won't start - no warning prev.

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ioan - 29 May 2007 18:54 GMT

Hi,
I own a '99 Chevy Blazer, 4.3L Engine.
I drove the car this weekend about 500 miles. No problems at all. Once,
two days ago, when I tried to start it, it didn't start from first try,
but I thought I didn't crank it long enough, and from the second try
started right away.

Last night, I parked my car, as normal. No lights on the panel, no
"check engine". All in good and normal working conditions.

Today in the morning, I got in the car to go to work... and when I
wanted to start it, is just rotating the engine (the battery is fine)
but the car doesn't start. Is not even trying to start, like there is no
gas in the engine and is not getting gas at all - not one firing.

While I was writing this post, I remembered that last night, just before
I got home I stopped to the gas station to get gas, I was running on low
fuel warning for few miles (15-20), but I didn't run out of fuel! I
filled up and went home (about 1 mile from the gas station).

What can be the problem?
Any ideas on what to try before calling a towing truck to take it to the
mechanic?

TIA,
-ioan

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Ralf Ballis - 29 May 2007 19:04 GMT

> While I was writing this post, I remembered that last night, just before
> I got home I stopped to the gas station to get gas, I was running on low
> fuel warning for few miles (15-20), but I didn't run out of fuel! I
> filled up and went home (about 1 mile from the gas station).

I think that's not the causing of this problem.

> What can be the problem?
> Any ideas on what to try before calling a towing truck to take it to the
> mechanic?

Have you checked fuel pump and fuel filter for sufficient fuel pressure?

Regards,

Ralf

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ioan - 29 May 2007 19:17 GMT

> Have you checked fuel pump and fuel filter for sufficient fuel pressure?

Hi Ralf,
Is there a easy way to check this? I am good enough mechanic to
check/fix small things (biggest car-fixing-project, I changed my heating
core by myself), but I don't own any advanced diagnostic tools...

I remember seeing people checking if the car gets fuel by pulling out a
hose from the engine and if the fuel come out everything worked fine,
but I'm not sure if that works with my car or that is just for engines
with carburetor.

-ioan

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Hal - 29 May 2007 20:38 GMT

> Hi Ralf,
> Is there a easy way to check this? I am good enough mechanic to
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> but I'm not sure if that works with my car or that is just for engines
> with carburetor.

Add some fuel to the intake manually - a can of carb cleaner will do.
Give the engine a spritz or two and hit the starter. If it fires even
a little and then dies off you could start looking into the fuel
delivery system as your source of trouble. To check the ignition
system you'll need a helper to pull an ignition lead and hold it with
some insulated pilers a half inch or so from a grounded metal surface
in the engine bay. If you do not see a spark while cranking the engine
you need to investigate the ignition system.

Chris

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Ralf Ballis - 29 May 2007 20:49 GMT

Hi Ioan,

> I remember seeing people checking if the car gets fuel by pulling out a
> hose from the engine and if the fuel come out everything worked fine,
> but I'm not sure if that works with my car or that is just for engines
> with carburetor.

Be careful with opening of fuel lines, it could be stand under pressure
even after standing.
A way is attaching a pressure gauge to the line. You can check fuel
pump, in some cases you can find it out if it's running or not, chock
out relevant fuses and relays.

Regards,

Ralf

Signature

www.omnibusclub.de
Erfinder des Abgasturboladers Dr. Alfred J. Büchi: "Die Abgase,
deren noch inne-wohnende Energie bis dahin vergeudet wurde ..."

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HLS@nospam.nix - 29 May 2007 19:15 GMT

> Hi,
> I own a '99 Chevy Blazer, 4.3L Engine.
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> Any ideas on what to try before calling a towing truck to take it to the
> mechanic?

I dont there there is much you can do on this alone. There are too many
things that can cause a no-start situation, and few of them are easily
done by someone not skilled in the art.

For example, the fuel pump can be bad, the fuel filter can be plugged,
you may have ignition issues, etc.

You may have gotten some contaminated gasoline at that stop last night,
but that would not explain the hard starting a few days ago.

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AZ Nomad - 30 May 2007 03:38 GMT

>Hi,
>I own a '99 Chevy Blazer, 4.3L Engine.
>I drove the car this weekend about 500 miles. No problems at all. Once,
>two days ago, when I tried to start it, it didn't start from first try,
>but I thought I didn't crank it long enough, and from the second try
>started right away.

>Last night, I parked my car, as normal. No lights on the panel, no
>"check engine". All in good and normal working conditions.

>Today in the morning, I got in the car to go to work... and when I
>wanted to start it, is just rotating the engine (the battery is fine)
>but the car doesn't start. Is not even trying to start, like there is no
>gas in the engine and is not getting gas at all - not one firing.

Check ignition, fuel, compression, in that order.

Check for a spark. Pull a plug wire, place the wire near a ground and have
somebody turn the engine while you look for a spark.

Check that there's fuel in the tank and raw fuel going out the tailpipe.
(careful -- raw fuel will eventually ruin a catalytic converter)

Does it sound like the starter has to work in order to turn the engine --
the familiar rrrrrur rrrur sound --- or is it free spining. A broken
timing belt will give you that free spining sound.

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ioan - 01 Jun 2007 17:14 GMT

fixed.
The fuel pump was the problem.
The cost of repair was $860 with a fuel pump from GM that has lifetime
warranty.

-ioan

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