starting problem 2003 4.3L

Merritt · 11-03-2009, 06:44 AM

Here lately, once in a while I'll have trouble starting the truck. It's only happening on cold starts, once the motor's warmed up it'll crank up most of the time. It seems like it's only happening when it's been raining, but I don't know if that's coincidence, or not. It's happened 3 times so far, and the only things I've done to the truck recently are the e-fan, and clean my k&n filter. I know sometimes the oil from the k&n can get on the MAF, but I don't think this would have anything to do with the truck starting. The e-fan has been done for 3 or 4 months now, and it's only recently starting to do this, so I think it's unrelated.

When I turn the key the fuel pump primes like normal, but there's a squealing sound. I crawled under the truck to see where the sound was coming from and it sounds like it's up around the engine, but it starts and stops with the fuel pump priming. I don't know if maybe it's the pump, and the noise is following the fuel lines and that's where I'm hearing it from, maybe a bad FPR?

I'm gonna check the fuel pressure when I can get my hands on a gauge, any other ieas on what to look for?

One more thing, today when I was checking it I got it to fire up and shut it off again. I turned the key and primed the fuel pump maybe 8 or 10 times listening to the noise, and then it didn't want to start back up. Once I finally got it started back up it smoked like it was flooded. Don't know if this helps or not. I'm hoping it's the fuel pump, so I don't have to spend a lot of time looking for the problem without a truck to drive.

70CHEVY327 · 11-03-2009, 01:53 PM

im having the same problem try new wires and check your plugs its going to rain in the next day or so ill let you know if it worked on mine

ps

put some of the electic grease stuff (name is there cant think of it) in side the wire boots befor you put the new wires on
and just to warn you the back to cylinders on the drives side are a bit rough to do if you have big hands and arms (mine are curently not done i cant fit my arm and dont have a jack so i cann pull off the front tire

Merritt · 11-03-2009, 11:48 PM

I'm starting to think it might have something to do with the MAF, at first I didn't think so, but it didn't start happening until after I cleaned and oiled the filter. I don't know, but I'm thinking maybe it was dumping too much fuel into it, and maybe that's why it started smoking like it was flooded.

Ragged97 · 11-04-2009, 01:59 AM

Mine does kinda the samething, it turns for a few seconds, and then sometimes I have to try again, and then it starts!

Gonna get new plugs, wires, cap,ect and
go from there :/

Crew Cab Sonoma · 11-04-2009, 06:00 PM

Merritt, i'm kinda thinking you might be right about the FPR.
since you said it smoked like it was flooded after several
primings.
if there wasnt a fuel leak into the manifold, it shouldnt
matter how many times you primed it, shouldnt get black
smoke after doing that.
check the fuel pressure next, and also note how quickly the
pressure drops after turning it off...

you may also be able to remove the TB, and check for
fuel dripping/puddling in the back of the manifold.

Merritt · 11-05-2009, 02:50 AM

I haven't even had a chance to do anything with it yet, between work and getting up leaves, and my grandmother getting her house broken into... I'll get it checked out and post the results as soon as I can. Thanks for the replies.

70CHEVY327 · 11-05-2009, 11:14 AM

it rained last night truck stared up perfect this morning so you might want to try wires

Merritt · 11-06-2009, 03:00 AM

Yeah it hasn't rained for the past 4 or 5 days and the truck's been doing fine. I guess I can pretty much say it's happening with the rain. I think they're calling for more this weekend, so we'll see what happens.

