What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Starting my k5 after 8 years

iwaxmyjimmy

iwaxmyjimmy

College web wheeler
 Premium
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
Posts
2,946
Reaction score
277
Location
Greenville NC
Well I'm finally home from the Army and tomorrow I want to see if I can get my k5 up and running. I know I need to fix the fusible links or just wire it with solid stuff but use some sort of circuit breaker. Don't really know how I'm gonna go about that. Not that failure with wiring on these. The truck has sat for 8 years or so. Hoping the injectors in the TBI aren't frozen. It's an '87, if yall have any tips or tricks please let me know. I want to pull the dizzy and prime to oil system before I start it, and I plan on using a quart of break in oil after I change the oil tomorrow.
 
Last edited:
Get as much of the fuel out as you can, probably not a bad idea to replace the fuel filter as well. If it hasn't had the pump out since we went to ethanol, you may want to consider that if it doesn't start running better pretty quickly after firing, that the hose in the tank may have split.

Change the oil before startup. Inspect the cooling system. If it were me I'd check the properties of the coolant, sitting that long if it was full and not maintained, it may have already lost all anti-corrosion properties.
 
It was parked with maybe a gallon in it, I thought about dropping the tank and inspecting it, I've got a new radiator and hoses for it. Fuel filter wouldn't be a bad idea either, any way to check the lines before I try and start it up?

Edit: Second thought I might just cut a hole in the bed to get to the pump lol

Edit, like pressure test the fuel lines or should I not even bother?
 
I'd not bother. Run the pump until it dies. Run the radiator until it dies. No reason to take things out that are working fine, as long as your life doesn't depend on it and there are no symptoms of a problem.

Since it had that little bit of fuel in it, up to you, but I'd probably just fill it all the way up to dilute the 1 gallon of bad gas, then run it. You could dump in a couple gallons and flush it with that (disconnect fuel filter, use the fuel pump to pump it into a bucket) but you still aren't getting everything, and 30:1 is a very diluted mix, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Concern anymore is the ethanol picking up water. Apparently the fuel filter does a good job of capturing it, so yours might be full of water. Who knows. I've run mine for 10 years and no issues, but that might not always be the case.
 
dyeager535 said:
I'd not bother. Run the pump until it dies. Run the radiator until it dies. No reason to take things out that are working fine, as long as your life doesn't depend on it and there are no symptoms of a problem.

Since it had that little bit of fuel in it, up to you, but I'd probably just fill it all the way up to dilute the 1 gallon of bad gas, then run it. You could dump in a couple gallons and flush it with that (disconnect fuel filter, use the fuel pump to pump it into a bucket) but you still aren't getting everything, and 30:1 is a very diluted mix, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Concern anymore is the ethanol picking up water. Apparently the fuel filter does a good job of capturing it, so yours might be full of water. Who knows. I've run mine for 10 years and no issues, but that might not always be the case.
Click to expand...


Radiator has cracks in the side tanks so that's why i bought a new one. Looking at at the schematics I'm pretty sure it's the starter positive wire that goes from the batter to the starter that's messed up
 
I got it turning over and can start it with starting fluid, I need to fill it up with Some 93 because the gas that came out with the fuel filter was nasty as hell. It ran for about 3-4 seconds once and I was happy with that. I am having an issue with the ground wire that runs from the alternator to the battery heating up when starting
 
Clean the terminals up on both ends of the cable.

I've seen this before on my car from prolonged cranking, no matter what you do, the cables aren't really rated for the draw of the starter for long periods, but nonetheless, corrosion isn't going to help anything. Nothing should have happened to the ground from the block to the body, but probably wouldn't hurt to check. I can't recall how they grounded the body to the battery but IIRC it is all tied together in an electrical loop.

Oh, and while it should already have been cycled through, you can force the fuel pump to run by putting 12V from the battery to the red wire that hangs off the fuel pump relay. Once you put new fuel in, that will force fuel to circulate through the system, and hopefully if anything is gummed up in there, the new fuel will break it down. But if you were trying to start it off 8 year old gas, I wouldn't bother unless it won't start on new gas either.
 
I put 5 gallons of 93 in it but yeah it wouldn't run but for like 4 seconds at a time. And I think I'm gonna make new 4ga cables for it, I've got the wire already.
 
update on this, I re-gasketed the throttle body, it'll turn over and has spark. Still wont run on its own, I'm going back out to work on it tomorrow afternoon with some noid lights to see if I've got injector pulse. It'll start and fumble about with either but I'm not seeing any evidence of the injectors spraying. When I pulled the throttle body apart it wasn't to terribly bad at all everything looked decent. I replaced all the gaskets, O-rings, and seals along with the diaphragm. Its got 15 gallons of 93 in it that might be 2-3 months old at the most Fuel pump kicks on every time you turn the key. Wondering if its the ignition module, ECM, or the injectors themselves are just seized up. Figured if they noid lights flash then ill put some injectors in it. Buddy of mine keeps teasing me and telling me to put a 4bbl on it and be done with it, I just can't bring myself to do that, lol.
 
Hook up a 12v wire to the hanging blade terminal on the fuel pump relay and let it run a bit. The fuel may not even be getting up to the injectors, could be a blocked line somewhere. Noid light is a good idea as well. The injectors may just be clogged with crap and need replaced or cleaned. Which sucks, but it is what it is. Dont cut the TBI off for carb, thats like cutting your hand off, fashioning a wooden hand complete with chrome spray paint, and thinking your better off.
 
