89 Blazer 350 No start in Cold weather

[Missy Good Wench]

OK troops

Missy is stumped and so is the Tech at the GM shop

The other morning it was 18F out and the Blazer would not start, not even a POP.

No smell of fuel at the rear and no spark either (yessss I grabbed on and had the engine cranked)

Finally got it running and it seemed fine, then quite and would not fire at all.

Changed out the distributor and coil. Started and ran fine for a little while them same crap.

Had it hauled to the dealer as its just too cold to fool around outside.

They could not get to it until today and the weather has warmed up to the 40"s and the rig runs fine now

The tech is scratching his butt and is puzzled.

The truck has an aftermarket alarm/security system that was installed by PO

I told them to remove the alarm and install a new ignition switch.

I am thinking that the 18F overnighter may have caused issues in the alarm system controler or possibly the ignition switch that was fouling up the power to the ignition and the injectors. (No spark, No fuel)

Figured at least this will eliminate any possibilities in the future of those two items causing issue.

I replaced the distributor and coil so thats not an issue.

The only other real thing may be a ECM/chip ?????????/

Truck ran fine the night before and has never missed a beat since I have owned it.

Any thoughts

Missy

 

[ak diesel driver]

grounds?

 

[trouttrooper]

hairline crack on something electrical (solder joint etc.) that expands just enough at 40 degrees to work????

 

[NVW]

hairline crack on something electrical (solder joint etc.) that expands just enough at 40 degrees to work????

x2,

Some of the guys here had ecms on the 6.5 that were a problem in cold weather.

 

[Missy Good Wench]

I am thinking the same thing. (Bad circuits)

Spoke with the tech over at the dealer last night and my feeling is that the two real threats are the ignition switch and the aftermarket alarm/security system.

Once these two things are dealt with then the only other thing would be the ECM itself.

Truck is a NON salt area truck (came from central CAL) not a spek of corrosion anywhere.

I tried to pull up codes but the only thing I could get was the 12

There may be something retreivable by a real scanner but the little code reader gets me nothing.

Would be nice to see what was setting the SES light, would definately help the diagnosis.

Cold can do some strange things to electical circuit boards and such.

The ignition switch is probably the one the truck left the factory with too.

If nothing shows up and it comes back with a ???????????// not sure what was wrong, I may scare up an ECM and swap it just to add that to the list of things that are not to be blamed again.

OMG I hate this sort of plan when trying to figure out why things dont work.

Would have been great if the guys could have plugged the scanner into the rig while the weather was still cold. They could have at least got some ideas.

Oh well, we shall see, for sure.

Jack the radaitor cap up and drive a new rig under it. NOOOOOOOOOOOO can't afford that plan.

Will be happy to get my 84 to 91 Blazer pieces diesel together.

No computer and one wire will make it run. YESSSSSSSSSSS

More than two wires to make the thing run and there is bound to be trouble, not if, just when is all.

If we look at the rigs they use in Battle (HMMWV and such)
They dont use high tech stuff on those engines.

Granted, they have all sorts of cool electronics to target guns and other stuff but, the rig thats going to get your skiiny A$$ back to safety has very little stuff that will leave you stranded with an SES light to comfort you. NOT

The electronics are way cool when they are working but when you really need the rig is when they quit.


Missy

 

[iamdave0887]

x2,

Some of the guys here had ecms on the 6.5 that were a problem in cold weather.

One victim of that here. Had no fuel and no glow plugs with my factory ECM when it got cold out(below 20*F or so). When i would bring the ECM inside the house and warm it up then go back out hook it up and leave it hanging everything would work. Had glows, had fuel and it fired right off.

 

[Missy Good Wench]

OK Here is the Update on the 89 K5

The shop folks at the local dealer were great.

I get a call from the service writer on Monday morning, " AHHHHHHHHHH, your K5 would not run this morning" (ME thinking he is joking) "Yeah buddy, seems thats why I had it drug in there"

Conversation bantered back and forth.

The tech wiggled the plug on the distributor module and the truck ran fine.

OOOOOOOOOK
When I first wnet to start it on the coldest day back last Wed (18F) no fuel and no spark.

I swapped out the distributor for a fresh one. The 4 pin connector on the module wires had the retainer clip break off.

Anyway the connector evidently will not continue to stay plugged in well without the clip.

It had wiggled loose enough so that it was not working.

The shop informs me that a new "pigtail" is 10 days out and about $30.

Holly $hit Frank.

I told the shop to replace the ignition switch "Just because" and I would stop by in a while.

Its pouring down rain and nasty.

I grab a few tools and head off to the local "U Pullit" yard thats about 8 miles away.

A quick walk down Chevy alley turns up several later model rigs with the plugs all still in great shape.

SNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP a few times and I have several of these little treasures in my little paws.

Off to the checkout, and $12 later we are on our way to the dealership.

Dropped the plugs off and headed to our store to open up.

A while later, I get a call that the rig is fine and ready to go.

I asked if they had installed the new Ignition switch (Because it seemed like a good idea)

NOOOOOOOOO were we supposed to ???? was the answer, Yessssssss Please do.

Got the truck back around 5pm and all seems well.

I had the tech sneek a peek at the alarm system and it was only wired into the starter control wire so no issue there.

Been running the little beast now since Wendsday and it runs great.


I think what happened was a two fold issue.

The module on the MSD distributor that ws in the truck took a POOOOOP and then after I installed the rebuilt unit from the NAPA store the broken plug was giving issues that caused basically the same symptoms as the bad module was doing.

So I did keep the MSD (Billet) distributor, since these cost about $300 Plus

I will in time pick up a new module for it and have it as a spare.

Missy