started stalling and dying when in gear

905

Asked by Devin Jul 28, 2008 at 01:27 AM about the 1994 GMC Sierra 1500 C1500 SLE Extended Cab SB

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

350 motor
4L60E trans

Motor wants to stall while in gear (but doesn't do it out of gear once over 1000 rpm it dosent) seem to stall and it is only from a dead stop.  Fuel filter has been replaced and TBI was rebuilt last April but it sort of used to do something like this when it was like 40 degrees or below.

105 Answers

83,745

Could be torque converter lockup solenoid in the trans.

77 people found this helpful.
515

my experience with my 93 yukon was the idle air control moter.

48 people found this helpful.
360

Does it do it when it warms up? if once its warm it stops tryin to stall then i would say its the cold start injector, i am pretty sure thats my problem aswell im just waiting for the right price befor i buy it.

36 people found this helpful.
1,075

with the condenser for ac on or off?????? hmmmmm

33 people found this helpful.
1,075

i suspect tpi or map sensor. or even dirty pcv valve or worce pluged egr check for vac preasure on hose going to to pcv and for pcv valve to ratle when you shake it

62 people found this helpful.
905

Already fixed it was the fuel pump mine only had 8 psi where normally they have 12-17 psi. Feels like a brand new truck it now has lots of power and doesn't stall anymore

88 people found this helpful.
3,630

I have a similiar problem as devin, my 95 Sierra 4x4 it has a 350 5.7L engine and the fuel filter has been replaced I cleaned the injectors out and put a new gasket on. The shop said I have good fuel pressure but I am choking out even when not in gear. but I can keep it running if I pump the gas. I was told it was the cadiladic converter but that was not the issue. Once it is in gear It will not stay running unless you use the 2 foot method and it is very rough and wont run for more than a minute. It never did this untill I got it back from the collision center after I was hit in the front passenger side?

161 people found this helpful.
520

i WENT THRU WITH MECHANIC CHANGING EVERYTHING, IDLE CONTROLLER, ETC. finally THEY CHANGED THE BLACK SENSOR ON THE THROTTLE BODY LEFT SIDE AND IT FIXED IT. THIS WAS NOT THE IDLE CONTROLLER, IT WAS A BLACK PART ATTACHED TO THE ACTUAL THROTTLE BODY. NOW i AM ENCOUNTERING HARD TRANNY SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR ETC SO ITS A CONTINUAL ISSUE BUT i THINK NOT DUE TO THE CHANGES OF ALL ITEMS AND THEN BACK FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD UP.

52 people found this helpful.
1,650

i have a question!! just recently swapped motor and trans out of my 92 gmc 1500 with a motor and trans from an 89 1500. it will crank and idle perfectly and i can rev it up with pretty good throttle response. soon as i drop it in reverse or drive and give it gas it acts like it wants to die and sometimes does.if i play with the throttle i can get it going but it hesitates bad. only changes that were made was i had to swap the throttle body unit off the 92 to the 89 motor cause of cruise control and different iac plugs. do you think this is a spark issue or fuel issue? any help would be greatly appreciated.

154 people found this helpful.
840

The problem is, everyone has the right answer (WRONG) ! You'll have to take it in and have it checked..........or waste time and money listening to these people and change every part they tell you too. This is why it's a waste looking on the net of a sulution

84 people found this helpful.

You know Mr. sickofthis!....I disagree with a lot of the answers here, but a few were good answers. The fact is there are so many different possibilities that can cause a single issue it is hard to diagnose online but sites like this are meant to help by giving you a place to start checking. I have been a mechanic for over 20yrs and am myself finding an issue with my own vehicle which I have never ran into before. Which is why I find myself on this site. I have been experiencing a similar issue and am concerned it is a lockup problem which is one answer given here. And also before the problem got this bad had also suspected low fuel pressure due to pump or clogged filter just hadn't had a chance to check it yet and wasn't to concerned about it till things got worse. I was looking on this site for someone experiencing a similar issue who may have found a fix. And so another answer and fix was fuel pump which I already suspected was a possibility but with the way my truck tries to lung forward during trans engagement I am leaning towards lockup solenoid or at least something trans internal. My point with you though is if you have nothing helpful to add then shut up and stay off the site. Go wine someplace else. Sorry if I have offended anyone here by saying so, but people just piss me off sometimes. And I am not adding anything useful now either so I too will shut up. I hope at least someone finds what information I did add to be helpful. And just a quick note if you do suspect one of these to issues to be your problem, start by checking your fuel pressure, if that is ok and you have no other codes that could relate to this issue then go to the trans. Egr, if stucjk open could cause stalling, but will cause rough idle as well which I dont have and the pvc has nothing to do with it at all unless it is a vacuum leak in the line going to the valve. Like I said though there are lots of possibilities. Good Luck everyone and again sorry for unloading a little on Mr. sickofthis!!

