2000 NEVER STARTS AFTER RAIN/SITTING

[About Given Up!]

My 2000 Sliverado has given me nothing but problems about 1 year after purchase. The truck only has 40K miles and is constantly having problems starting after raining or whenever it has sat for a couple of days. I've had it towed into the same dealership 3 times only to be told that they can't find out why it's doing what it is. I'm now about to take it into another mech. since it will not start again. The best way I can describe what it sounds like is:

The engine will try and turn over however it makes a sort of back fire noise...and when you release the ignition switch to try again...it makes a coughing noise similar to old cars that won't turn off after you shut them off. WOULD SOMEONE HELP!!!!! I was told it was the catalytic converter which was replaced and then about a month later it was down again. I had it towed in again and they replaced a coil wire and the distributor cap and still no changes. I'm at my wits end!

[Glen Koenig]

My 2000 Sliverado has given me nothing but problems about 1 year after purchase.  The truck only has 40K miles and is constantly having problems starting after raining or whenever it has sat for a couple of days.  I've had it towed into the same dealership 3 times only to be told that they can't find out why it's doing what it is.  I'm now about to take it into another mech. since it will not start again.  The best way I can describe what it sounds like is: 

The engine will try and turn over however it makes a sort of back fire noise...and when you release the ignition switch to try again...it makes a coughing noise similar to old cars that won't turn off after you shut them off.  WOULD SOMEONE HELP!!!!!  I was told it was the catalytic converter which was replaced and then about a month later it was down again.  I had it towed in again and they replaced a coil wire and the distributor cap and still no changes.  I'm at my wits end!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

OK, un-educated hunches here because I don't know what engine you have.

 

Sounds a lot like an ignition problem. A bad coil (cracked case) is grounding out. You should be able to diagnose this at night by wetting the coil. Perhaps a little fish paper between the coil and the head would help.

 

It could also be a bad ignition control module (cheap fix). This one has bitten me and it bites hard. Esp. since it was such a cheap fix.

 

Perhaps some other sensor is grounding out. If the ECT is bad it can make it almost impossible to start. Depending upon the polarity, if it reads at the low end of the scale it will dump excess fuel and be pig rich at startup. Make sure it's not grounding out.

 

Most of these issues would likely go away after it dries out, which is why your mechanic doesn't always find the problem. Likewise, replacing a part may make you think it's fixed when in reality all it needed was time to dry out.

 

Good luck, HTH!

[About Given Up!]

My 2000 Sliverado has given me nothing but problems about 1 year after purchase.  The truck only has 40K miles and is constantly having problems starting after raining or whenever it has sat for a couple of days.  I've had it towed into the same dealership 3 times only to be told that they can't find out why it's doing what it is.  I'm now about to take it into another mech. since it will not start again.  The best way I can describe what it sounds like is: 

The engine will try and turn over however it makes a sort of back fire noise...and when you release the ignition switch to try again...it makes a coughing noise similar to old cars that won't turn off after you shut them off.  WOULD SOMEONE HELP!!!!!  I was told it was the catalytic converter which was replaced and then about a month later it was down again.  I had it towed in again and they replaced a coil wire and the distributor cap and still no changes.  I'm at my wits end!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

OK, un-educated hunches here because I don't know what engine you have.

 

Sounds a lot like an ignition problem. A bad coil (cracked case) is grounding out. You should be able to diagnose this at night by wetting the coil. Perhaps a little fish paper between the coil and the head would help.

 

It could also be a bad ignition control module (cheap fix). This one has bitten me and it bites hard. Esp. since it was such a cheap fix.

 

Perhaps some other sensor is grounding out. If the ECT is bad it can make it almost impossible to start. Depending upon the polarity, if it reads at the low end of the scale it will dump excess fuel and be pig rich at startup. Make sure it's not grounding out.

 

Most of these issues would likely go away after it dries out, which is why your mechanic doesn't always find the problem. Likewise, replacing a part may make you think it's fixed when in reality all it needed was time to dry out.

 

Good luck, HTH!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the information!!! Wouldn't any of these problems show up on the trucks' computer/error code when it was at the dealership?

 

My engine is 6 Cylinders 262 W 4.3L SFI

[GM-Tech]

I'll bet it's a 4.3,. Definitely distributor cap/rotor. LOTS of problems with those and I think there's even a recall for the problem.

[About Given Up!]

I'll bet it's a 4.3,.  Definitely distributor cap/rotor.  LOTS of problems with those and I think there's even a recall for the problem.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Thanks! I was told the distributor cap was replaced by the dealership but it's still continues to not start.

[GM-Tech]

Thanks!  I was told the distributor cap was replaced by the dealership but it's still continues to not start.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

So is it a 4.3? We've replaced several distributor caps on some of these until we discovered the real problem... which is the A/C line right above it drips condensation on the distributor (Insulate it with that foam home a/c line insulation) plus the lack of good venting. You have to pry out two tiny little screens in the base of the distributor to allow it to vent better. They're in two little holes in the base and hard to find if you don't know what you're looking for.

 

So look at that dist. cap and if you replace it, replace the rotor too.

[About Given Up!]

Thanks!  I was told the distributor cap was replaced by the dealership but it's still continues to not start.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

So is it a 4.3? We've replaced several distributor caps on some of these until we discovered the real problem... which is the A/C line right above it drips condensation on the distributor (Insulate it with that foam home a/c line insulation) plus the lack of good venting. You have to pry out two tiny little screens in the base of the distributor to allow it to vent better. They're in two little holes in the base and hard to find if you don't know what you're looking for.

 

So look at that dist. cap and if you replace it, replace the rotor too.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

I'll give it a shot! Thanks!