2002 Chevy 5.8L in van won't start...

[sasilverbullet]

2002 Chevy Express 1500 w/5.8l. 217K miles, never had a problem with starting. This morning it would crank over, seemed to have no spark from the sound, tried many times, nada.

I'm at work and can check the codes when I get home.

Any clue what to check/look for?

Thanks!

 

[ArrestMeRedZ]

Fuel pump would be the first thing I'd check.

 

[350Rocket]

5.7L I assume you mean. Fuel pump is one of the most common issues on them but they also have a cap and rotor that if not replaced occasionally as regular maintenance they will leave you with no spark.

 

[zrxkawboy]

I would start by checking for spark so you know for sure.

 

[sasilverbullet]

Had the cap/rotor go bad on me not too long ago, when it did it ran and threw codes. Just checked, no codes. So it's probably the fuel pump. I don't feel like dropping the tank so I'll have it towed to my favorite indy and let him figure it out.

Thanks!

 

[mk378]

Listen at the tank while someone turns the key to on, but don't crank. Should hear the pump run for a few seconds.

 

[GoldDot40]

Even better...have somebody repeatedly hit the tank with their hand while you crank it over. If it starts up then dies...you'll know what the issue is.

 

[sasilverbullet]

Listen at the tank while someone turns the key to on, but don't crank. Should hear the pump run for a few seconds.

I can hear the pump run for about 4 seconds. I replaced the rotor/cap a year ago, only about 3K miles ago, I'll pull the engine cover off tomorrow night and check the rotor cap again.

If it's bad again, what could be causing the rotor/cap to go bad in only 1 year?

 

[ArrestMeRedZ]

You can test the fuel pressure to see if the pump is bad. There is a test port I believe right side, top of the engine.

 

[clinebarger]

If you have no spark.....Make sure the rotor turns while cranking the engine, It's not unheard of for the Melonized Gear on the distributor to strip.

 

[sasilverbullet]

You can test the fuel pressure to see if the pump is bad. There is a test port I believe right side, top of the engine.

Do you have a pic of the test port?

 

[sasilverbullet]

If you have no spark.....Make sure the rotor turns while cranking the engine, It's not unheard of for the Melonized Gear on the distributor to strip.

Will check that tonight...

 

[ArrestMeRedZ]

I don't know how to post the link with my phone, but if you Google "you tube 5.7 vortec fuel pressure test" a video by Scanner Danner showed the process of checking the pressure on a pickup, and also recommends tools. Sorry, I don't have my '97 truck with that engine any more so I can't get a photo.

 

[sasilverbullet]

Pulled the rotor/cap off, here's what it looked like. I cleaned the corrosion off and it started up, a little rough. Replaced them with brand new, runs smooth as a kitten now!

I replaced them about 1 year ago, only 3K miles ago, same thing back then.

Any ideas what's causing the rotor/cap to corrode so fast?

 

[ArrestMeRedZ]

I still have a new AC Delco cap. It's black. Replaced at the service interval and never had a problem. Hopefully your's isn't a Chinese Autozone or Chinese Amazon part. If so, that may be the problem.

 

[350Rocket]

If you have no spark.....Make sure the rotor turns while cranking the engine, It's not unheard of for the Melonized Gear on the distributor to strip.

I've seen that happen on a couple 5.7 and 4.3 of that era.

Also these engines with the weird spider fuel injector require a lot of fuel pressure to run at all so just hearing the pump doesn't mean it has enough pressure to start.

Cap and rotor should last a couple years, but spark and fuel pressure are the quickest things to check.

 

[350Rocket]

Pulled the rotor/cap off, here's what it looked like. I cleaned the corrosion off and it started up, a little rough. Replaced them with brand new, runs smooth as a kitten now!

I replaced them about 1 year ago, only 3K miles ago, same thing back then.

Any ideas what's causing the rotor/cap to corrode so fast?

View attachment 58279


View attachment 58280

Wow that looks bad. How many kms?
I always tried to change the rotor every 2 years on my 84 Cutlass and 83 Caprice. Probably about 10k miles each a year or less the past 5 since I moved to town. It never looked that bad.

 

[atikovi]

I replaced them about 1 year ago, only 3K miles ago, same thing back then.

Any ideas what's causing the rotor/cap to corrode so fast?

Cap and rotor was always an annual maintenance item back in the day along with points and condenser. While the later was eliminated, I doubt cap and rotor technology improved such that replacement intervals changed much. Looks like cheap aftermarket parts. The AC Delco cap would have much beefier contacts with higher quality plating to resist corrosion.

 

[mk378]

How old are your spark wires? The wires are actually the most fragile part of the system. I had one with a hole in the coil to cap wire letting the sparks leak out. Moving that bad wire away from ground, as could happen inadvertently while fooling with the cap, did allow it to start.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Look for a cap and rotor with brass terminals instead of aluminum.