360 people found this helpful.
1,880

I've got a 94 1500 step side 5.7 l v8 when I put it into gear I have no power. The code it said was wrong was the MAP sensor , so once I replaced that it still didn't run when in gear, I've replaced the MAP sensor, TPS , pluge, wires ,cap rotor distributor, timing chain, temp sensor, injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter, AGR valve . the truck sounds like a brand new right off the line when it in park but as soon. As put it in gear it wants to stall, any other ideas???

154 people found this helpful.
1,630

Have the same issue with a 1994 chevy k2500 truck. Have changed just about everything on the list above. There is no code given. Have changed the injectors, timing, fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel pump, map sensor, cooling temp sensor on front of block, rebuilt the tbi, air idea valve. None of this hasite helped. The truck starts and dies. Have to give a little gas to keep running. While driving have to 2 foot it so it won't die. Wants to die when I come to a stop or slow down to make a turn.

107 people found this helpful.
1,630

Fuel filter has been changed also. About to change the fuel pressure regulator. I hope to get it fixed soon. Any help would be welcomed.

35 people found this helpful.
1,880

1994chevy got mine fixed, I had to replace the throital body , runs great now.

34 people found this helpful.

Ok guys, Here is what I found! My issue was on a 90 chevy, but would effect anyone who has a lockup convertor. My issue again was engine runs great but would stall imediately once put into gear, however if could get truck rolling 10 miles per hour or so it would not stall but noticed also that I would never see or here an rpm change for O.D. which is because my lockup convertor was stuck or hung up in O.D. Which was the cause of my stalling. When a vehicle is stuck in O.D. as some do when O.D clutches are locked or burned together or in my case the lockup convertor staying locked in, it is like trying to take off with a standard transmission in high range. So it will stall. Replaced the convertor and everything is working great. I hope this helps someone in the future.

64 people found this helpful.

Guys, I am back with same issues again after replacing converter. Explained in my post just above. So it seems all this was caused from a faulty pump. Just above the lockup solenoid or TCC solenoid inside transmission,( if you dont know where it is an internet search will show you), but if you remove the two bolts holding it in and remove it you will see a flat washer with offset hole held in with snap ring. If you look through that hole you will see a valve. You will only be able to see the bottom of the stem on the valve about 3/8 inch in diameter, just guessing could be more like a 1/4 inch, but in any case, that valve should be seated firmly against the valve retainer (the washer I mentioned with the hole) In my case it was not, It was stuck in lockup position up in the bore. I used a pick and worked through the hole till I got it to release then unpluged my electrical controls from transmission to prevent the lockup or tcc solenoid from activating and locking the valve up again. This worked fine untill I had time to fix it properly. I later pulled transmission and removed pump. Pulled pump apart and found the pump was worn and looked like possibly some shavings from the pump had gone through the valve and scored the bore enough that the valve wouldn't move freely, in fact I pushed it up into bore several times on the bench and it wouldnt ever. I replaced the pump and again am all good. Now, I could have polished the valve and its bore just a bit and maybe installed a stiffer return spring, but polishing probably would have been enough might be worth trying. With the right tools like a pair of long nosed inside snap ring pliers to get the snap ring out and a pair of long needle nose pliers might allow removal of valve in vehicle. A bit of polishing and you might be back on the road. I didnt want to tear back into it again though so I opted for the sure fix and replaced the pump. Because the valve is in the pump and I knew replacing it would get rid of any issues causing the valve to bind and curiosity made me wonder why the valve began sticking to begin with. Again I hope this helps and helps put an end to mr sickofthis telling everyone an internet search is useless. If you have read this whole thread then you know what I mean. Good luck guys!!

87 people found this helpful.

Jhooks, glad you are fixed, was about to suggest checking for vacuum leaks around intake and throttle body as this will sometimes set a map code if severe enough

8 people found this helpful.

I have read through other post in this thread and my solution only fits with Devins complaint, would be glad to try and help others with their issues if I can

16 people found this helpful.
430

I have a 1993 /350 chevy goes dead even setting still when warm put the brakes on dies put in gear dies come to a stop dies now it well start but wont stay running if i use the two foot miethed it dies as soon as i put in gear or put brake on

43 people found this helpful.
660

Shot in the dark, but anyone on here from the kitsap county area? Washington state? I would rather someone look at it before I do a motor swap

8 people found this helpful.
660

I have a 1993 gmc suburban 1500 sle. It dosent die, it idles great but will bogging down after 1/4 throttle. In gear only. I have not checked compression and the entire fuel system has been replaced, and the tbi has been rebuilt. The cap rotor wires plugs, and coil pack have all been replaced both coolant temp sensors egr map icm, and intake manilfold gasket.

19 people found this helpful.
660

I can't figure it out and this motor is clean, I'm I'm about to install my 89 350 in it. But the 5.7l in the 93 idles perfectly.

13 people found this helpful.

