Tbi crank no start

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

kubota

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2023
Posts
5
Reaction score
0
Location
dakota city
First Name
nathan
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
things kicking my ass!
Crank no start
1- I have spark because it runs on starting fluid.
2- fuel pump primes & is brand new along with filter
3- visible injector pulse
4- injectors click & spray off 9 volt battery
5- cleaned engine bay grounds
6- good fusses

I need pro help I guess
 

Attachments

  • EAFD06B0-EAD1-4C32-88DB-029F96B0B2BE.jpeg
    EAFD06B0-EAD1-4C32-88DB-029F96B0B2BE.jpeg
    263.6 KB · Views: 38
Last edited:

Originalthor

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2021
Posts
1,030
Reaction score
3,434
Location
Saskatoon Saskatchewan
First Name
Scott
Truck Year
1989
Truck Model
Suburban
Engine Size
5.7
Crack the line in the back of the tbi and see if you got fuel there. If you do i would check your fuel regulator. Sometimes the lines colaspe around the transmission and around the fuel filter. Check there aswell
 

gmbellew

Full Access Member
Joined
May 27, 2018
Posts
1,053
Reaction score
1,030
Location
Kansas city
First Name
glen
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
suburban 1500
Engine Size
350
do the injectors spray when you crank? will it keep running on fluid if you keep adding it? if so, how does it run, rough or smooth? if you have spark and fuel injector spray during cranking, make sure your plug wires are on correctly and you may need to check the fuel pressure to make sure the new pump is good.
 

gmbellew

Full Access Member
Joined
May 27, 2018
Posts
1,053
Reaction score
1,030
Location
Kansas city
First Name
glen
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
suburban 1500
Engine Size
350
see attached
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20230625_204747_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
    Screenshot_20230625_204747_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
    78.8 KB · Views: 51

kubota

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2023
Posts
5
Reaction score
0
Location
dakota city
First Name
nathan
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
Gmbellew
No injectors don’t spray.
Ya it will run when I bottle feed it not the best tho. Plug wires haven’t been moved.
I will check n fuel pressure again but I have to wait on rental tool.
 

Rusty Nail

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Posts
9,788
Reaction score
9,684
Location
the other side of the internet
First Name
Rusty
Truck Year
1977
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
350sbc
Fuel pressure was my thought.
You don't need a gauge, unhook the engine side of the fuel filter and get your helper to crank while you watch. If no helper set the phone down and record a video.

Oughta spray out a bunch with pretty good pressure like dang! No dribblez allowed.


You could at least move on from there.

P.s.
then pōts the video to joutoobz and patse teh link yo!

P.p.s.
um no pro, take it for what its wurth
 
Last edited:

kubota

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2023
Posts
5
Reaction score
0
Location
dakota city
First Name
nathan
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
I’m sure it does. It would before
 

kubota

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2023
Posts
5
Reaction score
0
Location
dakota city
First Name
nathan
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
Starting to wonder if injectors are clogged or something. Hard to believe they would both clog at exact same time tho.
 

gmbellew

Full Access Member
Joined
May 27, 2018
Posts
1,053
Reaction score
1,030
Location
Kansas city
First Name
glen
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
suburban 1500
Engine Size
350
Starting to wonder if injectors are clogged or something. Hard to believe they would both clog at exact same time tho.
it's most likely the ignition control module under the distributor cap.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20230625_230835_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
    Screenshot_20230625_230835_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
    74.9 KB · Views: 53

kubota

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2023
Posts
5
Reaction score
0
Location
dakota city
First Name
nathan
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
I can’t see much of that. I thought if the module failed you loose spark too?
I replaced that last year along with the dizzy.
I have another one I’ll try n swap it out.
 

gmbellew

Full Access Member
Joined
May 27, 2018
Posts
1,053
Reaction score
1,030
Location
Kansas city
First Name
glen
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
suburban 1500
Engine Size
350
All the GM manuals are in the reference library of this website in .pdf and are word searchable. The emissions and drivability manual covers TBI.
 

fast 99

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Posts
1,629
Reaction score
2,207
Location
Spokane, Washington
First Name
Brian
Truck Year
81,85
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350
Sounds like a fuel issue. Go buy a cheap fuel pressure gauge and the filter adapter fitting. [harbor freight] Doing the visual fuel test will be inconclusive. TBI fuel pressure is 9-13 lbs. Most will not run at 9.
 

KnuckleBuster

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2023
Posts
61
Reaction score
66
Location
USA
First Name
Floyd
Truck Year
1969
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
things kicking my ass!
Crank no start
1- I have spark because it runs on starting fluid.
2- fuel pump primes & is brand new along with filter
3- visible injector pulse
4- injectors click & spray off 9 volt battery
5- cleaned engine bay grounds
6- good fusses

I need pro help I guess
You lost me. "visible injector pulse" but "injectors don’t spray"? Maybe you're saying the injectors pulsed electrically as evidenced with a noid light? How do you know that the "Fuel pump primes"?
If the correct fuel pressure is being delivered to the injectors but there is no spray, your injectors are not being pulsed. It is highly unlikely that both injectors failed at once. First thought was a blown injector fuse but you said the fuses are good. A "new fuel pump" does not guarantee fuel delivery. You'll need to confirm, preferably with a fuel pressure gauge. If you don't have one, you could install a hose at the fuel filter and run it into a Coke bottle. It's hard to translate an experienced eye in writing this but there should be a strong, steady stream that will fill the bottle in a short time. It's hard to mess up a fuel pump replacement on these, but it needs to be confirmed. I could go on and on but really need more info. Start with fuel delivery from the pump.

As I recall, GM spec for TBI systems fuel pressure was 9-12 psi. I always wondered why because in my experience normal fuel pressure was 13psi. Engine will run at 9psi, but not well. I can't say about all aftermarket pumps, but GM pumps either work or they do nothing. The only time I saw low fuel pressure on these (with an otherwise fully functional system) was when a regulator failed (broken spring) and it was always 9 psi when they did. If I saw 9psi, I immediately went to the regulator. But that is rare. I doubt I replaced more than a half dozen over the years.

By the way, why was the fuel pump replaced in the first place? For the same no-start condition that you have now?
 
Last edited:

dusterdude

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Posts
324
Reaction score
338
Location
US
First Name
mark
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
gmc c15
Engine Size
305
the injectors will spray,i can see mine spraying.its kinda neat to see
 

JACK34

Banned
Joined
Mar 18, 2023
Posts
124
Reaction score
148
Location
OTR TRUCKER
First Name
JACK
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
250
OH my another TBI problem. God be with you!! Those TBI trucks are junk. Good luck though.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,138
Posts
909,982
Members
33,639
Latest member
chad112507
Top