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View Full Version : stalling only when below 40 deg ,HELP



blshoe
01-12-2006, 20:29
Hello all,
Im having a stalling problem with my truck only when cold, below 40 deg. Let me give you a little history on this truck. I have owned it for a year and 4 mounts, I got down in Texas. It's a 1998 K3500 crew cab long bed 136,000 miles singel rear wheel. The first stalling problem I found was the engine harness had rubbed through and was grounding out on the high pressure A/C line, right where it comes out of thr fire wall, passanger side. But when it got cold last winter, when you key up glow plug light comes on like it should, and you can hear the lift pump working, starts right up and then stall's after about 5 min, or I'll get about 3 milles away. When you go to restart there is no glow plug cycle and no fuel pump cycle. I would have to wait anywhere between 5 min to 40 min and then I get the glow plug and fuel pump cycle and the it start right up, a little loud a first ( 2 sec ) and then sounds normal. Then the PCM failed, replaced it with a new GM PCM. But I was still having stalling problems only when cold out. I have been reading this form for a while and getting some great pointers what to look for. I did find some weak pins for thr ECM-1 and ECM-B min fuse in the under hood relay/fues box, I also found weak pins on the relays, fuel pump/starter. I went through and replaced all of the pins with new packerd pins. I also replaced the glow plug controler,both negative battery cables,and both battery's and alt,and the ground ring terminals on the back of the passanger side head. I also replaced the Ignition switch, Still the same thing stalling when cold. When spring came the stalling went away. Now I got a check engine light for the optical/fuel temperature sensor, but no stalling since it has been warm. Now that it is winter, started stalling again after cold start's. So I through the book at it, New Injection pump (not rebuilt) New FSD on a coller from SS/diesel with ext harness,had injectors tested,new glow plug harness,glow plugs,injection pump harness,timing chain set, crank sensor,coolant temp sensor,map sensor,aircharge temp sensor,boost solenoid,lift pump,fuel filter,injector return lines.I also changed all the pins on the PCM, some of them had weak pins. Got the truck up and runing, no problems. one week went by and guess what, started it up one morning and it stalled after about 5 min of rining. went to restart and the glow plug cycle was working and it started right up. It has done this a couple of other times to, and has restarted. A couple of days ago I went to leave work and about 5 miles away while driving it stalled. Pulled over and tryed to start but again, no glow plug cycle, I sat for about 20min and finally the glow plug cycle came on and it started right up. I am sorry for the long post but Im trying to give you guys as much details as posable on this little DEVIL in my truck, THIS THING IS KILLING ME. Thank you for any Input on this,

Randy.

gvig
01-12-2006, 21:11
Randy,

Sounds like you have a really tough intermittant problem. There are others more knowledgeable than me on here but this is what I would do. Somehow get a scan tool next time the temps drop and drive with it hooked up. When it stops and you try a restart if the glow light doesn't come on, do a quick check to see what systems aren't getting power, the scan tool should show most of the on engine sensors. Then at the same time, check as best you can what lights, switches, and circuits aren't getting power as well. With that information and a good wiring diagram of the truck a common point should show up.

In the mean time, it does sound like a bad ground to me but just where will be difficult to find. It must be temp sensitive, or somehow related to a temp sensitive component.

Best of luck to you, these trucks can be quite tempermental, that is why we love them :mad:

More Power
01-12-2006, 22:01
Ignition switch contacts?

Passlock sensor in the ignition lock assy?

Jim

blshoe
01-12-2006, 22:01
Thanks George for the reply, and I am sorry for droping me post on yours I didn't mean to do that, this is my first post here. I work up here in MI at the GM proving grounds for powertrain and everyone at my work is even stumped on this one. I can get a TECH-2 scaner and look at that when it stalls again, but of corse it was 50 deg here today and it ran fine. I do beleave it is a wiring/ground issue in the engine harness, not a FSD or injection pump. this weekend I am pulling the engine harness apart and looking at all the splices. I do have a GM service manual for the truck on the wiring. I was hopping some :confused: one eles has had the same issues with there truck so I would no what to look for, I'm sure mine is not the only one.