OK, as everyone knows it is hard to diagnose if you cant get your hands on the vehicle, but lets try. When you say you replaced entire fuel system, what does that mean, because this sounds like a fuel issue. Unfortunately on these, most have no fuel pressure test port, which makes it difficult to test fuel pressure. However there are ways to determine if fuel is the problem. When you say you replaced entire fuel system I have to assume that means the fuel pump in the tank and the fuel filter. If you have then that likely eliminates that and notice I said likely you can get bad parts, in fact I just replaced a pump for the second time in a jeep that failed almost instantly after install. In any case, lets move on for now. Do you have access to a timing light. If so you will need to get some help with this. Remove air cleaner housing and connect timing light. Start vehicle and get someone to hold brake, put in gear and increase rpm untill begins to bog. At same time use timing light to watch injector spray pattern to see if spray begins to decrease as it begins to bog down. If so you can verify by spraying carb cleaner into throttle body as it begins to bog to see if it picks back up again, if so you know it is a fuel issue. WARNING: Do not stand in front of vehicle while performing this test. If engine picks up when carb cleaner is sprayed into throttle body vehicle could lung forward. Also just not safe, anything could happen. Stay off to one side!! Now if you have verified a fuel issue, then remember there are several things that control fuel. You mentioned replacing the coolant temp sensor, but I would suspect most likely to be in the map/baro sensor. It is mounted on the passenger side of intake on a bracket. It will have a three wire connector going to it and a vacumm line connected to it coming from rear of throttle body. I assume you do not have a scanner, or atleast not one capable of reading live data. So lets take the map/baro out of the equation by disconnecting the three wire electrical connector then running the engine again and trying to replicate the problem again. By disconnecting the connector the ecm no longer sees the map/baro, so it tries to run the engine off a preset variable. Start here and see what you find.

31 people found this helpful.

There are other things,possibly even tps, but lets see what you find and go from there, I am not a believer in just throwing parts at one

5 people found this helpful.
660

I have not pressure tested the fuel system. I had some one sit in the vehicle with it in drive with their foot on the brake. I manually increased the throttle and watched it increase the amount of fuel coming from the injectors even when it bogged out

4 people found this helpful.
660

It seems to have a slight miss in the idle Akari up try this when I get home

8 people found this helpful.

I need further explanation. How did you come to this conclusion? Did you what the spark by putting wire near ground, or just remove #8 wire and didnt see rpm change, please clarify

3 people found this helpful.

An engine miss on a single cylinder is can be caused by many factors. Spark plug, plug wire degredation, cracked or corroded cap, or internal engine problems like worn rings, (which can happen on a single cylinder generally due to an intake gasket leak near that cylinder drawing in dirt) or stuck, bent or burnt valves. Internal engine problems can be isolated by performing a compression test , but again I need to know how you determined week spark so we can direct you to the most likely cause and get you on the right track for a repair quicker

7 people found this helpful.
660

I removed the 8 plug and started the motor, obviously you could hear the compression stroke.lol. noticed the plug was completely fouled and it's only a week old. Anyways obviously that was the plug with weak spark. However, the truck runs the same if the number 8 is hooked up or not. Hense a good sign of internal engine issues

1 people found this helpful.
660

The main question that resides is whether it's a valve or a ring issue. The intake manilfold gasket was replaced last weekend. So that can be ruled out. The gasket was seated with the correct sequence and torque spec. I also went a little over kill on the rtv. Completely surrounded the gasket top and bottom before proceeding with a gentle 6 step torque sequence

5 people found this helpful.
660

The question that plaques me is how to determine if the valves are bad or the the rings are bad without dismantling the motor?

1 people found this helpful.

An overkill of rtv as you stated is not a good thing. When the gasket mashes,the spill over into the intake runner can break off and get sucked into the engine, usually just a 1/8 inch bead across front and rear is all that recommended, but that is beside the point now. In any case, you can buy a relatively cheap compression tester at O'rielys or Autozone or possibly rent one through their tool rental program. If you have long threads on plug then use the long reach adapter, if short threads just use without adapter. Be sure not to over tighten. They have an o- ring seal so dose not need to be very tight. Remove coil wire or disconnect coil electrical connector to prevent engine from starting, Open throttle to full throttle position then crank engine about 10 revolutions. You will get a more accurate reading with all plugs removed, but it is not necessary to do so to get a baseline reading. after cranking the engine note the reading on the gauge. Do not know specs off top of my head, but should be somewhere near 120 psi or so min. However, have seen engines run without noticeable issues with one cylinder being as low as 80 psi. Now if your reading is low, you can squirt a couple of tablespoons worth of oil into the cylinder then run test again. If compression comes up then usually indicates its your rings that are faulty, because the oil you added helps seal around the rings momentarily. If it does not change or has very little change then likely valve because what little oil might make it up to the valve isnt enough to seal it and most would stay seated around the piston and never reach the valve. Downside though is that if your compression rings are good and you have a failure with oil control rings only then a compression test may show good compression, but may still have a ring issue. Sad to say, but if you are fouling a plug with oil then you know you have an internal engine issue and it must bee torn down regardless. My guess is your rings are bad because a worn valve stem will cause a fouled plug, but would have to be excessive wear to foul a plug that quickly. You can however remove valve cover, bring the #8 intake valve to full up and remove rocker then try to push valve side to side. Any noticeable movement is too much. You never said though if the plug was gas fouled or oil fouled but gas fouled would be a different issue. I am only assuming you mean oil fouled

