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'88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 6:26 PM
Post #1 of 14
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'88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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Howdy,
Nice forum, I have been able to glean much in the past and never 'needed' to sign up.
So Hello.
Anyway,
I have a '88 GMC Safari van with about 80k on a gm crate engine although it was installed in '96 I have had very few issues with this truck and it regularly gets 26 mpg.
I let it sit recently for about 3 month which has never been an issue in the past except for a low battery. It is a spare work truck.
Went to start it and no joy. Had fuel squirting from the injectors, TBI, had spark at the plugs, so silly me I figured it was time for a timing set.
Got the new t-set installed and tried to start it prior to buttoning things up and still no start.
Plugs look fine, NGK's that are only a year or so old, no spark crossover, not even response when I disconnect the injectors and try starting fluid.
I'm kinda at a loss here, and I've been working on my own rigs for 32 years now, kinda feeling dumb.
Help......
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 3, 2011, 6:33 PM
Post #2 of 14
(2494 views)
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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Have you run a compression test?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 6:35 PM
Post #3 of 14
(2489 views)
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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that is the next thing I was going to do on all cyl's, #3 seemed fine though and it sounds the same as it always has when I turn it over.
Plugs are soo easy to pull on those things ;)
I should add that the truck did kinda try to start before I did the t-set, it would stumble, spit, sputter, but never 'catch' except for a few times that it tried to run for a few seconds.
Sorry for the incomplete info.
jeff
(This post was edited by sparky62 on Dec 3, 2011, 6:43 PM)
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 3, 2011, 6:41 PM
Post #4 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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You should run a compression test (on a fully charged battery and strong starting system) just to be sure that isn't causing a problem. Let us know what your results are. 
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 6:52 PM
Post #5 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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will do
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 7:26 PM
Post #6 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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All cyl's are around 120psi give or take, kinda hard to hold the compression tester tight and work the starter by yourself but they're pretty close.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 3, 2011, 7:51 PM
Post #7 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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The compression reading is somewhat low. That's unless there is something up with your gauge. When you pulled the timing cover was the old timing chain really sloppy or had jumped? Have you had the distributor out?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 7:57 PM
Post #8 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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I have a small split in the boot on my tester and had some blow by.
Have had the cap off, there was a small amount of corrosion on the plug tabs, cleaned it off no real scoring, it is a fairly new cap.
the spark jumps from the coil hv post to the core when i remove the lead.
at the plugs there is nice bright spark.
J
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 8:02 PM
Post #9 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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The plugs were wet with fuel when i pulled them,
And our outside air temp is in the 30's,
Could it be flooded and not clearing?
though i disconnected the injectors and hit it with starting fluid to no avail.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 3, 2011, 8:09 PM
Post #10 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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Did you test all the spark plugs for a nice fat spark?
If you have injector pulse and spark that means the ignition module is working and the ECM is getting signal from the ignition module to fire the injectors. You sprayed it with starting fluid, so it should run. You have a good one. The only thing that I can think of is the distributor not indexed right or you have some plug wires switched around.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 8:26 PM
Post #11 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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all the plugs had good spark and none of the wires have been off more than one at a time during this whole thing.
see why I'm kinda perplexed.
Though,
I was thinking over dinner,
although the rotor is turning and spark is bright at the plugs, if the roll pin holding the dist drive gear got partially or completely sheared and it is just turning by being bound by the stuck piece.
I havent brought it to #1 tdc either to check but will do that and pull the dist and check the gear.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 3, 2011, 8:45 PM
Post #12 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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Roll pin shears and you won't have any oil pressure either. You can tell by grabbing the rotor and attempting to spin it.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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sparky62
Novice
Dec 3, 2011, 10:08 PM
Post #13 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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Yup
Realized that after I opened my mouth.
Indexed to #1 tdc and rotor was right.
Went back through and checked fire at the individual plugs and 2 were now showing ok fire and the others not.
Looks like enough wet got up around the insulator to short them out cause when i would pull it away from the manifold where it was grounded there would be good fire from the plug body to the block.
Changed 3 of the 4 since thats what I had and it fired and runs, needs adjusting a bit and brand new plugs, but should be ok now.
The old timing set was worn, has a lot of slap in the chain and worn sprockets.
Thank you,
j
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 3, 2011, 10:19 PM
Post #14 of 14
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Re: '88 gmc Safari 4.3 no start ?????
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Seems the mystery is solved. 
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Dec 3, 2011, 10:36 PM)
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