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s373n_rcr

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The past couple of months I've been having problems with my 89' Jimmy starting. It has a 350TBI. I live in the north and when the temperature goes from cold day to mild day and there's dampness in the air it wouldn't start. Figured condensation in cap or wire leads. Fine, spray down all the necessary ignition components with WD40 and all is fine and it starts for a couple of weeks no problems. Then the other night at work after the truck sitting in frigid cold night time temperatures it wouldn't start. Left it at work and tried it the next day in temps that were still freezing but not as bad as the night before. Nothing. And the battery is seriously lacking juice at this time too. So I get one of the big Caterpillar forklifts from inside the plant and tow the Jimmy inside to thaw out for an hour or so. Presto, battery and starter crank no problem and it fires right up, so I drive it home. After sitting out in the cold overnight again last night it won't start again and sounds really rough when I try to crank it.

Should I be looking at it being frozen coolant (too much water) or the wrong viscocity motor oil for this type of weather or could it be ignition problems again? I just replaced the magnetic pickup coil a few months ago and figure if it's the ICM it wouldn't have started after I thawed it out. Any ideas? It's very cold out and the less time wasted under the hood the better.

Thanks in advance.
 
It almost sounds like your battery is toast. Batteries lose cranking power when they get cold, the cold temperature is probably exacerbating a weak battery problem.
 
I tried cranking it hooked up to my neighbors car and still nothing. It'll crank fine just no start. I topped up the oil as it was low and dumped as much straight coolant in as I could get. There's only 1/8th tank of gas that I bought at the budget gas station out of nessecity, so am also thinking condensation in the fuel system/tank that keeps freezing up? I'm not sure.
 
I did not find any fuel in the pots the first night in the cold weather, however I did dump fuel in both of them and still nothing.
 
Had a similar problem we had snow and then a thaw and the truck wouldn't start getin fuel but no start end up being to much water on the cap and coil threw all new parts on and no problems. Just a idea.
 
I think I'd be looking at the coolant temp sensor with a scanner to see if thats what your issue is, since you say it turns over fine.

If the engine thinks its warmer than it really is, you won't get the "choke" effect that the engine needs.
 
I've been researching and I'm thinking with the low level of fuel in my tank and the fact that it started at work after I thawed it but not after sitting out over night that it is a frozen fuel line. Nothing to do but wait for warmer weather I guess.
 
maybe dumb in some fuel line antifreeze de-icer, or whatever its called. HEET. In case you do get it started, just let it run through and de-ice it.
 
You test the coolant temp sensor with a scanner or winALDL and a laptop or desktop with long cord. :)

Links for winaldl can be found in this forum related to FI stuff, or just search google for it.
 
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