2 people found this helpful.
660

I read that the #8  cyl are on the same stroke, so considering my concerns are with the number 8. I only tested that 1 with the number 1 cylinder disconnected I did it dry and wet compression test the dry test showed that there was a greater than a 15% variance between cylinder 1 and 8 the wet test soon over 35 psi increase in cylinder 8

3 people found this helpful.
170

For Devin's issue: "I can keep it running if I pump the gas. I was told it was the cadiladic converter but that was not the issue. Once it is in gear It will not stay running unless you use the 2 foot method and it is very rough and wont run for more than a minute." I had the exact same issue on a 1990 7.4l w/TBI. OBD I scan said the MAP sensor was throwing the correct value; put a spare MAP sensor on just to check, and that solved the stalling issue.

5 people found this helpful.
515

Ok I have a 1994 GMC 1500 sierra 5.0 305 it dies in gear sound awesome in idle but dies have changed the tps,the EGR Vacuum Solenoid the Idle Air Control Valve , TBI Base Gasket,Fuel Pressure Regulator,Throttle Body Rebuild Kit,be for it went out as u would accelerate it would lose power now u start it it runs awesome and dies in less on gas u put it in gear it dies in less u to foot it need help any one care to pick at it ?

13 people found this helpful.
170

Is this an automatic? Does it die as soon as you put it in drive/reverse, or only when you accelerate? Have you checked the fuel pressure? A dying fuel pump can give you enough fuel to start/idle well enough, but not enough pressure to handle acceleration. Not sure if the 1994 305 has an in-line port for attaching a pressure tester, but that sure makes the job a lot easier. Places like Auto Zone often loan them out for free (assuming you can afford the $150 fully-refundable deposit).

3 people found this helpful.
515

Yes as soon as its in gear just shots off in less u are on the throttle repeatedly

3 people found this helpful.
515

Seen some one say up there it could be stuck in o/d in transmission

7 people found this helpful.
515

I have all ready ordered the hole new fule pump as well yesterday so will see

5 people found this helpful.
60

Bottom line torque converter lock up switch yw guys and gals

6 people found this helpful.
110

danddraves You might want to order a spelling course along with those parts.

9 people found this helpful.
90

I have the same problem with my 1995 chevy 5.7 u think if I raised the wheels of the floor and if it went into gear without it shuting off that would be a good way of checking the torque converter?

9 people found this helpful.
100

tear out your ecm's trow away your injectors boys quadrajets and hei distributors end all your problems now that runs good wasnt it easy

10 people found this helpful.

Passinthrew, People are here for answers not bs comments just to hear yourself talk. If you cant add anything helpful then dont add

27 people found this helpful.
60

I have a 90 2500 p/u with 4wd. It would stall when I put it in gear. Found a major vacuum leak to trans. Fixed it and it ran around the block like a champ. Changed a heater hose. Idled it for a bit to top off coolant. Put it in gear and it died again. I thought the fuel pump but now I'm questioning the trans. It did start shifting bad before the stalling problem started. I'll see if I can borrow a pressure gauge before going any further.

6 people found this helpful.

