This is a strange one, last winter (I live in SD) we had some rather mild weather up in the 40's however overnight it began to snow and temperature dropped below zero. The next morning the truck wouldn't start, when it warmed up later in the day no problem.

A couple of months later the same thing happened, the temperature dropped dramatically not below freezing, but the truck wouldn't start yet again. I figured maybe I was looking at a moisture problem soI started adding Heet at each fill up.

Here we are again this morning, the temperature remained in the 50's overnight, but it started to rain, and this morning it wouldn't start again.

One thing I've noticed is each time I've had this problem, I'm below a 1/2 tank of gas. I run a 91 octane gas and buy from the same station consistently. My wife hasa Lumina, and she buys her gas at the same place, but only an 87 octane, and never has this problem.

Has anyone ever had this happen to them and if so what have you done to remedy this situation?

Any reasonable help will be appreciated, thank you.

 

This seems to be a recurring complaint, hard / no starting. The most common cause/suspect is a weak fuel pump. I have had similar problems and have pretty much zeroed in on the fuel pump in my '96. Fuel pumps seem to be a common part that starts to fail around 100,000 +/- miles, although I did see that GM issued a TSB # 666309 way back in 4/1/1997 that addresses "engine hard to start" --> replace fuel pump pulsator. What the heck is a fuel pump pulsator? other than a part directly connected to the fuel pump assembly, which means dropping the tank, yada, yada, yada, anyway.

I'll be replaicing my fuel pump in the next couple of days, as I turned 102K miles and she's getting harder and harder to start every day. I've already ruled out or replaced everything else related to fuel delivery and everything else (spark, timing, air) is AOK.

 

Thanks, but I had it changed a couple of years ago right around the 30,000 mile mark, I'm now at a bit over 56,000. I just find it strange that it only happens when the weather changes.

 

Got home from work, went out and it fired right up. One thing is the Service Engine Soon light stayed on, it's done that in the past and goes off after the 2nd time I start it up.

Has anyone experienced this, you can set your watch to it, but if I keep the gas tank above half full there's no problem.

 

You're probably not going to like hearing this, but I had a very similar problem about a month ago with no start in major temperature changes. After about$400 in at home remedy maintenence. I finally decided to change the fuel pump. Inever wanted to pursue this option as the previous owner had replaced it, and it only had about 30k onit. Sure enough, the $130 Carter brand fuel pump, previous owner put in,had a malfunctioning pulsator. I put anOE qualaty pump in place of it replaced the filter and haven't had a problem yet.AndI have taken the vehicle to the extremes on temperature since the replacement, and no fault.
P.S. One sure fire way that I knew the pump was out was that when it wouldn't start I would hook up a jump, and with the 14volts the truck started everytime. Kinda wierd.

 

Started snowing yesterday, temperature droppedand the poor girl wouldn't start after work last night. It looks like a new fuel pump's in the works. Luckily I have a friend that's a mechanic, he's looking into a wholesale price so I may get lucky.

The only thing is I have no desire to leave my truck here any longer than necessary, does anyone have a quick solution to get her to start so I can get her home?

I'll post results, I want to thank everyone that either read or posted their experiences, it's forums like this that help everyone.

 

I've copied and pasted from a new post made by the original poster so that the information isn't in two separate threads:

 

Sorry about that m00nwater.

 

Hey, no problem, I'm just trying to help you and the members out by having it all organized.

 

when my pump was on the fritz in my jimmy sometimes you could talk her into satrting but turning the key to on, not run, then off and repeating it several times, atleast 3 maybe up to 5. this helps to build up fuel pressure, it will geraly still run like crap and my stall out, so if you get it running becarful where you drive, dont take highways if you dont have to and gernealy be cautious.