables - quite bossibly made worse by worn plugs.

Ether would (most likely) not start the engine if it had bad grounds affecting the computer. The fact the cranking speed changed would inticate possible cross-fire - making a cyl fire when the piston is coming up, instead of at the top getting ready to go down.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Easy way to check. Use one side of a jump cable between the neg battery term and the engine block. If that does not do the trick use the other side of the cable between the neg term and the chasis.

Reply to
NotMe

Seems to me if it is not starting, then you spray in starting fluid (fuel) and it then starts, THEN IT IS A FUEL PROBLEM!

Check the fuel system, pressures, volume of fuel test, etc. from factory manual.

Reply to
Bill

Ether will often start a flooded engine - and particularly one with a weal spark - so given the reported conditions, I'd be checking the plugs and wires first. Only been fixing cars since 1969.

Reply to
clare

Thanks for the ideas. I don't have that test equipment. Today (Monday Dec 10, 2012) I went out to start. It's wet out, light rain. I ran the starter without touching the gas pedal. The starter speed surged a couple times, and the van started.

Started fine, the next several times. And, it's been raining all day. I'm not sure what the cause is, but "don't touch the gas" helps.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Seems to me if it is not starting, then you spray in starting fluid (fuel) and it then starts, THEN IT IS A FUEL PROBLEM!

Check the fuel system, pressures, volume of fuel test, etc. from factory manual.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Yes, that sounds reasonable.

Some things about cars stayed the same, all along.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Ether will often start a flooded engine - and particularly one with a weal spark - so given the reported conditions, I'd be checking the plugs and wires first. Only been fixing cars since 1969.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Feb 08, Thurs, 2013 Tuesday, I drove the van a couple times, spent much of the day out doing service calls. Started after a couple seconds, and ran fine. Gassed it up, and came home.

Wednesday, didn't drive the van at all, don't think.

Thursday, we had some humidity. As of now, 1:45 PM, wet snow. Light rain earlier today. I decided to go out and gas up before the winter storm coming. Starter spins, but not even the hint of fire. Tried ether, and that didn't do much good. Something in there doesn't like wet starts. From under the hood, I can't see any spark plug wires. There are so much tools and such, I can't get the doghouse off. That's an hour's work to clear the equipment and stuff. I suspect the spark plug wires are shot, and need replacing. But, it's snowing, and that's a lot of work. Hope I don't get any service calls that totally demand the use of the van. And hope the weather dries up, so the van will start. Will try it tomorrow.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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I wasn't sure if it was flooded. Several squirts of ether later, it did start.

It's been wet the last few days, and I park on a gravel driveway. Do these tend to flooding, or wet wires, or some of each? When the van finally started, I dove it around the block, and then to a service call and back. Ran fine, the rest of the day.

The next day, I restarted the van, don't touch the gas pedal. Started after several seconds.

Occurs to me to check the install date of the battery. Might be weak.

Ideas, anyone? No money to replace, so, that's not option.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Almost guarantee you have bad wires. And how old are the plugs??? Which engine do you have??

Reply to
clare

Feb 09, 2013 My thanks to friends who helped. The van needed a new battery. The Oct 2007 oldie wasn't able to start the big engine. Life isn't perfect, but at least I can go to service calls in the work van, again. Resolve to replace at four years, from now on.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Occurs to me to check the install date of the battery. Might be weak.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I usually buy the battery with the longest warranty. When it's almost to the end of the FREE replacement period I do a battery test on it. If it shows the slightest bit weak I bring it in (costco) and exchange it. It typically costs 5 or 10 dollars because they refund the original price and then you pay the new price for a new battery.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Same van, still giving me same problems. Three years later. Recently changed the wires, cap, rotor (last year). And last week the ignition coil. So, Monday the van barely started.

A few minutes ago, I removed, brushed, greased, and did some thing else with the engine ground. oh, replaced. Knew there was some thing else.

Will let you know in a couple days if it seems different. Thank you, belated. BTW, happy birthday.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Might do that, thank you, if there is a next time. I also bought some premium gasoline in case the fuel injectors are dirty.

I'm a bit tired of this routine, won't start after a bit of rain.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I've been riding in cars since the 1960s

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

If starting after a rain is regularly a problem, buy a set of new wires and a set of new plugs and change them NOW. Check your coil packs for sighns of flashover as well, and make sure they are clean.

Also make SURE you have an excellent ground between the battery and the engine block, as well as to the body/chassis.

Reply to
clare

You know, that's NOT the FIRST time you'd mentioned SPARK plug WIRES. I'd been RESISTING changing them out, as I replaced THEM some time last year, if MEMORY serves. Got the GOOD ones at NAPA, or so I REMEMBER. There is only ONE negative CABLE which goes to the FRONT of the ENGINE. I took THAT off tonight, and WIRE brushed it, GREASED it, and put it BACK on. The ENGINE started nicely after that, and I didn't LOSE the RADIO PRESETS. Will have to REVIEW the reciepts one DAY soon, and see if MEMORY is correct about the SPARK plug WIRES. Prefer NOT to change them NOW, as I've had a LONG day, and just about READY for bed. It will be DARK out in HALF hour OR SO.

- . Christopher A. Young learn MORE about Jesus .

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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