11-03-2009, 06:44 AM	#1
Merritt Registered Abuser Age: 24 Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 8,088 Location: King, NC User is: OffLine	starting problem 2003 4.3L Here lately, once in a while I'll have trouble starting the truck. It's only happening on cold starts, once the motor's warmed up it'll crank up most of the time. It seems like it's only happening when it's been raining, but I don't know if that's coincidence, or not. It's happened 3 times so far, and the only things I've done to the truck recently are the e-fan, and clean my k&n filter. I know sometimes the oil from the k&n can get on the MAF, but I don't think this would have anything to do with the truck starting. The e-fan has been done for 3 or 4 months now, and it's only recently starting to do this, so I think it's unrelated. When I turn the key the fuel pump primes like normal, but there's a squealing sound. I crawled under the truck to see where the sound was coming from and it sounds like it's up around the engine, but it starts and stops with the fuel pump priming. I don't know if maybe it's the pump, and the noise is following the fuel lines and that's where I'm hearing it from, maybe a bad FPR? I'm gonna check the fuel pressure when I can get my hands on a gauge, any other ieas on what to look for? One more thing, today when I was checking it I got it to fire up and shut it off again. I turned the key and primed the fuel pump maybe 8 or 10 times listening to the noise, and then it didn't want to start back up. Once I finally got it started back up it smoked like it was flooded. Don't know if this helps or not. I'm hoping it's the fuel pump, so I don't have to spend a lot of time looking for the problem without a truck to drive.
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11-03-2009, 01:53 PM	#2
70CHEVY327 Registered User Age: 23 Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 329 Location: pittsburgh pa User is: OffLine	Re: starting problem 2003 4.3L im having the same problem try new wires and check your plugs its going to rain in the next day or so ill let you know if it worked on mine ps put some of the electic grease stuff (name is there cant think of it) in side the wire boots befor you put the new wires on and just to warn you the back to cylinders on the drives side are a bit rough to do if you have big hands and arms (mine are curently not done i cant fit my arm and dont have a jack so i cann pull off the front tire Last edited by 70CHEVY327 : 11-03-2009 at 01:58 PM.
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11-03-2009, 11:48 PM	#3
Merritt Registered Abuser Age: 24 Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 8,088 Location: King, NC User is: OffLine	Re: starting problem 2003 4.3L I'm starting to think it might have something to do with the MAF, at first I didn't think so, but it didn't start happening until after I cleaned and oiled the filter. I don't know, but I'm thinking maybe it was dumping too much fuel into it, and maybe that's why it started smoking like it was flooded.
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11-04-2009, 01:59 AM	#4
Ragged97 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 592 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: starting problem 2003 4.3L Mine does kinda the samething, it turns for a few seconds, and then sometimes I have to try again, and then it starts! Gonna get new plugs, wires, cap,ect and go from there :/
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11-04-2009, 06:00 PM	#5
Crew Cab Sonoma not low, not gonna be... Age: 43 Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,842 Location: Chattanooga, TN User is: OffLine	Re: starting problem 2003 4.3L Merritt, i'm kinda thinking you might be right about the FPR. since you said it smoked like it was flooded after several primings. if there wasnt a fuel leak into the manifold, it shouldnt matter how many times you primed it, shouldnt get black smoke after doing that. check the fuel pressure next, and also note how quickly the pressure drops after turning it off... you may also be able to remove the TB, and check for fuel dripping/puddling in the back of the manifold. Last edited by Crew Cab Sonoma : 11-04-2009 at 06:01 PM.
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11-05-2009, 02:50 AM	#6
Merritt Registered Abuser Age: 24 Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 8,088 Location: King, NC User is: OffLine	Re: starting problem 2003 4.3L I haven't even had a chance to do anything with it yet, between work and getting up leaves, and my grandmother getting her house broken into... I'll get it checked out and post the results as soon as I can. Thanks for the replies.
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11-05-2009, 11:14 AM	#7
70CHEVY327 Registered User Age: 23 Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 329 Location: pittsburgh pa User is: OffLine	Re: starting problem 2003 4.3L it rained last night truck stared up perfect this morning so you might want to try wires
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11-06-2009, 03:00 AM	#8
Merritt Registered Abuser Age: 24 Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 8,088 Location: King, NC User is: OffLine	Re: starting problem 2003 4.3L Yeah it hasn't rained for the past 4 or 5 days and the truck's been doing fine. I guess I can pretty much say it's happening with the rain. I think they're calling for more this weekend, so we'll see what happens.
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