454Sub said:
Hook up a 12v wire to the hanging blade terminal on the fuel pump relay and let it run a bit. The fuel may not even be getting up to the injectors, could be a blocked line somewhere. Noid light is a good idea as well. The injectors may just be clogged with crap and need replaced or cleaned. Which sucks, but it is what it is. Dont cut the TBI off for carb, thats like cutting your hand off, fashioning a wooden hand complete with chrome spray paint, and thinking your better off.
Click to expand...

ive thought about unhooking the lines from the throttle body and making sure fuel is getting all the way up to it too. Ill probably do that today along with the noid lights, unfortunately I don't have the adapter to check the fuel pressure with my gauge. Is there anyway to check the ignition control module with a DMM? also do you just OHM out the coil pickup? Fuel I know is getting to the filter, I pumped out a good bit there when changing out the fuel filter, just cycling the key on and off.
 
You need to check pressure. Autozone up here loans the kit out for free if you have them there. Way too likely for the in-tank line to be split and not helping matters to assume because there is flow, that pressure is correct.

As to ignition testing, this link should provide you some results. https://www.google.com/search?q=tes...oTCNTZ3P_0jckCFYXCJgodQiQLyg&biw=1920&bih=995

Not a whole lot different with the EFI setups than previous, just the added ECM control.

Don't get sucked into thinking the mysterious box that is the ECM is the problem. They can fail, but you've not done nearly enough testing to even consider that yet.

Carbs are stupid. I'll refrain from saying anyone that prefers those over EFI is as well, but it's on the tip of my tongue lol. While it's certainly possible, and I've done it, I don't rely/like trusting a carbed vehicle to get me from point a to b comfortably with power and good economy, when EFI is an option.
 
dyeager535 said:
You need to check pressure. Autozone up here loans the kit out for free if you have them there. Way too likely for the in-tank line to be split and not helping matters to assume because there is flow, that pressure is correct.

As to ignition testing, this link should provide you some results. https://www.google.com/search?q=tes...oTCNTZ3P_0jckCFYXCJgodQiQLyg&biw=1920&bih=995

Not a whole lot different with the EFI setups than previous, just the added ECM control.

Don't get sucked into thinking the mysterious box that is the ECM is the problem. They can fail, but you've not done nearly enough testing to even consider that yet.

Carbs are stupid. I'll refrain from saying anyone that prefers those over EFI is as well, but it's on the tip of my tongue lol. While it's certainly possible, and I've done it, I don't rely/like trusting a carbed vehicle to get me from point a to b comfortably with power and good economy, when EFI is an option.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know most just throw parts at stuff but I'd rather not wasting my mowing throwing parts at something when testing stuff is free and cause me to only buy one part. Thanks for the link, I'll check the local parts store and see if I can borrow the adapter and check the pressure, minimum of 10psi right? I know it has spark because ether will fire it right up. So it's definitely a fuel issue, just have to Narrow it down to what part of the fuel system is the culprit. I'll report back with my findings.

And for the record only way I'll ditch the TBI stuff is to go with a TPI setup.
 
Well it IS possible to have spark and no injector pulse, so not an invalid thing to test, just not likely. 9-13 is the "official" GM spec for TBI, seems to be pretty universal that they don't normally run real well at 9 or 10 PSI. But it should run.

Link in my signature has the gm service manual sets (Do I still have a sig?? I don't see it now), testing of the ignition components is probably contained in them, but in the service not electrical manual. 1987-1991 is all the same, always best to choose the manual that's for your year if available. may need electrical to ID the wires, but probably not. They are free, so not a bad idea to get both manuals anyway, but service should have the tests on the ignition side.
 
dyeager535 said:
Well it IS possible to have spark and no injector pulse, so not an invalid thing to test, just not likely. 9-13 is the "official" GM spec for TBI, seems to be pretty universal that they don't normally run real well at 9 or 10 PSI. But it should run.

Link in my signature has the gm service manual sets (Do I still have a sig?? I don't see it now), testing of the ignition components is probably contained in them, but in the service not electrical manual. 1987-1991 is all the same, always best to choose the manual that's for your year if available. may need electrical to ID the wires, but probably not. They are free, so not a bad idea to get both manuals anyway, but service should have the tests on the ignition side.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think all the signatures are gone but I believe I downloaded the manual when I first started this thread. And ok I'll focus on fuel pressure and make sure it's up to par. Thanks for the info.
 
I'm not going to say that it sounds exactly like a pressure issue, but at this stage it should be checked. Normally they will at least start and/or run terribly with poor fuel pressure, but if no fuel is being injected, I'd want to verify the injectors are being pulsed (noid light) too. All fuses are good, right?
 
dyeager535 said:
I'm not going to say that it sounds exactly like a pressure issue, but at this stage it should be checked. Normally they will at least start and/or run terribly with poor fuel pressure, but if no fuel is being injected, I'd want to verify the injectors are being pulsed (noid light) too. All fuses are good, right?
Click to expand...

I'll go over them again but everything checked out ok 3 months go. I got busy with school so I didn't really have time to tinker with it. And yeah I'm gonna plug up some noid lights to it tonight when my buddy gets off work.
 
Had to order the pressure gauge adapter, no biggie it'll be here in a few days. Guy with the noid lights hasn't gotten back up with me but autozone has a set I'll go pick up tomorrow.
 
If you have one, any 12V bulb that you can get wires to attach to (I used a 168/194 dash bulb) will work.
 
Ok I do have injector pulse, so it's either both injectors are locked up or fuel pump isn't getting fuel to the throttle body. I don't have a pressure gauge but I'm gonna crack the lines at the throttle body and see if I'm getting fuel up there. I can hear the pump cut on when I cycle the key and fuel is pumping out by the filter. At this point I'm pretty sure it's the injectors but I'm just double tapping on the fuel lines from the filter to the TB
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom