2005 GMC Savana cargo van quit running
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2005 GMC Savana cargo van quit running
2005 GMC 2500 Savana cargo van, 4.8 Liter
Not necessarily looking for help in forum but advice on finding experienced online mechanic that you pay for and he asks questions and has you perform tests until you figure out what is wrong with your vehicle. I've done this in the past and it worked great - paid $40 or $50 for the help. I just think my problem is going to be a pain in the you know what and the last two people I tried using a Google search never responded after they received my money.
Can anyone recommend someone legitimate.
This is a detailed story of what happened to my van and I'm getting all kinds of different answers from mechanics I know here and not sure if I should trust them. The last problem I had with another van I no longer have got so bad the vehicle almost quit working. One mechanic I trusted had it for 4 days and couldn't figure it out, and another after a couple days said he didn't know either. Took it to the dealer and it turned out to be a loose (very loose) spark plug and $970 later it was fixed. I was just happy someone figured it out.
Below is a summary of my problem, which I think is going to be tuff so I want to pay someone for some good advice to decide what to do.
I have a service van with 2 doors in the back and 2 on theside, motor oil and coolant levels are fine and the oil was changed 2 weeksago. The problem started last Friday the 16th, in the morning aftera couple of calls I tried to start the van and it wouldn’t, it just turned overand made a funny ping like the timing was really off or something bad washappening inside the engine. I waited a second and thought that was strange.Then I turned the key again and it started normally and I drove off. Took 2 or3 other calls then got something to eat. When I came out of the restaurant andtried to start the van it did the same thing.I tried again and the motor would not turn completely over (at leastthat’s what is seemed like it was doing 4 or 5 times), then it tries to start andmakes a loud ping and shakes a lot when I turn the key the 6th time.If I continue to turn the key and let go it the engine won’t rotate much andsort of bounces back. Then, after several tries, it will turn over again andshakes a lot while it misfires like it’s badly out of time then stops with aping noise coming from inside the engine again. Figured something is bad- wrong.Had it towed and the tow truck driver checked the battery and it had 650 coldcranking amps. I recently changed the starter and since it was under warranty Iswapped it out again. No change. Talked to someone I know that works on enginesand he said sounds like a timing chain, valve or lifter problem, etc. So I tookthe spark plugs out and turned the motor over and over with the fuel pump fusepulled and the power ignition coil packs unplugged. The motor spins and spins,everything sounds great and no pings. No OBD codes either. Put the plugs backin and hooked everything back up and tried to start it again. I doesn’t run anddoes the same thing. Took it apart again and removed the plugs. Pulled thevalve covers and turned the motor over and over, watching the springs, rockersand stuff. Everything looks good and it spins fine. Nothing looks bent. Put inthe spark plugs one by one and it’s still spinning great so it wasn’t the plugseither. The problem only happens when I connect the power packs and replace thefuse to the fuel pump. Is there a sensor that would not register with the OBDor something that can cause this problem or do I need to replace the motor?Thanks
Sorry to be so long winded.
Not necessarily looking for help in forum but advice on finding experienced online mechanic that you pay for and he asks questions and has you perform tests until you figure out what is wrong with your vehicle. I've done this in the past and it worked great - paid $40 or $50 for the help. I just think my problem is going to be a pain in the you know what and the last two people I tried using a Google search never responded after they received my money.
Can anyone recommend someone legitimate.
This is a detailed story of what happened to my van and I'm getting all kinds of different answers from mechanics I know here and not sure if I should trust them. The last problem I had with another van I no longer have got so bad the vehicle almost quit working. One mechanic I trusted had it for 4 days and couldn't figure it out, and another after a couple days said he didn't know either. Took it to the dealer and it turned out to be a loose (very loose) spark plug and $970 later it was fixed. I was just happy someone figured it out.
Below is a summary of my problem, which I think is going to be tuff so I want to pay someone for some good advice to decide what to do.
I have a service van with 2 doors in the back and 2 on theside, motor oil and coolant levels are fine and the oil was changed 2 weeksago. The problem started last Friday the 16th, in the morning aftera couple of calls I tried to start the van and it wouldn’t, it just turned overand made a funny ping like the timing was really off or something bad washappening inside the engine. I waited a second and thought that was strange.Then I turned the key again and it started normally and I drove off. Took 2 or3 other calls then got something to eat. When I came out of the restaurant andtried to start the van it did the same thing.I tried again and the motor would not turn completely over (at leastthat’s what is seemed like it was doing 4 or 5 times), then it tries to start andmakes a loud ping and shakes a lot when I turn the key the 6th time.If I continue to turn the key and let go it the engine won’t rotate much andsort of bounces back. Then, after several tries, it will turn over again andshakes a lot while it misfires like it’s badly out of time then stops with aping noise coming from inside the engine again. Figured something is bad- wrong.Had it towed and the tow truck driver checked the battery and it had 650 coldcranking amps. I recently changed the starter and since it was under warranty Iswapped it out again. No change. Talked to someone I know that works on enginesand he said sounds like a timing chain, valve or lifter problem, etc. So I tookthe spark plugs out and turned the motor over and over with the fuel pump fusepulled and the power ignition coil packs unplugged. The motor spins and spins,everything sounds great and no pings. No OBD codes either. Put the plugs backin and hooked everything back up and tried to start it again. I doesn’t run anddoes the same thing. Took it apart again and removed the plugs. Pulled thevalve covers and turned the motor over and over, watching the springs, rockersand stuff. Everything looks good and it spins fine. Nothing looks bent. Put inthe spark plugs one by one and it’s still spinning great so it wasn’t the plugseither. The problem only happens when I connect the power packs and replace thefuse to the fuel pump. Is there a sensor that would not register with the OBDor something that can cause this problem or do I need to replace the motor?Thanks
Sorry to be so long winded.
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Joined: Oct 2015
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i would check the crank sensor and wiring.check and make sure there is no corrosion at the connector or oil in the connector.oil in the connector will change the voltage to the ecm and could cause your issue.most input sensors run on a five volt reference and i have seen issues like yours where the wiring connector got oil in the connector and do some really weird stuff.what could be happening is the voltage to the crank sensor is changing and causing the timing to go out of wack and causing your starting issue.i know from experience on the older vortec engines that coolant leaked out of the water pump weep hole and ran down to the crank sensor and wiring .when coolant got in the sensor and wiring harness it would cause the engine to back fire ,then a bang and the nose of the starter was busted off.i have changed quite a few sensors from coolant contamination and starters .
Thread Starter
CF Beginner
Joined: Oct 2015
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Appreciate your reply, and makes good sense as I noticed a slow antifreeze leak at the bottom of my water pump shaft about six months ago when under the van. Finally had time yesterday to put the thing back together, as I tore it apart about a month ago then got busy, I installed the crank shaft positioning sensor but it's still doing the same thing. I think I found a good mechanic and if I can't figure it out in a couple of days will tow it to him. I'm thinking thinking maybe a camshaft positioning sensor could have the same symptoms? Anyway, thanks for the input. I haven't giving up yet but may be in over my head on this one 
