I need a good chevy info!

[AquaMan]

I went and got the oil changed at Jiffy Lube in the Suburban on Saturday. I had them put Mobil One Synthetic in and a new filter. They started it and it ran up to pressure. They moved the truck out and parked it in front of the shop while I paid.

I went out and the darn thing would not start. Turns over fine, but no fuel to the injectors. It is a 1994 350 TBI. I bypassed the oil pressure safety shut off (Grey wire to ground) and checked the fuse AND relay (Red wire to ground) for the fuel pump. The oil pressure sensor is hot all the time and the fuse and relay are hot with the ignition key on.

There is no telltale sound at the gas tank of the pump when I turn the key on. Is there something I am not looking at. The shop wants $250 to replace the pump since the tank has to be dropped and it is half full.

What gives? Did my fuel pump go just like that? HELP!


AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[Dave in Mpls]

Sounds like it could be a fuel pump and if so, yes, they can go out just like that!

I can tell you it isn't the Mobil 1!

Bummer. I've had a intermittant antifreeze leak (only when it's super cold) and while I was servicing the tranny last week I discovered that I need a new radiator. Also just had to replace the oil cooling lines that run from just above the filter to the radiator. Still wouldn't trade the '94, though!

Regards

[AquaMan]

Yeah, I hear ya, Dave. The truck is nice and I like it, but the problems continue to attack the fishing fund and that ain't good. Wife keeps telling how I can't do this or that when something fails. The bad starter put a crimp on spending the day before the Canadian duck hunt. That was $200 bucks less for the trip. Now spring fishing will be $250 light.

I thought maybe someone had a quick diag of the situation and could tell me, "Oh yea, just reset the dohicky under the dash for a different oil", or something like that. Not so, eh?

Does not sound like that's the case.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[Haugeye]

AquaMan, I own a auto repair shop in Il. What happened to you is common. What you want to do is test the wire at the fuel pump plug in . if you have power when cranking the engine over then replace the pump. For your info i looked up parts and labor.
OEM part # 25163473 129.67
labor is 1.8 hours times the labor rate .
Your lucky you were not at the boat launch, with the boat half in the water. Hope this helps Haugeye

[RANGER]

Sorry Aquaman, I have to agree with Dave. Look at it this way, better in the parking lot than pulling the boat to the water and REALLY looking forward to a day fishing, and...............!

I rationalize like this most of the time to keep my sanity when all I want to do is punch something!!! ;-)


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[TBO/MN]

I hear ya, Aquaman.

Last fall, just sitting in the parking lot at work, she died. Mine is a 97, and maybe a different deal, but mine cost me $465 to have fixed. The fuel pump and also I guess it fried some electrical relay on the top of the tank, some wires also. Thank the "fish gods" for extended warranties. If you get away with only spending $250 on the pump, figure yourself lucky.....easy for me to say, RIGHT!!

Good Luck, remember, we have to PAY to PLAY!!

Good Fishin'
TBO/MN

[AquaMan]

The pump is inside the tank, and I have checked the wires at the firewall and thay are hot, so it looks like the flute is real.

Yeah, I guess it was a small consolation that I was accross the parking lot from my repair shop instead of Lake of the Woods or something, but it was too coincedental, know what I mean?

Auuggggg!

Looks like I will be building more decks this summer, again. Anyone need a deck? <grin>

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[AquaMan]

Yep, the shop called. It's the pump. $90+ tax for the part and $180 for install. Mmmm, that smarts!

Any donations for a good cause? <ear to ear grin>

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[Hawg Tracker]

Aquaman...that's a real bummer when you have to lay out big bux just to make the thing run as it did before the breakdown. I don't mind spending $250.00 for a hotter cam or suspension improvements but,just to have it run like it did before hurts.
My question relates to the oil....why does anyone use that (synthetic)stuff?
I have always been a "change the oil at 3000 miles" kinda guy. What does this synthetic oil buy you? If you are running a standard $3.00 paper filter and it's assumed that it is filtering MOST of the crud, why would you want that junk shooting around in the engine any longer than 3000 miles?
I know it costs more than twice that of a good grade of petroleum based oil...is it worth it?

[Dave in Mpls]

I tend to look at those kinda things like this...$270 is about half a months payment and insurance on a 2001 Suburban!!!

My buddy has a '98 Sub with 30,000 miles and his water pump went out yesterday...stuff happens!

Keep your chin up, boy!

Later

BTW, that price seems pretty reasonable.

[EyeBoy]

AM;
Go the barter route. Find a good mechanic that likes to fish, and doesn't have a boat.........
ON-PLANE!!!TOM

[AquaMan]

HT, I do it about every 6 months in order to clean the engines out. Since Synthetics have better lubricating and cleaning properties then regular oils, but are 4x the price, I do it more as an occasional maintenance thing then a regular thing.

The price is prohibitive for me to use it year round, ($50 for the Suburban) so I do it about oevery 6 months.

There is no science there, just something my brother-in-laws do and suggested I do.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[Dave in Mpls]

I run Mobil 1 10W30 (even though the manual recommends 5W30) year around in my '94. Just makes me sleep better. In theory, the Mobil 1 can be run for 5000 miles, change filter and add 1 quart, and run for another 5000 miles. I run it for 5000 miles, and then change all five quarts plus the filter. Mobil 1 can be found on sale for around $3 a quart, so I figure it costs me $30 for 10 qts oil, plus $6 for two Delco PF-52 filters, for a total of $36/year (10,000 mile/year). For "regular" oil, I'd be looking at $18.75 for 15 qts oil, plus $9 for three filters, for a total of $27.75/year. That's a difference of $8.25 a year. That's the cheapest insurance I can think of!

Regards

[TBO/MN]

Hey Dave,

I go the synthetic route also, I use Amsoil. I change every 25,000 miles, at 12,000 I change the filter(Amsoil filter) and bring it back up to level full. Change oil and filter every 25k, at $7.25 per quartX6=$43.50 plus $8.00 for the filter, I figure that is as cheap as changing every 3-4k with regular oil, and Amsoil lubes better any way.

I use Amsoil injector oil in outboard also, great stuff.

Good Fishin' Pal
TBO/MN

[Phil T.]

A maintenance manager from work showed me an SAE publication that indicated that a single quart of Mobil-1 or similar synthetic blended with normal oil provides about 95% of the benefits of a complete sump full of the high-priced stuff.
If you have a towing package, that's 5 quarts normal oil, and one quart synthetic. Yes, they are compatible, read the back of the bottle. Change as you would regular oil, every 2500-3000 miles.

[D in MI]

I had the same thing happen to me at the gas pump no less. I went inside got a coffee cup and put some gas in it and had someone crank the engine while I dumped a little gas down the throttle body. The engine would start right up for a few seconds then die. I knew a new fuel pump was in order. We were out of town on fishing vacation. Needed it done right then.....330.00 end of story.

[Dobber]

little tip that might help someone in a bind.take a board or some other semi hard object and pound on the bottom of the tank.works 90 percent of the time.may help get someone home from a remote location.

[ebijack]

before you replace the pump, make sure it's not just the fuel pump relay...those are known to go bad. if you can find someone local who knows what there doing you can jump the relay and see if that fixes it, or even borrow one of the other relays just to see if that fixes it. there's also a jumper wire (usually a red,grey or purple wire under the hood, just for powering up the fuel pump as to be able to empty the tank. you just supply 12v positive to that brown single connector)hope that helps

[haugeye]

>little tip that might help someone
>in a bind.take a board
>or some other semi hard
>object and pound on the
>bottom of the tank.works 90
>percent of the time.may help
>get someone home from a
>remote location.


Just make sure the gas tank is not rusted too bad or you'll be buyinag a gas tank with that new fuel pump!!

[mnjimcarp]

"good chevy info", seems like an oxymoron.

[gertzie]

This happen to me on minnesota-iowa opener a few years ago,had to pull the rig out of the water,quit on the ramp,parked it in the lot went fishing,came back and got on the horn,went back out until some came,got my limit that day too.

[Walleye2k]

One nice thing about changing oil every 3 mnths or 3000 miles is a Reminder to check other things. For those that do it yourself now is the time to look around under the hood and inspect for worn belts, hoses, top off ALL fluids. And while you are at it, check tire pressure and condition..do you really check your tires once a month as reccomended? And how old is the air filter? What about the gas filter? To be reminded 4 times a year by following the 3 month/3000 mile rule will in the long run allow for more time on the water.... I hate riding in others vehicles.. Summer Fishin trips, lots of bugs on windshield and guess what...no washer fluid!!!!lol

[AquaMan]

Yeah, I bypassed the relay at the firewall without success. Also tested the wires at the tank. They were hot with the key. Just a bad pump.

Most of your would be proud of my maintenance of all my rigs, but these are non-maint repairs. Ya know? Seams like without bad luck, no luck at all.

Although, as pointed out at the shop last night and in here, I can't believe the luck I HAVE had. All major breakdowns have been in/near my driveway or near my mechanics shop. NOT on the road. Whew! I have not had to cut a trip or sit for hours on the road between Shooks and Baudette at 2AM... 1 car every 4 hours. ;-)

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"