truck let me down

Larry from MD · Nov 14, 2009

After 4 days of rain 6 inch deep I went 2 miles down to the big house to clean up. Spent most of an hour loading the broke up stuff and when i tried to start the truck it would not. Its a 2003 chevy 1/2 ton and aparently something in the electronic ignition is bad. It will crank then act like it kicks backward. I tried both keys. Had to walk all the way back.Can i fix this myself or get a tow to a dealer?

D-C-741 · Nov 14, 2009

I know if it were Me I would get it fixed and Get it Long Gone ! things that are full of problems are just no good ,as you never know just when it will happen again !

john in la · Nov 14, 2009

Get it fixed and trade it in on a Toyota.

kyhayman · Nov 14, 2009

Unless you have a code reader I'd send it to the shop. There's gobs of computers, sensors, connections, and components. Any one of them could have failed or gotten a little bit wet.

I will venture away from the prevailing wisdom a bit. Vehicles break down, thats part of it. Who's to say this is the beginning of major problems. Of course mileage, condition, and whats been done to it all affect that answer. I poured a boat load of money into my truck winter before last. Hated to do it but the interest and depreciation on a new one is a lot more than what I spent.

ericlb · Nov 14, 2009

several causes first when was the last tune up ? meaning plugs, wires, rotor, and cap, chevys are one of the worst for shorting thru the top of the rotor and firing right down the distributor shaft i just fixed a ;03 doing the very same thing, if all that was recent change the module behind the distributer, be carefull not to break the little wires, it will run 45 to 60 bucks more than that for the 2 plug one and the place is stealing, there is another one tha costs more but its on california emmissions trucks only , all this is assuming you have compression, and didnt break the timing chain [ extreamly unlikely]

ericlb · Nov 14, 2009

yes you can do all this yourself its not difficult just a pain to get to the rear mounted distributor, back another truck up to the front of it and stand on the tailgate, works good

Larry from MD · Nov 14, 2009

This trucks never had a problem before and only 60k miles. My problem is its 2 miles from the shop on muddy flooded roads.Could not find anyone to help drag it back.

Larry from MD · Nov 14, 2009

Right now i have no helpers or other vehicles to use. The big trucks are loaded with beans and its too wet to unload them.

barn E · Nov 14, 2009

When it gets dry, really dry, it will probably run.

Sean Feeney · Nov 14, 2009

Sounds like something is wet spray it down with Wd-40
let it sit over night wires and cap should be replaced.

barn E · Nov 14, 2009

When it gets dry, really dry, it will probably run.

bill b va · Nov 14, 2009

if you have power near the truck use your wifes hair dryer to dry out things

Tim[GA] · Nov 14, 2009

When you turn on the ignition, does the in tank fuel pump run for 2 seconds? Remove the coil wire from the distributor and crank the engine, is there spark? Spray WD40 into the air cleaner while cranking and if the engine starts and runs, then the fuel pressure is low. The fuel pumps have been known to cause problems. If you replace the fuel pump replace the wire connector on top of the fuel tank. Some of the terminals may have burnt.

chevytaHOE5674 · Nov 14, 2009

First off an 03 1500 chevy has individual coils on each cylinder mounted on the valve cover with short plug wires between. No cap and rotor.

I would check that the fuel pump is running as stated. Get a gauge and check for proper fuel pressure.

Leland2 · Nov 14, 2009

Must have fried something as I have drove my chevy thru water up to the headlights and never had any problems

bradk · Nov 15, 2009

Ericlb.You weren't working on an '03 Chevy with a distrubutor.No such thing.

bradk · Nov 15, 2009

Virtually no problems with that year for ignition issues.Listen for the fuel pump running for a few seconds at key-up.

ericlb · Nov 15, 2009

maybe it was a couple years older i dont know i got too many of them, this one did have a distributor though and was one of the newest ones, thought it was the o3

trucker40 · Nov 15, 2009

If it has a distributer the most likely thing is the rotor has a hole burned in it,or inside the cap is wet.A rotor is not hard to change.

Larry from MD · Nov 15, 2009

It has fuel and spark its kicking the engine backwards when cranked. I got help to tow it in. Now i can't get the cap off the distributor.Its not wet now and fires the timeing light great. If gas is added it fires right out the intake. This is a v6 with a distributor.The only thing i see is it seems to fire the timeing light too much.The screws holding the cap are solid tight.

Tim[GA] · Nov 16, 2009

sorry for the delay in answering. The backfire could be wrong cylinder firing because of bad distributor cap. Reomve no. 3 plug wire and see if the engine runs. No 3 plug wire track goes close to the center post of the cap and could be taking all of the spark. Also, I have seen the valves sticking and thus working slow. Compression could be good, but bad when running. To remove the diatributor cap screws, first tighten then loosen. This seems to help lossen screws when different metals are being used. Hope this helps

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