97 Blazer died, cranks but won't start
 

Hello,

I've read many, many threads on the forum with similar problems, but each seems to have a different resolution and I'm not sure which one (if any) applies to me. Therefore, I've decided to ask my own question.

My 1997 Blazer 4WD has been running fine except for an occasional stumble when shifting to 2nd gear at normal acceleration. It also has an electrical drain somewhere that I haven't been able to locate yet, so I keep it on a trickle charger if I won't be driving it in the next 24 hours or so. Check engine and air bag lights have been lit for years with no ill effects. Otherwise, peachy.

The last few days here in Indiana we've had prodigious amounts of rain and unseasonably warm weather. Then this morning it had turned quite cold. I went out and started the car to warm it up. Starting was fine, and it ran while I put my son on the school bus. I went inside to grab some papers and when I came out, the car had died.

I initially thought I had run out of gas as the fuel gauge has not worked correctly in quite some time. The tank should have been full as I keep it full or close to it, but who knows maybe someone siphoned it out. So I got a ride to the station and got 5 gallons, put about 3 in the tank and it was full. So, I have gas in the tank.

Engine cranks at a good speed and battery is fully charged. It never fires, not even once. I do not notice a gas smell. I can usually hear the fuel pump. It's so incredibly windy here today that I can't hear much of anything, but I believe I do hear the pump if I listen closely.

That said, I already have a cap, rotor, plugs, and wired that I'll be trying first. After reading other threads, I believe I'll also pick up a coil and fuel pressure tester. Is there anything else I'm obviously missing, something simple (or not) that someone more experienced thinks I should check out while I'm on it?

I'd also like to give a quick thanks, this forum has been quite useful to me in the past, I've just never posted here before.

My first thought is the fuel pump. Check the pump pressure, and leakdown.

Will do that as soon as I can get out and find a tester, thank you.

While cranking, have someone whack the bottom of the fuel tank with a hammer or something. If it starts, the fuel pump is dying

Thanks, I'll give that a try. So far, replacing cap, rotor, plugs, and wires, and checking all fuses has been unsuccessful. I haven't been able to locate a fuel pressure gauge yet. I'm disconnecting the battery overnight in hopes of resetting something. Will report back tomorrow.

Well, today was... ummm... interesting.

For three days I've randomly put a little gas in the TB and the car would start, run for (at most) a few seconds, and die. This was expected behavior, and I had resigned myself to the fact that I needed a fuel pump, and that it was going to have to go to the shop as I don't have any means to deal with 18 gallons of gasoline.

Some of the maintenance needed done anyway, so I went ahead with the coil, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, and PCV. Changed oil and filter. Bled the brakes. Of course those didn't fix my issue, why would they.

Yesterday I tested every fuse in the cabin block and all the relays in the glove box. No help. Left the battery unhooked last night, and today went out to tinker some more before calling the shop tomorrow morning.

Hooked up the battery, turned the key, and it started. For about 20 seconds, running rough. I thought maybe some gas was left over from my pouring it in the intake, so when it died I tried again. This time, as I feathered the pedal, it ran for closer to a minute and died. Weird.

Tried again, this time I got about 3 minutes. On the longer starts, the exhaust was billowing whitish-blue smoke (looked like oil to me) and I got very worried. I was actually able to go to the tailpipe and sample a liquid dripping from the pipe, it was clear and had no smell. A napkin held to the pipe came back wet but odorless. Water.

I let it run for a while, occasionally revving a bit and each time there would be a cloud of "smoke". Then I decided I had parked too close to the bushes and could use an extra foot of space on the driver's side. Pressed the brake, put the trans in reverse, and it died. Permanently. Back to square one, with cranking and no start, after repeated attempts.

The difference is, now it tries to fire occasionally.

Now, after that book, my questions:
- Could the extreme rain we had be a factor here? Is there something that could have filled with water that I should be checking? I can't imagine it, but why else would I have so much water in the combustion chambers?
- My guess at this point is that changing the plugs might have been a factor, and now my new plugs are fouled from the water. However, the old plugs didn't show any signs of water. Any thoughts?

I'm going to pull a few plugs tonight and check them, and if I don't figure it out it's going to the shop in the a.m., which I really can't afford. Just thought maybe I'd ring someone's bell with this new info.

Thank you.

To follow up for others who might find it helpful:

I finally got ahold of a pressure tester. Determined that the pump was giving no pressure at times, weak pressure at other times. In the quiet I could hear the pump faintly sometimes, and it made a growling sound. Obvious fuel pump issues, as evidence on the board pointed to from the beginning.

Sent it down to the shop as I have no means to deal with 18 gallons of gasoline. $800 later, the problem is apparently solved.

Might be useful to note that I had accidentally run the car out of gas about 3 weeks prior. Not empty, but that stage where you have about 1/8 tank left and hit a downhill, and your GM vehicle dies. I believe that was a factor.