Guys, there are several reasons a vehicle can die when it is put in gear, as with mine it was the torque converter solenoid valve stuck in the lockup position in the transmission under the tcc solenoid or Torque Converter Clutch solenoid. And other than a few who chose to throw their two cents in here, without adding to the possible solution there are actually a few good things mentioned that should be checked. My reason for adding to this thread again is to mention the difference that can be felt when a vehicle goes into gear and dies due to lockup or tcc solenoid issues and what is felt due to other issues like fuel or ignition issues. If it is the Lockup or Tcc solenoid then it should start and rev up fine until it is placed in any gear, forward or reverse. Once in gear if it is a Tcc issue it should lunge forward like you are dumping the clutch on a manual transmission and then die. Sorry, but that is the best way I know of to explain it. If it is something like low fuel pressure it should just die without the head jerking or sudden lunging forward that the Tcc issue will cause. It would take far to long to go into depth on the other issues. Now that being said, I will discuss other issues I have seen that have caused stalling once placed in gear. I have seen a wire outside of a harness that went to the transmission for the shift solenoids rub on the gear selector on the transmission and once the shifter was moved it would rub on the bare spot in wire , ground it out and and signal the computer to shift that circuit in trans and stall the engine. Again, it would take to long to explain here why it was stalling but basically it was trying to engage a circuit that applied a gear in the transmission that was to high a gear for starting off in so it stalled the engine.I have seen the torque converter warp and force the clutch inside which is normally free untill engaged by the tcc solenoid to actually be engaged due to the warped converter and stall the engine. Guys, I could go on and on, but I will say this, if you suspect your issue is related to the lockup converter then you should feel a extreamly hard engagement once put in gear and it should try to lunge forward and die. You will feel it almost snap your head as it goes in and die because there will be a direct engagement between engine and transmission at that point. If it just shuts off then you have a different issue and is not likely related to the lockup converter. As for busmut1313 and your question. First I was not aware that a th400 transmission was used in a 90 chevy 4x4 which is what it must be if it has vacuum going to transmission. Oh, wait, I see you say it is a 2500 it seems they did use a beafed up th400 in that year in any trucks heavier than the 1500, sorry. So yes that could cause the shifting issue and even stalling if the leak was severe enough. My question is how hard is the shift when it goes in gear before it dies and does your transmission have a lockup. o would have to do some research to find out. Does it have an electric harness going to the transmission. Sorry, I am not familiar enough with the th400 used in this model to know if it was equipped with a lockup converter as a lot of earlier models were not. Maybe I am not the best one to answer your question but i will do some research to see if I can better help you. I will say this if your transmission is equipped with an electrical connector near the pan on the drivers side normally and the problem is a bit intermittent as it seems to be then try disconnecting the plug and leave it disconnected and try it again sometimes moisture can get in the plug and short the circuit activating the tcc prematurely or the tcc control circuit can short causing tcc engagement. In any case disconnecting the plug will eliminate this as a possibility. I will try to get back to you with more after I have done some reserch on ther transmissions used in the 90 model 2500 series. As for my spelling here as comp-lained about by someone above, I appologize, but am not going to spend alot of time checking my grammer jusssst too satisssfy a tttturd. When how, how, how ever I spelllll it willll probabbbbbly stilll be understooood byyy the redder....lol Sorry everyone, that wasnt necessary I know, but could not resist. Complaining about grammer really! If you dont get what I am talking about then back up and read a few post above. Again sorry!

20 people found this helpful.
60

Thanks, yes it does jerk when I put it in gear. Not violently but you can feel it. It has a 3 speed Hydromatic trans . No Overdrive. It does have a plug on the driver side by the pan. It's got 190K on it and the engine was changed 2 years ago. I just rebuilt the transfer case and changed the trans filter and fluid as well. It was pretty clean when I pulled the pan down. I appreciate the insight and advice.

OK, According to mitchel 1, this truck came with 6 transmissions available, all of which does have lockup converters. So without more knowledge about what transmission you have i could easily lead you in the wrong direction. But it sounds like you may have to do some work to diagnose this one. You may need to remove the pan and pull the Tcc solenoid. But before I go any farther I would like your vin number so I can look and see what transmission you actually have.I can look on mitchel and see just exactly how your transmission is set up. However, i can tell you that if you pull the connector and it still stalls then you can pull the pan and follow the wires to the solenoid. remove the solenoid and blow air through the solenoid it should flow freely if not the solenoid could be plugged causing an unintentional activation of the lockup converter. Also while you have it down, make sure that the valve above the solenoid is in the unloaded position or in bottom of the bore, I am afraid I am going to over load you with info so I will stop there. If you would like to email me then I will provide you with my email address so I can continue helping off site. It is difficult to diagnose these issues these issues at times when the vehicle is where you can actually work on it and much more difficult this way. But will do my best to help

7 people found this helpful.
100

I got a question i have a 1995 chevy z71 i bout that had been sittin the guy i got it from i know well he put motor and tranny in truck 350 tbi 4l60e tranny it starts and runs great i put it in reverse or drive it dies well i replaced the tranny acts the same replaced all breaks acted same new disributor and cap ,plug wires, plugs still starts runs find put it anywhere besides park or neutral it dies anything will help please help i need to get my truck runnin ive spent alot of money already thanks

10 people found this helpful.

Most trucks which came out with a vortec engine had a 4L60E transmission unless it was a 3/4 ton or heavier then most were 4L80's but there were several options. If installing in a truck originally equipped with a vortec then you need to know what transmission it had originally because the ecm's operate differently to control different transmissions. If you are installing it in a truck equiped from the factory with a vortec engine then provide me with the vin and I will tell you if it will work in your truck. Please also provide year make model engine size and 2 or 4 wheel drive be specific...ex 1997 gmc silverado 2500 4x4 5.7 liter engine

5 people found this helpful.
70

The truck is a 98 z71 5.7 vortec with 4 wheel drive. my tranny went to crap but this one i bought was 4l60E LS. The motor that the tranny came from wasnt a vortec. So i was just wonderin if the 4l60 LS would work with a vortec motor

Your truck was equipped with a 4L60E originally and so that is not an issue. The issue would be that the model of truck which used the LS engine, which is what the transmission you purchased would have been used with, changed a few things in or around 2003. The only one I think you need to be concerned with is the park/neutral switch on the side of the transmission. not completely sure but I believe the plug connection is different between the two transmissions you have. You would need to swap the switch from your old transmission onto the one you purchased, other than that I think you are ok. However, I am not there to look at it personally so I cannot tell you with 100% assurance. Sorry, which I could be more positive.

