‘Chevrolet Forum’ Member Seeks Help with S10 that Won’t Start
Hours of troubleshooting fail to get forum member’s pickup going, but his fellow Chevy enthusiasts are here to help.
There aren’t many things in life more frustrating than a vehicle that won’t start. Especially if you can’t seem to figure out why. We’re often told that starting a vehicle only requires three things – spark, fuel, and air, but it isn’t quite that simple. Chevrolet Forum member Benjamin Bryant found that out the hard way recently when his S10 refused to start. So he headed to the forums seeking help from our community of experts.
“I’m having a problem and hoping that maybe someone can help. My truck will not fire when I turn the key. It tries to start, but doesn’t have spark or fuel. I’m not sure what else to try, I’m lost. I do know it’s not the alternator, starter, or battery. I don’t think it’s the cap and rotor button due to the fact that I just replaced them around a year ago. But I have taken the plug off the top of the ignition coil and tried to start it. I verified that it does have spark. Also, when trying to crank the truck, I do smell raw fuel fumes.”
Thankfully, a number of other members chime in to help the OP diagnose his problem, starting with mountainmanjoe.
“Have you checked the plugs yet? Pull one out, then hold the tip close to the engine block (distance similar to the spark gap but keep your hands clear). Have someone crank it. Repeat for all cylinders.”
Irish_alley also offers up an alternative way to test the plugs.
“A little tip I use when testing a plug for fire is to use a set of battery jumper cables. Attach one end to a good ground (even the battery) and the other end to the metal part of the plug. You can even move it so you can see the plug from the driver’s seat. Next, if you have spark, check for fuel. Use starting fluid to try to get the engine to start up. Do you hear the pump prime when you first turn the key on?”
The OP confirms that he does hear the fuel pump turn on, so hogbiker jumps in by helping to narrow things down.
“This tells me that at least some of the plugs are firing and you do have fuel getting to at least some of the cylinders. My bet is you have a loose or defective plug and/or wires. Check all six plugs for spark. Also, check to see if you have any trouble codes. Usually, a misfire will throw a P300-P306 code. If you can, be absolutely sure all six plugs are firing and firing regularly, then the issue usually lies with fuel and/or timing.”
At this point, we’re just waiting to hear back from the OP to see if he was able to use this advice and find his problem. But we’re betting that he will, given the quality feedback. And if you’re having a similar issue with your Chevrolet, this thread is well worth checking out in its entirety by heading over here!
Photos: Chevrolet
Join the Chevrolet Forums now!
