2002 Chevrolet Pickup Will Not Start

How many miles are on this vehicle?

About 61,000 miles.

It's common at this milage for the fuel pump to prematurly fail, however, it will need some diagnositics before it can be determened. First check both your battery cables, especially the positive ones, and make sure they arn't even slightly loose. If they are tighten them, GM has had problems with these cables and the vehicle will crank and not fire and it's often overlooked by most shops, costing $$$ in diagnostic process. After this check, look on the dash and see if the Check Engine Lamp illuminates with the key on. There has been problems with the fuel pump connectore at the top of the gas tank, that woould explain the level condition. While someone is cranking, bank on the gas tank with a malet and see if it fires, if it tries to start, the pump may be bad or the connection at the assembly which usually requires a new pump. If these checks don't provide resolution, please inform. Thanks,

-Rip

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No luck at all. Cables were pretty tight and I tightened just a little. "Service Engine Soon" was on withkey on and stayed on when cranking. Banged the tank while cranking, did not fire. Any other ideas or do you feel it is the pump? Tank removal to get to the pump? Thanks, Keith

Yes the tank is removed to access the pump. I can give you instuctions on how to check for a pump if you have a multimeter handy to check for voltages. It can be the pump relay, but is uncommon. Another couple of "quick checks" you can do is have someone turn the key on and don't crank while your ear is as close to the tank as possible, you should here the pump come on than go off in a few seconds, if you can't hear it open the fuel cap and listen there, with a tank less than half full the pump running should be noticable, if it's not the pump is faulty, the wiring, or it's not recieving the command to actuate, which needs to be diagnosed with a meter. Also, you can open the hood and at the rear of the engine on the driver's side is an attachment for a Fuel Pressure Gauge, it has a valve in it similar to a tire shradder valve, press the valve in with the tip of a pen and fuel should come out with some force, does it? Also, pull the intake boot off at the throtle body and spray some carb cleaner in there with the butterfly open, replace the boot and crank the engine with the gas pedal to the floor, if it fire momentarily, than we've established the engine isn't recieving fuel.

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Could not hear the pump turn on at all. Just a smidgit of fuel that did not have pressure at 1st, then no pressure. Sprayed in throttle body and yes it fired a second.   What makes the gage go up and down? Fuel pump should not do it? Relay? I have a multi-meter, not too knowledgable though. Thanks

Well the gauge and feul pump arfe "modular"(one unit) and a short on the connector, or an excessivly drawing fuel pump , can cause this problem. Make these checks: Fuse ECMB (20 amps) should be good under the hood, as it powers the fuel pump, and part of the computer. If that checks good (has power to the fuse) than pull the fuel pump relay in the same box. The relay has (4) prongs, two have power with the ignition on and one should have ground while cranking (this is the computer signal to the pump) The other one should show ground at all times even with the key off, this is the wire going to the fuel pump, and when the relay energizes it powers this wire, which when the fuel pump is off has gound on it. Unless the pump has gone "open" there would be no reading here. So if you have power to two terminals, and ground on one (hook up the meter on the positive terminal on the battery, rather than the negative) while cranking, than all the signals must be good, so this means the pump is faulty or the relay, if you take a paperclip and "jump" a terminal with power to the fuel pump terminal, than you should here the pump come on (be sure your not putting power to the terminal that has ground while cranking, as this is the computer signal and you should not be putting power to it) and the vehiclke should run, if not the pump or the connection aboue the tank is at fault. It can also be wiring from the fuse box to the fuel pump, but this is unlikely. Also, whenever someone turns the key on, if you put your finger on the relay while it's plugged in, it should cycle and you'll feel it click, in most cases this is an indication the relay is operating and the signal to it are good.

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Kip,
I think I need better explanation. I checked the fuse, good. Removed the relay and have 4 prongs. Now, how to hook up my multi-meter, what should it be set to, etc. How do I find power and grounds. Sorry, not very electronically gifted and youve gone over my head. I need each step defined. thks

Put your multimeter on the volts DC scale (a stright line above the letters DC or a line next to the letter V on most meters means it's on the DC scale, which is the type of voltage used on automobiles. The meter negative lead (black in color) will be clamped on to the negative terminal on the battery. Use this setting to measure the voltage at the two prong with power (you should read approx 12.30v) the other two will mshow nothing. Now to test the signal and with terminal goes to the starter, take your negative lead off the battery post and hook the positive (red one) to the battery on the positive post. Have someone crank the vehicle and check for voltage equal to 12.30v at the terminal that has this voltage than when you turn the key off there is nothing, this is the computer signal. Also check with the key off the last terminal has a voltage reading at all times, this is your starter signal. You see when your meter is on the negitive terminal of the battery you are providing your meter with ground and you other end is checking for power, when you reverse the leads and have the red on the positive terminal, you are now providing the meter with known power and are checking with the other end for good ground.

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RIP,
I had not had a chance to look at the truck since Friday. Today, I finally looked at it. I started to check out things and found no power to any of the prongs. Then I rechecked the 20A fuse as I remembered I "sparked" something Friday with the key on and I'll be darned it was blowned. New one in and the truck started????? I could easily hear the pump turn on and off. I took it for a ride to see if it would do the same as before (gage up & down) and it didn't.

Last Fall the back window was busted out and all a lot of the glass particles ended up on top of the fuel tank/fuel pump area so I decided to spray the glass out of that area thinking maybe that caused something to go haywire? When I was about done, I tried to start it again and it wouldn't start? Could not hear pump turn on so I got below and was going to see if I knocked something off or something spraying? I quickly noticed a ground bolt was completly loose like a 1/4" gap. Ground appears to be for both the fuel pump and a lead going to the fuel neck. The bolt was not loose at all removing it at that position so I would guess it was loose when assembled but it finally went intermittent because of the rust around it??? I cleaned up all the contact points and put back together and it now starts and seems fixed? What do you think?

With that, I am not sure if I should hit "accept" or I maybe you could assist me with another problem that I have with my 1993 Olds 98 where last Fall I parked it for the winter and it ran fine. A few weeks ago I went to start it and it was dead. New battery (it turns over fine) but the heater fan motor runs constantly even with the "key off". And now there is no spark. I looked into it and it was suggested that the "coolant temp. sensor" could be bad? He asked me to jumper it's plug. Just 1 wire going in, I did jump it but not sure if I jumpered it right being just 1 wire, did not change anything. I also read that the GEM sensor gets water on it and stops working. This makes sense with the vehicle just sitting outside all winter and drained the battery when the fan kicked on without my knowledge. I have no idea where it is located. likely under dash? Also read maybe the blower high speed relay or the thermostat but don't know why there isn't spark? Can you help on this one instead?

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