2 people found this helpful.
70

Well my thing is that it moves and drives fine until it gets to operating temps then it seems like it wants to make my motor run like crap

4 people found this helpful.
70

kinda like it makes it flood itself out so i didnt know maybe if the torque converted was bad or not or is this a motor issue

15

350 tbi I've had a problem with the passenger side injector not firing at all I've tried and replaced everything. ran a jump wire and it worked. Does anyone have any other ideas of what it could be?

1 people found this helpful.
300

Wow my heads spinning from so much great information. But I'm lost. I have a 1993 Silverado 1500. It's just over 100,000 miles. Recently it's been stalling when I'm idling at a stop light or sometimes if I put it in reverse. It only happens when the engine warms up, not when it's cold. I can go a few miles without it stalling at idle but as soon as it warms up it begins. After it warms up I have to put it in park and rev the engine then quickly put it in drive when the traffic light changes so I it doesn't die out. It's a hassle but I hesitate to take it to the shop becaude I don't want them to cheat me, I've had some bad experiences with mechanics sabotaging my other car. At least it's running. It's been a great truck and never given me any problems just the usual maintenance upkeep. Any ideas would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

28 people found this helpful.
130

I have a 91 chevy c1500 5.7. Driving one day and it just shut off, I have replaced fuel pump, fuel filter, egr valve, pcv valve and hose and idle air control, cleaned fuel injectors and replaced air filter, and spark plugs and wires but it is hard to start unless you put some gas in injector and she will idle fine till warm then she tries to shut off unless you pedal the gas and she shuts off as soon as you put her into reverse or drive. Is there something else to try?

13 people found this helpful.
180

OK guys I have a post on here about my truck 94 Chevy 5.7 auto c1500 149k on milage. Sat in the woods for 3 years. It fires up but I have to pump the throttle to keep it going. I have no cel on when it is running (while pumping throttle) video is on youtube. Title 94 Chevy c1500 will not idle. Video owner name is wait for it. My cars on its last leg and I barely scraped up 800 to buy this truck please guys I need help ASAP and can't afford to throw parts at it

3 people found this helpful.
170

Let's start with what you've done to it--have you at least burned through all the old gas? How do the plugs look--any fouling? What about the wires--any cracks? How does the spray from the injectors look? What are the odds you can borrow a fuel pressure gauge? Tell us what you've already checked.

3 people found this helpful.
180

I just did a full clean of the carb new fuel filter (while I had it off I pumped all the old fuel out) rotor cap and wires look good haven't pulled the plugs out yet.cleaned the iac (should it be hard to move or easy) plan on getting a new air filter next week.

180

So you can her large it I put a video on YouTube titled 94 c1500 will not idle poster name is wait for it

180

If I hold the peddle no matter the rpm it dies out. Considering getting new iac and tps

170

IAC should be damn near impossible to move. If that's moving easily, replacing that is probably a good idea, but hold off for now. How'd you pump the fuel out--with the vehicle's fuel pump or some other way? I'm starting to suspect a bad fuel pump. Can you hear the fuel pump prime itself when you turn the ignition on (without turning the engine on)?

180

Yep that's the first thing I checked. Had my dad turn the key and heard the buzz clear as a bell. (And yeah removed fuel filter and let pump push all the old fuel out from the open line)

4 people found this helpful.
180

Another question... is it c1500 5.7 supposed to have a maf.... I don't recall seeing one on my truck

1 people found this helpful.
180

Forget the mad Googled it got my answer. But I just tested my map sensor (lung power) it had the perfect feed voltage but as I increased vacuum pressure. Voltage never changed. Not even .001 (using a fluke 115 on dc) so that tells me my map sensor is fried right

1 people found this helpful.
180

Have a strong ground did both test koeo (key on engine off) 5v feed 12v read on the ground wire ( hot lead on + negative lead on ground wire)

2 people found this helpful.
170

You mentioned a carb earlier--this should be fuel-injected. Can you confirm which fuel delivery system you have? As far as I know, a carburetor would indicate a retro fit, which could take us a down a different diagnostic path. Pumping the fuel out with the vehicle's own fuel pump is a good sign, but it's not a guarantee you're getting the right fuel pressure. Fuel pump is likely good, but we can't know for sure without a pressure test--let's put a pin in that for now. MAP sensor is $20--if you're getting no voltage fluctuation on lung power, that's not a bad place to start if you're ready to begin throwing parts at it.

1 people found this helpful.
170

It's either/or--either your engine has TBI, or a carburetor. I'm assuming you have two injector pods that point downward and spray fuel in cone-shaped patterns down onto the butterfly valve. How do those cones look? Nice and evenly spread?