Thanks, Randy

blshoe
01-12-2006, 22:18
Hi Jim
When I replaced the ignition switch the guys at the deler said that it would be wise to replace the pass lock being that I was already there, after that was done I did the relearn on the passlock. This was done about 4 months ago.

Thanks for your reply Jim

Randy.

Barry Nave
01-13-2006, 03:14
THIS THING IS KILLING ME

:confused: After doing all of that and still having problems :mad: Glad to see your still alive ;)
I would then also drive with Tech II hooked up.
Keep us posted smile.gif

gvig
01-13-2006, 06:55
Randy,

Alls well, not a problem here. Everyone is a newbie the first time smile.gif

You are dealing with a massively frustrating problem, I sure hope you find the source, and then of course, post the solution here. It is by sharing our knowledge that the collective intellect improves.

kevin77
01-13-2006, 09:34
Hi Randy,

You've basically replaced the entire fuel/electric system under the hood.

With the glow plug system not coming back on even after the changes - could it still be a bad ground somewhere? Possibly to the body?

What part of Michigan are you from?

Kevin

blshoe
01-13-2006, 12:13
Hi, Kevin
I live in Madison Heights just north of Detroit. The only thing that I have not replaced yet is the throttle peddle. this is a difficult intermittant problem I am dealing with. I just do not understand why when it get above 40 deg I have no problems. Only when it gets cold is when it stalls, and of corse not everytime. I have spent alot of money on parts for this truck trying to rule out things, I'm sure everyone here knows how expensive these parts are.

Randy.

blshoe
01-13-2006, 12:21
George
I will definately let everyone know when I do find the problem, and I do appreciate everyone's replys.

Randy.

JohnC
01-13-2006, 13:46
Randy:

It think that the glow plugs and lift pump are additional symptoms, not the cause. Maybe, next time it fails, you can trace one of them (I think I'd try the glow plugs) and get to the root cause that way. Both are under PCM control, so it could be a problem with the wiring coming out, or it could be a power problem with the PCM.

moondoggie
01-13-2006, 17:34
Good Day!

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blshoe
01-14-2006, 00:31
Moondoggie :
Last winter I had this stalling problem when It got cold, with no SES light. Any time it dose stall when I cycle the key and get no glow plug light it wont start, but after a few min I cycle it again, the glow plug light comes on. when it starts it has a loud diesel sound for about 2 sec. Any time it starts normal it sounds fine.

After last winter when spring came, no more stalling, but then I got a SES light for the optical/fuel temperature sensor, witch I was told I would need to remove the pump and have a new sensor installed, but of corse that was about $ 350.00. And I new that my timming chain was getting sloppy so just wanted to replace the pump and chain at one time. But then of corse I replaced alot more after I got in to it, as I had listed on my first post.

smile.gif I hope everyone reads this because today I went to leave for work, and its been raining all day, turned the key on and guess what, NO GLOW PLUG LIGHT. So I left the key on went under the hood and started moving the engine harness around starting from the passanger side and when I got to the middle by the intake the glow plug relay turned on and cycled, started right up. I no the power for the PCM, INJ PUMP, FUEL HEATER,GLOW PLUG RELAY, run's through this harrnes and there are a few splices on those power wires. Or has some one eles been into the harness probbing wires, like I have already found on other wires. I do beleave I have a bad connection on one of these splices or a probbed wire that got corroded. I am going to go through this harness this weekend and if I find somthing I will let everyone know.

Thanks again
Randy.

Barry Nave
01-14-2006, 01:24
harrnes and there are a few splices on those power wires


There you go. Wire harrnes should not have any splices.
Moondog-shake those wires :D

moondoggie
01-16-2006, 13:54
Good Day!

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