jumped fuse 10 + 11 and got poser to dash warning lights, checked fuel pressure with guage on the rail, and it read 60 something with key on engine off, still wouldnt start tho. is there another place to look for ignition? i dont know if i have spark yet, but im guessing no since its not running.

 

When the ignition is initially turned to the on position, (engine off) the fuel pump should come on for ~2 seconds and shut off. It is controlled by the PCM. The fuel pump should run continuously while cranking, and when the engine is running. When the ignition is turned to the off position, the fuel pump should run for ~2 seconds, and then shut off.

1996 & 1997 oil pressure sending units have a circuit that provides an additional path for amperage to flow to the fuel pump when oil pressure is above ~7psi.** If the fuel pump continues to run longer than ~2 seconds after the ignition is turned off, the oil pressure sending unit is probably sticking and needs replacement. You can verify this very easily: With the engine running at idle, unplug the electrical connector from the oil pressure sending unit, (fuel pump will remain running). Turn the ignition off, and the fuel pump should stop within ~2 seconds.


** This circuit does not control the fuel pump. It is not a "safety feature" that will shut off the fuel pump if oil pressure drops below ~7psi.

 

well heck i got the cover off the lower ignition, looked around didnt do anyting in there yet, but i jumped the fuses again and it started up! i dont know what the deal is. so i shut it off then it wouldnt restart, im wondering if my battery is just to low to start it. will try again with the battery on the booster later.

P.S i broke my tilt lever pulling it to get it out! anyone got a extra?

also its t-20 torx to get the lower cover off.

 

So glad someone posted this. I think it's 96 and up have the three wires on the oil sensor. Mine is a 98. This is exactly what is going on with my Blazer. Don't ignore this problem... I bought this Blazer with a bad engine. Metal on Metal. I had a great running 4.3 in my S-10 that I swapped in. I'm pretty sure that is what destroyed the old engine. When the fuel pump keeps running for more than 2 seconds and there's some seepage from the fuel pressure regulator, the excess fuel goes straight past the pistons to the oil pan and thins out your oil. Had an Astro years ago that kept filling the oil pan with fuel. Now I know why.

 

I'm not meaning to highjack this thread but how in the heck does your fuel go from the pressure regulator into the pan. The regulator is located on the side of the spider in the intake manifold. That is also where the air travels from and goes to the valves into the cylinders. A leaking fuel pressure regulator dumps the fuel into the intake which gets sucked in through the valves into the cylinders making it run rich on the passenger side cylinders. There shouldn't be a path for anything on there to go into the pan. Besides a pan full of fuel would be cause for concern of a possible explosion. What you are describing is a possible lower intake manifold gasket going bad (which is a common occurance) which causes the pan to fill with antifreeze and make the oil into a chocolate milk and, yes, the thinned out oil causes bearings to go crunch. Unless the rings were also shot, which THAT could possibly allow fuel to seep into the pan, but that'd have to be some really bad rings.

 

I've had both the leaking intake manifold gasket and the fuel in the oil.
I'm referring to when you turn your engine off and the fuel pump keeps running for about 20 seconds more. That fuel will go right past the valves and piston into the oil pan. The Astro van my aunt gave me years ago was an extreme case.

 

Holy crap! I'm surprised it even ran if it was that bad.

 

No doubt about it, the LIM gaskets need to be dealt with ASAP or even better as a one time preventative maintenance item to fix the original design but coolant in the water is not necessarily a death sentence. When mine cut loose I had 1-2 quartz of overfilled chocolate milkshake and a hell of a mess to clean up upon repair and no damage to my bearings that I can detect. Hidden wear? Maybe? Deal with it right away, you bet but don't tow it to the junk yard just yet. In boating I have had transmissions and oil sumps filled with hot steaming salt water from failures while in remote regions of the Bahamas and after a half dozen fluid changed went 10 more years without issue.


George

 

Yeah, I had a 95 grand am I bought off of ebay in 2005. It had a blown LIM gasket and an engine pan full of chocolate milk. I got it for $500 and put another $700 in it. In 2009 the replaced gasket also went bad again and this time in the middle of heavy traffic. that time it warped the head. Also had a fuel pump giving out. But that was when I bought my second blazer (Jimmy actually) and junked the Grand Am. But it had lasted me 4 years strong after replacing the LIM gasket. Actually was a great car. Was sorry to see it go. But yeah, can confirm the bad gasket isn't a death sentence if it's fixed right.

 

Do you know the brand of the 2005 LIM gasket set? Did that replacement cut loose because it overheated?

George