2001 GMC Jimmy Stalled and wont restart

PILSNER85

MEMBER
2001 GMC JIMMY
4.3L
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
145,000 MILES

My 2001 GMC Jimmy stalled out 3 weeks ago right at the end of my driveway after a short trip to the store up the road. It was running a little sluggish before it died. This is not my daily driver, it sits quite a bit and I run it from time to time to keep things the way they should be. Approx. 145,000Miles. I have tested the fuel pressure and I am showing around 58Lbs at the test port. I have checked the spark at the ignition module, at the cap and rotor and all the way down to the plug (there is spark all the way to the bottom). When cranking the vehicle in the garage I am getting fuel through the motor based on the smell that cranking the motor in my garage generates. I hooked a diagnostic computer up to the vehicle, it is generating no codes and has no stored codes from prior to the stall. Please help with where to go from here. Thank you very much in advance.

6 Replies

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

Minimum fuel pressure is 60 psi and 2 pds will make a difference. It shold be 60-66psi with key on engine off. Looks like you need a pump or filter.

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Friday, December 5th, 2014 AT 7:06 AM

PILSNER85

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4 POSTS

Okay, so will I still get the unburned gas smell from trying to crank it for electrical tests even if I am not getting enough pressure to start the vehicle? I bought the pump and just decided not to replace it until I ran some tests, I thought 58 would be enough to run it. Can I test everything else with Starter fluid before I dive head on into the fuel pump?

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Friday, December 5th, 2014 AT 7:50 AM

HMAC300

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48,601 POSTS

Never use starter fluid (ether) to start a vehicle it does way to much damage to engines and can explode internally. Use choke cleaner you will get unburned gas smell from engine cranking and may be hard to start after. Don't know wht kind of tests you are doing unless it's compression.

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Friday, December 5th, 2014 AT 9:32 AM

PILSNER85

MEMBER
4 POSTS

I finally got around to replacing the fuel pump on this truck. The fuel pump did not fix the issue I am having with restarting the truck. The fuel pressure has gone up at the test port to around 64PSI. I have checked the spark at the distributor and also pulled one of the plugs to make sure we are getting spark all the way down to the plugs. My next assumption is it may be related to the ECM? Is there any good way to test that theory?

Thank you in advance for the help.

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Monday, December 29th, 2014 AT 6:06 AM

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

Th also has to be scanned for codes as I assumed that was already done. Also check fuses under hood as one can be blown. With what your fuel pressure was a new pump should have fixed it unless the regulator isn't working very well or the evap canister line is plugged giving the gas smell. One other thing ot check is to see if you can turn the rotor at all as it shouldn't move much at all if it does the gear on the bottom of dist is problaby stripped or badly worn which also may be your problem.