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No fuel between Schrader valve and spark plug

Tiny
BILLREAMESSR
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 160,000 MILES
SUV will not start. I have sixty two pounds pressure at Schrader valve. Fire at the spark plug. Sprayed starter fluid down throttle body with foot pedal to the floor. Immediately pulled spark plugs and they were dry. L am lost. Please help!
Friday, January 27th, 2017 AT 12:12 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,462 POSTS
Check the crankshaft position sensor and the camshaft position signals with a scan tool. Without those the injectors will not be commanded on and you get no fuel to the engine.
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Friday, January 27th, 2017 AT 12:43 PM
Tiny
BILLREAMESSR
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
But should it not be running while spraying starter fluid and would the plugs be wet from the starter fluid?
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Friday, January 27th, 2017 AT 1:17 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,462 POSTS
Starting fluid usually turns to a gas and evaporates real fast. On your engine you would need to empty a can or two into the intake to actually make the plugs wet.

Double check that you have spark. What do you have for test equipment?
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Friday, January 27th, 2017 AT 6:32 PM
Tiny
BILLREAMESSR
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Fuel pressure gauge only test equipment I have
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Sunday, January 29th, 2017 AT 4:07 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Have a timing light? If yes hook it up crank if it flashes you have spark but as Steve w said a scan tool maybe needed
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Monday, January 30th, 2017 AT 1:40 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,462 POSTS
Yeah, A pressure gauge is a handy tool but on modern engines you need to be able to talk to the computer. You can "rent" a lot of test equipment these days but a real scan tool isn't one of them. (At least not at the stores around here) BUT there is a reasonably cheap tool now being sold that does do quite a bit. Topdon Ultrascan Elite, From the reviews it seems like a handy tool for a DIYer who wants to go farther. If you don't want ABS or Airbag coverage the Ultra is a bit over half the price.
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Monday, January 30th, 2017 AT 7:27 PM
Tiny
BILLREAMESSR
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Hey I do have a timing light haven't used in many years will try that for frequency. Used extra spark plug grounded against manifold and was strong spark. When spraying starter fluid down throttle body it popped and belched fire. I am hoping it's the crankshaft position sensor. Looks like easiest fix. I'm getting old and forgetting things so I'm very grateful for your guidance. Had surgery yesterday I'll be bedridden for 2 weeks or more. Anxious to give this a shot. Being old school I still don't understand why it wouldn't start when spraying starter fluid down throttle body. Maybe you can put my mind to rest about this. Again thanks very much
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Tuesday, January 31st, 2017 AT 8:41 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,462 POSTS
Without the crank sensor working properly it is just like twisting the distributor. The engine sees the cam sensor but has no reference as to engine timing because the crank sensor tells it where the cylinders are in the firing sequence.
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Tuesday, January 31st, 2017 AT 11:31 AM
Tiny
BILLREAMESSR
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Hey great good to know really sounds like it's a crank sensor something I can fix puts my mind to rest now knowing what's wrong really do appreciate your help
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Tuesday, January 31st, 2017 AT 12:02 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,462 POSTS
Yep, rest up. We'll be here when you feel like tearing it apart. I will say that in one respect I like the modern systems because you can actually watch the various parts work. On the flip side, the automakers love adding more and more crap.
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Tuesday, January 31st, 2017 AT 6:40 PM
Tiny
BILLREAMESSR
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Hello fellas after being bedridden for 2 monthsready to get the Suburban running again had not been started all that time. Just for the heck of it I turn the key and it started right up. I've been talking to my uncle who has had several older Suburbans. He said sound like was moisture in the distributor I checked it out and it was dry. So I started it up drove it to get the engine hot parked it. Got the hose and while idling started spraying a fine mist on distributor. Didn't make any difference so I made the mist heavier still nothing so I stopped misting and flooded it until the idle slowed. So I shut it off and wanted till the next day and it wouldn't start again so I removed distributor cap and about 1/8 inch of water was in the depressed area where the cam position sensor is located. Dried it out installed new distributor cap rotor turn the key and snapped the life. WOW ! UNFORTUNATELY when tightening the distributor cap I cracked the distributor on the outside of the screw so unless there's a way of filling the crack? I have to put in a new distributor which raises the question because of the cam position sensor will the engine run good enough to get it to the mechanic so he can put it on the analyzer? Also I was going to install a new cam position sensor on the new distributor before I installed it but don't know if that would be too drastic of a change that I wouldn't be able to drive it to get it analyzed
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Monday, April 10th, 2017 AT 6:06 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,602 POSTS
You should be able to replace the cam angle sensor and distributor no problem with being to drastic.

Sorry to hear of your illness hope you are doing better now.

Best, Ken
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Wednesday, April 12th, 2017 AT 6:45 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,462 POSTS
Get a rebuilt distributor and drop it in. When you disconnect the battery it will wipe the memory of the cam/crank sensors anyway. While you are working on it clean the throttle body, MAF sensor and the IAC ports. That way the computer can get a fresh start with clean components.
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Thursday, April 13th, 2017 AT 5:16 AM

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