1996 Chevy Cheyenne Trouble starting truck

SUNNY4724

MEMBER
1996 CHEVROLET CHEYENNE
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
170,000 MILES

I have a 1996 Chevy Cheyenne that has been having trouble starting. This all started at the gas station. I drove the truck there, turned it off, pumped 15 gallons of gas, and it would not start after that. It would turn over so my dad determined that it was not the battery. We had it towed and replaced the fuel pump and then it worked. Drove it home, it sat in the driveway for about a week, then it would not start the next time we tried to start it. The repair shop towed it back and replaced a "piggyback" maybe? Something they forgot to replace the first time they fixed it. Then it started and ran fine. Sat in the driveway for another week, my dad started it and drove it an hour away to meet me, stopped at the gas station and got gas, then had problems getting it started AGAIN! He finally got it started and I drove it home (another hour - worked fine) and when I got home, turned it off and tried to start it and it would NOT start again! This is very frustrating as we have recently purchased new tires, gotten an alignment, brakes flushed, new fuel pump and oil change. The battery cables are slightly corroded but it turns over each time and the clock and electrical things still work, so my dad does not think the battery is the problem, it is getting a connection. Any ideas? This is not a primary vehicle but it's getting rather annoying!

1 Reply

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

This may be a late 96 that had some of the same problems that the 97-98 trucks had. The harness going to the fuel pump corrodes and doesn't let teh fuel pump work. AC DELCO fuel pumps and a couple other ones when the fuel pump is changed replace this harness. That may be the piggyback that you are talking about. If it wasn't done correctly it may be the source of your problem. Also you might try chanigne the fuel filter as it may not have been changed. This could also be a carank sensor or cam sensor or both. The ohm resistance would have to be checked to see if when hot they get to much resistance and don't work. I think if you pulled one of your connectors to the engine it would put the truck in open loop and it may start like that, then you would know it's an engine sensor that is bad and could check the crank or cam sensor as those usually are the ones that screw up. Although MAP sensors do as well.