DeathByNissan55
Newbie
have a 1994 chevy k1500 4x4 ext cab with the original factory 5 speed manual and a TBI 350 from a 1991 chevy caprice(apparently).
What is the usual cause for the problems described below?:
The starter works nicely, but the engine just doesnt want to start easily. It will turn over eventually, but it takes a couple cranks and my foot almost to the floor on the accelerator for it to work. It had a low idle before and sometimes it stalls out before this problem occurred, but now it literally wants to die. When you give it throttle, it feels as if I'm not getting combustion on every stroke as if some strokes werent firing. The aftermarket Tach's needle is going all over the place and the "shift up" light is blinking on and off in a random fashion as if there were an electrical problem(ie bad connection). If I dont try to keep it running, it clunks out.
Someone told me ignition control module, but that doesnt sound right at all cuz how would that affect the tach and shift light. I think its an ECU problem or something along those lines. Or it could be a combo of a bad ground and bad ignition control module.
Edit: Actually the ignition control module might make sense because when i took the air cleaner assembly off and looked at the injectors spray as my dad was trying to keep the truck alive, it wasnt cutting the spray ever...so yea.
Edit: So I replaced the ECM with the correct one and it came with a new PROM that was also the correct one for the truck.....didnt fix the problem totally. However, you can tell that it runs a lil bit better and it doesnt always just die by itself anymore. Also found out when replacing ECM that there was an animal nest in my dash right on top of the blow motor, bunch of the wires were nibbled on. Fixed those and they didnt change anything.
So it leads me to believe its something to do with a sensor. What kind of sensor would cause too much fuel to be added and to make the tach/shift up light freak out? I took off the ignition control module and it turns out its after market, it is an Accel 35370 performance control module. Since it is a performance part, I'm not really sure it would fail. Along with that, this car has an external MSD coil/wires and a stock distributor cap.
What about grounds? What grounds would affect the amount of fuel being injected, the shift up light, and the tach? Right now I know the ground that attaches to the passenger fender and the one that attaches from the negative of the battery to the engine are good. I have to check the one that attaches to the front of the intake manifold. The tether ground that went from the engine to the frame is severed(due to it being chassis lifted), but that wouldnt cause the engine and tach/shift light problems because this has been severed since it was owned and it didnt have this problem initially. Any grounds in that section of power and ground points on the passenger side on the firewall that is "usually" supposed to be covered by some sort of plastic box?
Also, I determined that somewhere in the chassis electrical, the parking light circuit is tied into the brake light circuit. When I have the key off and hit the brake pedal, the dash lights, the parking lights, and brake lights turn on, and the annoying bell goes off in unison with whenever i hit the brake pedal. When I have the key on, the buzzer doesnt go off like that, but the lights still act the same. Also, when i just turn on the parking lights, the brakes will come on too. So where would be the most likely place that would happen? The hitch mount area?
Edit: Replaced the ignition control module, didn't fix it.
Edit: TPS tested bad, threw a new one in, idled a little rough in the beginning. Replaced semi-kinked vacuum hard line, truck cold started rough but drove great and idled great when it warmed up.......Tried driving it the next day, barely got it started, ran like super crap, sounded like misfiring.
After I test compression on the engine, the test will determine if I keep putting more money into getting it running, or just looking for a 350 tbi in better condition/rebuild the one i have(whichever is cheaper) and part out the 350 I have. My best guess right now is that either the IAC valve or EGR is super clogged but not throwing any more money until i test compression.
It would be wonderful to get some thoughts from some people that know their **** on here.
What is the usual cause for the problems described below?:
The starter works nicely, but the engine just doesnt want to start easily. It will turn over eventually, but it takes a couple cranks and my foot almost to the floor on the accelerator for it to work. It had a low idle before and sometimes it stalls out before this problem occurred, but now it literally wants to die. When you give it throttle, it feels as if I'm not getting combustion on every stroke as if some strokes werent firing. The aftermarket Tach's needle is going all over the place and the "shift up" light is blinking on and off in a random fashion as if there were an electrical problem(ie bad connection). If I dont try to keep it running, it clunks out.
Someone told me ignition control module, but that doesnt sound right at all cuz how would that affect the tach and shift light. I think its an ECU problem or something along those lines. Or it could be a combo of a bad ground and bad ignition control module.
Edit: Actually the ignition control module might make sense because when i took the air cleaner assembly off and looked at the injectors spray as my dad was trying to keep the truck alive, it wasnt cutting the spray ever...so yea.
Edit: So I replaced the ECM with the correct one and it came with a new PROM that was also the correct one for the truck.....didnt fix the problem totally. However, you can tell that it runs a lil bit better and it doesnt always just die by itself anymore. Also found out when replacing ECM that there was an animal nest in my dash right on top of the blow motor, bunch of the wires were nibbled on. Fixed those and they didnt change anything.
So it leads me to believe its something to do with a sensor. What kind of sensor would cause too much fuel to be added and to make the tach/shift up light freak out? I took off the ignition control module and it turns out its after market, it is an Accel 35370 performance control module. Since it is a performance part, I'm not really sure it would fail. Along with that, this car has an external MSD coil/wires and a stock distributor cap.
What about grounds? What grounds would affect the amount of fuel being injected, the shift up light, and the tach? Right now I know the ground that attaches to the passenger fender and the one that attaches from the negative of the battery to the engine are good. I have to check the one that attaches to the front of the intake manifold. The tether ground that went from the engine to the frame is severed(due to it being chassis lifted), but that wouldnt cause the engine and tach/shift light problems because this has been severed since it was owned and it didnt have this problem initially. Any grounds in that section of power and ground points on the passenger side on the firewall that is "usually" supposed to be covered by some sort of plastic box?
Also, I determined that somewhere in the chassis electrical, the parking light circuit is tied into the brake light circuit. When I have the key off and hit the brake pedal, the dash lights, the parking lights, and brake lights turn on, and the annoying bell goes off in unison with whenever i hit the brake pedal. When I have the key on, the buzzer doesnt go off like that, but the lights still act the same. Also, when i just turn on the parking lights, the brakes will come on too. So where would be the most likely place that would happen? The hitch mount area?
Edit: Replaced the ignition control module, didn't fix it.
Edit: TPS tested bad, threw a new one in, idled a little rough in the beginning. Replaced semi-kinked vacuum hard line, truck cold started rough but drove great and idled great when it warmed up.......Tried driving it the next day, barely got it started, ran like super crap, sounded like misfiring.
After I test compression on the engine, the test will determine if I keep putting more money into getting it running, or just looking for a 350 tbi in better condition/rebuild the one i have(whichever is cheaper) and part out the 350 I have. My best guess right now is that either the IAC valve or EGR is super clogged but not throwing any more money until i test compression.
It would be wonderful to get some thoughts from some people that know their **** on here.