Help won't run

[olelefty]

I have 51 3100 on a s-10 frame and the 4.3 of the s-10. Had it started and it ran fine. Went to doing some fab work on transmission tunnel got it done. Went to start it, would start run for few seconds die, starts up time after time but dies time after time. What's the problem?

Thanks for any advice

[Henry50]

Could be a million different things,
Does it die as soon as you let off the key?
Can you keep it running with your foot on the gas?
Is it carbureted?
Does it have a Hei distributer or a crank trigger?

[57chevyman]

I don't know specifically about your engine, but in my 2000 Silverado with the 5.3, if I disconnect the battery and re connect it, the engine wont idle. it will start and die right away, unless I hit the gas and keep it running....it will "learn" the idle speed again in a few moments.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by 57chevyman

I don't know specifically about your engine, but in my 2000 Silverado with the 5.3, if I disconnect the battery and re connect it, the engine wont idle. it will start and die right away, unless I hit the gas and keep it running....it will "learn" the idle speed again in a few moments.

Every electronic FI car I have had in the past few years does the same thing. You have to let the computer cycle and get it's self squared away again. My little Geo Prizm gsi was a real pain after I had the battery out when I changed transmissions a while back.

57 Chevyman the other thing is did you by chance disturb any electrical connections that might be related to the engine running. Or if you just got it going do you perchance have the ignition connected to the resistor bypass wire from the old ignition. I've run into it a couple of times on trucks around that year when the wires were not connected correctly to the ignition switch.

[57chevyman]

No , nothing disturbed in my truck. Only took out an old battery and installed a new one.

[akdg87]

perhaps you were welding without disconnecting the battery?

[Jyman]

Have you tried disconnecting the negative side of the battery and holding the brake to drain all the power in the system. In hopes of resetting the computer.

[olelefty]

it does run just a few seconds after let off key
it will not run buy keeping foot on gas pedal ( it will backfire thru carb )
i think it is Hei dist.

[olelefty]

Thanks very much for your information.

[olelefty]

No I have not tried that.
Thanks you for your information.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by akdg87

perhaps you were welding without disconnecting the battery?

If you were welding on it with an electric welder that is a must do when the truck has anything electronic on it. My bud blew out the diodes in his alternator a few months ago welding on his winch bumper without disconnecting the battery and I know he knew better.

If you did have the battery disconnected I am still thinking that the computer's memory may have gone away when the battery was disconnected and it will take a few minutes of run time for it to cycle through it's phases.

See if you can nurse it with the throttle until it runs on it's own and then you will probably have to drive it and get it fully warmed up before it is all reset.

[olelefty]

I have gone and purchased a new computer put it in and it does the same thing.
We can not keep it running long enough no matter what we try.
Thanks for your information.

[OrrieG]

I know zip about electronic engines. But from my experiences with my kids later model rigs it usually gets back to the basics, fuel supply and power to the plugs. I once had a ignition switch fry in mine that cause it to have power to start, but shorted out when returned to the run position. Happened in the sticks so I had to jump from power to the coil go get back to town. Do you still have the OBD connection? Borrow a reader from Oriellys, etc. and see if it throws a code for the short time it runs, might help to isolate the problem. With any luck it is just a connection that loosened up or simple sensor.

[olelefty]

Happy Days Are Here Again.
We got it started and running good.
Found two little wires we had crossed up.
Thanks to all for your information we greatly appreciated it.

[OrrieG]

good news.