[Shop-talk] Tricky problem with a GMC 3500

[John T. Blair]

At 05:25 PM 11/21/2018, Pat Horne wrote:

 >I had a similar problem several years ago. Turned out the ignition 
wires were bad.
 >Replaced them & no more problems.

Eric,

I'd go with the dist. cap. first.  But Pat has point.  You can check 
the ign. wires
buy using a spray bottle with water in it.  Suggest doing it at night 
when you can
turn off the light (or maybe have a helper standby the light switch 
to turn it off and
on).  With the lights are out, spray water all over the ign. 
wires.  If the insulation
is breaking down, you should see sparks jumping around in the engine
compartment.

John



>Peace,
>Pat
>
>Pat Horne
>We support Caldwell County Habitat for Humanity
>
>
>On Nov 21, 2018, at 1:05 PM, 
><mailto:eric at megageek.com>eric at megageek.com wrote:
>
>1998 GMC 3500 mason dump.  LOW miles ( 87K)  Gas engine
>
>When it runs, it is flawless.  Great idle, lots of power, no 
>issues.  Kept in heated garage.  Always on a battery tender.
>
>About 6 months ago (maybe longer as this truck is rarely 
>used.)  when I would first start it, it would idle way too low and 
>stall.  I few minutes of warm-up, and it was fine.
>
>Then, this past month, I had to move it to one of my out buildings 
>for about 3 weeks.  The building has lots of moisture (it will NOT 
>stop raining and now snowing here.)
>
>I went to start it up and it wouldn't start.  Engine turned over 
>fine, sounded normal, but it wouldn't start.  After I tried a  few 
>times, the engine would 'diesel' when I stopped cranking.
>
>I tried some starter fluid and it didn't change anything (so I 
>thought no spark.)  Battery was on a 'boost starter' plugged in the 
>wall.  Gas smell coming out of tailpipe.
>
>Checked spark, all good.  Under the hood seemed dry (there was no 
>condensation or anything) but the building had a wet floor.
>
>After some wrangling with a tractor, fork-lift, and a few new 
>vocabulary words,  I got it onto the main garage where I let it sit 
>over night with the hood up.
>
>So I tried it today and it started right up.  So this is clearly an 
>issue with the moisture.  My question is, where do I start to 
>troubleshoot?  I can't predict it being moist in the other garage 
>(and when it's there, it's away from all my tools etc.)
>
>ODBC tool has no codes.
>
>Any ideas on how to fix this?  I'd hate to be stuck on the side of 
>the road because of rain or something.
>
>Thanks!
>
>
>Sent from my Commodore 64 on a 2400 Baud Modem.
>Tech Viper
>"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a 
>rational being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your 
>territory." Ralph Waldo Emerson
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John T. Blair  WA4OHZ     email:  jblair1948 at cox.net
Va. Beach, Va                  Phone:  (757) 495-8229

           48 TR1800    48 #4 Midget    65 Morgan 4/4 Series V (B1106)
      75 Bricklin SV1 (#0887)    77 Spitfire    71 Saab Sonett III
                        65 Rambler Classic

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