OK Gearheads...truck won't start (quick advice?)

Petros

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19 May 2003
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My old 89 Chevy ran just fine up until I went to work yesterday. Parked, worked, came out at the end of my shift and the thing won't start. It turns over perfectly, but the no engine sounds at all. At one point there was a light engine flutter, but that's the only thing I heard outside of the starting system cranking. Any ideas what it might be?
 
Ignition Coil. Out of fuel :D.


Three basic requirements of a combustion engine. Fuel, Ignition source, Compression.

Could be the fuel pump, or it might be flooding. Quick check for flooding is to remove a spark plug after cranking the motor and see if it is physically wet from saturation of fuel, and or does it blend, err can you light the tip of the plug with a lighter or match, if it is wet, or you can light it there is fuel, and possibly too much.

Next is to check spark, have a friend hold the end of a spark plug wire and crank the motor, you will know if there is spark, you won't be invited over for dinner or they won't talk to you for awhile.


If both of these are OK, then try to breath to see if there is air. If there is breath often. Just not out of the tailpipe.
 
I don't know much about cars, but I know a little from personal issues I have had. I had an problem like this with my old 92 pickup and I had run over to kragen and pickup a new Distributor cap. If your cap is worn out then the the spark plugs wont get the juice they need to fire, or if one or more of the contacts is worn then you can get misfires and such. Distributor's are one of those parts that need to be replaced at least once in a cars lifetime, so its not uncommon (or expensive).

Probably the same thing you just said Steevo. :p
 
If it has a carburetor try opening the choke up when you are turning it over. Sometimes when its nice and hot the carb gets choked down too far on a cold start.
 
Electronic ignition module, I'm 80% sure on that. If the car was fine one minute then suddenly not catching at all, I'll put money on it being that - happened to me with one of my Mercedes'.
 
89 chevy, isnt that a rotor arm in a dizzy cap being that age and a truck?

follow the plug leads back to a round thing and remove it, see what state the contacts
 

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