1 people found this helpful.
180

Yeah fuel spray seems fine after I put the new map sensor it started putting out white smoke and still won't idle

170

I know you said the CEL isn't coming on, but can you confirm it works? Does it light up when you go KOEO? Does the truck ever idle well? Or does the engine die right away, even before warming up? Have you tried unplugging the O2 sensor and see how it runs?

180

Yeah cell comes on when the key comes on and no I haven't unplugged the o2 yet

180

But is off as soon as the trucks running. I sprayed some carb cleaner between the cleaner lid and filter and it idled for about 5 seconds

1 people found this helpful.
180

Alright so I took a dangerous step and put a little fuel on the air cleaner it's self. And the truck idled perfectly didn't touch the gas peddle. So my issue is a patently fuel delivery at this point. A big question will a similar year v6 injector work in place of mine? (5.7 v8)

170

No, unfortunately the V6 injector will not work on the V8. You might be right about the fuel; I know you replaced the fuel filter already. Remember when we put a pin in the fuel pressure issue? Time to go back to it. Any chance of borrowing a fuel pressure tester? Autozone and the like will let you borrow one for free if you can afford a $150 refundable deposit. Changing gears, how handy are you? I know a lot of guys never go through their throttle body with a rebuild kit, but a weak fuel pressure regulator spring could give you decent fuel cones off the injectors but still not provide enough fuel to run on. If you remove the air cleaner assembly and spray carb cleaner (not fuel!) into the throttle body, can you keep it running even while revving?

2 people found this helpful.
180

I haven't tried revving but it will run with the carb cleaner being spray. I took the top half apart and took out the injectors and cleaned everything

2 people found this helpful.
170

Took the top half off, OK. Lots of O-rings and gaskets and screens just in the top half--are they in good shape, and did you retain them? If any of those bits goes missing, it won't be good. A rebuild kit may be in order, and it's not much more complex than what you've already done. A lot of that stuff (injector screens, retention rings, maybe o-rings) may be re-usable, but the gasket should be replaced. In my opinion, the hardest part is getting the diaphragm evenly and properly screwed down over the fuel pressure regulator. If any of the screws are over-cooked due to years of heat, you risk breaking the heads off, and they won't be in the rebuild kit (if you can't tell, that's the issue I had). If you rebuild the TB, the bolts have specific torque specs, which should be in the kit instructions.

180

Found my problem. #1 the little rubber foam whatever it is hose the connects the pump to the lines in the tank. Has a split in it. #2 the bottom of the pump itself is badly rusted (again sat in the woods 3 years) #3 sock was split long ways down the bottom , #4 the jacka** that owned it before put a literal sh*t ton of epoxy ALL OVER THE TOP OF THE PUMP HOUSING... I could ring his scrawny neck... hang on as I storm off in a pissed off rage over the previous owners ignorance.

2 people found this helpful.
170

I was hoping it wasn't the fuel pump (which the pressure test would have told us), but taking it out is the worst part, so you're already at least half-way home. Glad you finally figured it out with limited throwing parts at it.

2 people found this helpful.
180

Right it will cost me about 50 to fix it thankfully that's cheap. I appreciate your help. Thank you

180

New problem has arisen. Now it won't go faster than 35 unless I get a little firm on the throttle

180

5.7 350 won't spin so 1st is gone and after 35 it just revs but won't go faster I'm figuring clutch packs are gone and probably od band

1 people found this helpful.
20

I to am having this same issue,however i have replaced the fuel pump when i installed brand new tank, iac, tpi, fuel filter cleaned throttle body to brand new condition, the egr is a yr old , i just replaced all solenoids is transmission due to another issue i had which turned out to be a rat eating a wire that caused trans issues.. the motor in my truck only has 22,000 miles on it but yet it stalls at redlights but has all the balls in the world.. i am down to two more parts tonreplace and that it the furl regulator which i didnt touch during cleaning of throttle body and ignition control module.. i know from experience i had a similar issue about two years ago and it did turn out to be the icm..

2 people found this helpful.
30

I have a 94 Silverado 350 two wheel drive automatic. My truck died on me going down the interstate at 70 miles an hour just cut off mine will die when going from Park reverse Drive Etc and sitting at a red light after about a minute or two, the only thing I have changed was the IAC and the TPS and they were used parts from another engine. So far I have changed my ECM and it is 50% better it does run better a mechanic at the GM dealer said he had the same problem he said to take a ground wire and ground the ignition module in the distributor to a ground on the truck somewhere. I have done that and now I'm up to 75% better so I still have 25% more to go LOL. Also my original problem why it quits going down the interstate was the ignition module in the distributor.. the GM mechanic said that their technical support line recommends grounding the ignition module when these problems occur I don't know if that is the fix but it did help mine some but I believe I am just going to keep driving mine and hope my memory in the computer will relearn how it is supposed to run...

