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Need help with a 2002 5.3

max 02

max 02

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Working on a 02 Chev 1500, been sitting in a feild for 5 years.

Got it in my shop and was trying to get it running.

First I made sure it turned over by hand. Hooked up a good battery to it but no start… rolled over a bit then locked up… turns over by hand… pulled first two plugs out of pass side engine, full of fuel!?
Pull the rest of the plugs, the remaining 6 are dry.

The engine hasn’t ran in years and I never really had it cranking very long.

What would make the cylinders fill with fuel like that?

Side note,

Fist I thought it was head gaskets. The liquid that came out didn’t smell like gas, probably because it’s 5 years old, and my nose is plugged.

Lit the puddle on the floor on fire to be sure. Yup gas. Ok next I turned the engine over without the plugs installed.

Proceeded the light the engine bay on the passenger side on fire! Ran to get my extinguisher! Got it out before any damage! Thank Fock I had one closeish to me! Dumbass!
I blew the rest of the gas out of the cylinders with air.

The plugs are all needing to be replaced and I pulled one plug wire apart getting it off the plug so it is just sitting there till I can figure out why the fuel was in the cylinders in the first place?


This is the truck, if I can get it running it will my new work truck.

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wishful thinking. Risk bending a rod, ask Zoo. Maybe pull them and send out for service. I suppose you pull them rig up a 12v trigger and then run some sea foam through them while triggering on off and see if they stop dripping.
 
Wes Harden said:
wishful thinking. Risk bending a rod, ask Zoo. Maybe pull them and send out for service. I suppose you pull them rig up a 12v trigger and then run some sea foam through them while triggering on off and see if they stop dripping.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks.

Just watched a video on cleaning them. Actually they are cheaper than I thought to replace too.
 
For fun I tried to do a cleaning trick I seen on U tube… couldn’t get it to work.
Guess I’ll go buy a couple new injectors. 47.00 each Ac delco Canadian.

Don’t think I trust the cheap ones I seen on Amazon. Under 100.00 for all Eight.

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My guess is that there is enough junk stuck in them that they are hung up. Leaks when hit with decent pressure, but not working well enough to drip with the technique that you are trying.
:dunno:

But you will get to clean out the fuel rails now that you have them apart. :waytogo:

I would be tempted to slide a hose over the feed line to the rail and purge the fuel line out into a bucket by triggering the fuel pump at the relay, key off, to avoid having a coil spark. Even though they shouldn't spark unless cranking. There should be a "prime" terminal next to the relay, or pull the relay and figure out which terminals.
You could decide if you want to swap the filter before or after, or both.

FYI, GM still put a "flood clear" function in these ECMs. Hold the gas pedal to the floor to shut the injectors off while cranking. Doesn't kill the coils, of course. Not that this would have helped clear the amount of gas it took to lock it up. May have possibly avoided the fire, maybe not.
 
Check the fuel pressure regulator. My money is on the diaphragm in the fuel pressure regulator ruptured and fuel is getting pushed through the vacuum line to the intake.

Pretty easy to find. If you take the vacuum line off at the regulator and fuel comes out you found it. If you do, the intake is likely full of fuel too. So even if you pumped the cylinders with the plugs out, there is more in the intake to be pulled right back into the cylinders.

If you find fuel in the intake you just need to bite the bullet and remove the intake to clean it out.

As Wes eluded to I’ve been through this exact problem and I’ve got a nice hole in the oil pan of my 8.1 to show for it. The fuel system is the same on the early 5.3’s.
 
Thanks guys!

While you guys replied I was putting it back together. I bought two new injectors, new plugs and the one wire i pulled apart.

It runs… very poorly at first but seems to be getting better.

It would only run for a few seconds at first. That happened about 10 times.
Then it started to idle, roughly, around 500rpm and sounded like it was pinging.

Now it will idle but it’s still a bit rough.
Low coolant light came on so I shut it down. I have to figure out what kind of coolant it has in it. Didn’t want to mix it up if it has dex in it on not?
 
i got a 8.1 here on a stand that a brand new injector was bad . filled up and hydro locked cylinder and motor fired still . busted the rod / piston and guts all over the place .

bare min you need 8 injectors and possible other parts .
 
sweetk30 said:
i got a 8.1 here on a stand that a brand new injector was bad . filled up and hydro locked cylinder and motor fired still . busted the rod / piston and guts all over the place .

bare min you need 8 injectors and possible other parts .
Click to expand...
Ouch!
 
When you mentioned engine bay fire chills ran down my spine. My custom 71 Elky somehow filled the pan with fuel and blew causing fire. I went thru 6 extinguishers with most either not working or only for a few seconds. Totaled the car waiting on FD. Wasnt aware the power can settle and pack on bottom.

Good time for readers to pull their fire extinguishers, turn upside down and gently tap bottom with rubber mallet to loosen the powder, then give them a few shakes until you can feel the powder is loose again. I now do this about every 6 months.
 
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