'99 3500 express van 5.7 no start.....
 

cranks fine, was intermittant no start, now it's just flat failed.....tried the .net for advice and tried that sending unit on the bottom of that plastic dizzy....no go.....and so it have spark at the coil....and plenty of Fuel pressure.....but no run.....I dunno about that flat cheap plastic dizzy cap.....and then the firing of the injectors......

open for some suggestions, hopefully based on experiences.....

:sadangel: I know, scrap it, can't....yet.....

:dance:

You need to check for spark at the spark plugs
May be burned through the rotor

Cap and rotor are easy and cheap to replace.

.net says you need 50-55 psi fuel pressure to start. What is your pressure? A new fuel filter should be cheap and easy to replace.

Getting fire at the plug wire?

Yup, pressure up there to 55 ok, when engine did fire it ran fine, so not the filters......does that thin plastic cap have a history of intermittent failure, and then a final quit??

The only time I had a cap to actually go bad the truck would run rough. It never was just a complete failure to start.

Can you borrow a code scanner from Autozone, etc...

You passing out free candy to the neighborhood?

Is it maintaining fuel pressure when cranking?
Fuel pressure should be 60 to 65 on that model IIRC, may want to double check that.
Since you messed with fp relay and it started other day that woukd be the area I'd check(fuel).
Scan for codes also.

Yes they do
Cap and rotors as well as wires

Multiple plug wires didn't go bad in one day. If one or two were bad, it should still try and start, run like shit, all of that. Just plain not starting? My money is on cap and rotor. Remove a plug wire from the spark plug and check for spark there, Gene.

Sorry,
COIL WIRE.....

Does that year have FP control module on the frame by spare tire? Those are know to get flaky.
Will it start on ether?

I MAY have read the FP gauge rong, but would swear it had no fuel pressure when I started this mess Sat AM.....but it came back and retain full pressure over night.....I crank it and the fuel pressure maintains just fine, but no ignition of course.....I pulled the coil wire and it sparked just fine.....

and of course it started just now this afternoon, and idled/took gas just fine....while I went under hood and engine cover, beating shit out of all the electrical stuff I could find.....no reactions....tapped on that flat plastic cheap dizzy cover/plug wires....no go both running and not running/trying.....

WTF??

why those guys not bolt in a old HEI from daze gawn past and get the **** over with it, but NO...have to justify their salaries and screw up the designs.....

and too boot I ASSumed this was a direct port engine.....no it's some sort of valve in center// like a carb.....almost....beat the snot out of it too, no go.....

bashed the steering column too, thinking ign. switch.....no go....

:issues::issues::issues:

Love intermittent problems... Well at least its running and can move out of driveway.

Take it to one of the part stores for a free code scan. You don't want to get stranded in it somewhere outside your driveway (which 9/10 times usually happens away from home).

Do a tune up! Fuel filter, plugs, cap, rotor, etc...

Thanks guys.......but another silly thing, that damn key beep with door open crap....just where is the sound maker?? seems from under the dash, and it needs wires CUT!!!!! DAMN NADER!!!!!:issues:

Remove the factory radio and install an aftermarket and you'll stop the door dinging. I dislike that, too. The door chime is hooked to your factory radio.....get rid of it, you get rid of all the warning chimes.


:bill_daniels:

Will it run on starting fluid?

Dirty sock in the fuel tank.

Do you have an alarm system? My truck does but the horn for it is cut so if you use the FOB to lock it when you come back to it it won't start. Daughter used the truck a couple weeks ago it wouldn't start she couldn't figure it out, she was under it smacking the starter ETC, she knew I'd be pissed so she had it towed without calling me. When she did tell me I told her to turn the FOB off and it fired right up

And yes, It will make a clicking sound in the cab when armed then tripped

Well, over Sunday and Munday, I found out the spark was dead when it felt like it.....so finally new coil, power unit, and sending/timing chip in the dizzy.....

and it starts/runs/heats up normally, and made it home too boot,

a little less than 200 bux......now for interesting part......

a part from Rock auto.com was near 25 bux.......same part at Autozone was 85 bux.....BUT it was USA MADE.......no time to wait for delivery so AZone it was.......but talk of price differences????

I suspect little in the actual cost of manufacturing.....say 5 bux compared to 10 bux.....BUT the taxes and so forth.....much less retail stores, and not just a series of warehouses and computers.....

:issues::dance:

Glad ya got it running.

Local parts stores seldom get my money now, same parts either on Rock or thru Amazon for 50% less or more savings. Purchased a acdelco caliper for 56 off amazon with a 45 dollar rebate(core but shipped back free) so 11 dollars for it. Local place was 85 plus core charge for a cheap ass caliper.
Hub for my caddy locally is 140 if not more, online 75 to 90 for same part.
I just can't justify that much extra to buy it locally in my mind(and I worked at a parts store for few years).
Tires get me too, shop said I had a bad tire... Almost 200 for a cheapo with mount and balance. For under 75 I got a good tire and had balanced(I mount own tires). I don't mind paying good money for good product but try to bend me over without vaseline ain't happening.