1 people found this helpful.
30

The GM mechanic also said that I need to put a new ECM and a new ignition module on at the same time and ground the ignition module he said they both have to be fresh from the start I don't know if this is why I am not at 100% running like it should but this is after the fact lol

2 people found this helpful.
20

So I have a 94 s10 v6 2wd Automatic. From day I got it 4 months ago it’s sounded like it had a cam in it. Thought maybe the cat conv is hollowed out. So it started out first problem the exhaust smelt like gas. Didn’t think much of it. Thought it just ran rich. So it began to wanna stall sometimes and then one day it died out as I was coming off the interstate. And the battery light came on. Crunk it back up and it was kinda so so wanting to stall. Then when I got to a red light I had to hold the brake and give it gas. Also at this time the oil pressure needle was goin down as it wanted to die. Well I made it home and one day went to fool with it. And it died soon as I put it in reverse. Tried tried again. Same. So I let it warm up. Backed out and went to the end of my driveway and came back. It died right when I went to pull it into the carport. Next day cleaned the map sensor a little and went to the end of my driveway again this time while engine was still cold. Came back and died at the same spot. The main things I’ve heard it could be that is all my symptoms is MAP sensor. Can I take that MAP sensor off and drive it? Will that maybe tell me that’s the problem? I don’t wanna change 10 sensors and find out its something else. Seems to me the engine gets fuel cuz it ain’t even burning it all. I wonder if it not burning the fuel is my problem and why it’s choking out.

2 people found this helpful.

A lot going on there, and it's possible multiple worn-out parts are contributing to the rough idle and stall. If futzing with the MAP sensor changed its performance even a little, that's as good a place to start as any. If that's the original sensor (and it probably is), it's definitely at the end of its life expectancy, BUT let's start with a smarter way to identify the problem(s): I assume if you had a scan tool, you'd have already pulled the error codes. The good news: you don't need a scan tool to pull them. All you need is a paper clip and a little knowledge. Here's the knowledge: http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f106/how-to-pull-your-ses-or-check-engine-light-codes- 343044/ This is a picture of your port, with the A and B terminals marked: https://www.truckforums.com/forum/chevy-silverado-gmc-sierra-forum-11/94-seirra- service-engine-soon-light-20568/ Pull your code(s) using the method in the first link, and then look here to interpret them: https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/gm-2-digit-codes.php Have a pen and paper handy to write down the codes. Good luck, let us know what you find!

360

IAC - Idle air control is stuck closed. therefore not letting adequate air upon acceleration. air into engine. David Tinnin age 26

1 people found this helpful.
360

TPS- throttle position sensor tells ecm where the throttle valve is when foot is not on gas pedal. . if corrupted can make engine stall after letting of gas pedal too fast, even in reverse. also corupted TPS can cause random 3-4 shift while cruising. and if corupted TPS can also make random acceleration increase, like a burst of power, when the gas pedal your foot is on isnt being increased. exampl. cruising at 35 and all of a sudden burst of acceleration and power with out increasing foot pressure to pedal.

1 people found this helpful.
40

1994 Chevy G30 Van 5.7 TBI Ran fine, then all the sudden on a 2 hour trip started losing power/missing at highway speed, I would pump gas it would keep running, but do this intermittently. Then the real problem occurred which was stalling when coming to a stop. Took it to shop, they attempted diagnosis, pressure tested fuel pump took it for ride and of course no problem. Was throwing a MAP sensor code (I’ll get back to that). I get it back, problem starts again. What I learned to do to help would be to put in neutral in anticipation of coming to stop. Started by replacing EGR, wires, cap, plugs, rotor they needed to be done anyway, still not fixed. Replaced coolant temp sensor, still not fixed. Seemed more likely to stall when slowing to turn, noticed squealing on belt, figured drag or belt slipping, replaced belt, squealing stopped, stalling stopped for test drive but next drive stalling again coming to stop. Squealing started again from belt/accessories, replaced tensioner, alternator, no squealing now, still stalling problem. Replace fuel filter, still stalling. Got a good tip, seemed logical, replaced TPS, still problem. Replaced IAC, still problem. Replaced MAP, FIXED. Funny thing is it was throwing a MAP code but shop was saying that the code was probably a symptom and not the root cause.

4 people found this helpful.
30

First figure out if it is flooding or starving. My truck did exactly what yours did. Mine was flooding. I tried replacing alot of throttle and ignition parts. Then a mechanic friend did some checking and told me to pull the injector plugs, and try running it. If fuel comes out the injector is stuck open. If they are fine then try the engine coolant sensor and exhaust O2 sensor. If the coolant sensor is bad it tells the ecm that the truck is -20 so it pumps more fuel. If the O2 sensor is out or bad the ecm thinks it is running lean and pumps more fuel.

3 people found this helpful.

Make sure you are putting transmission in Drive,not 2nd. My girlfriend has an '88 Silverado. The shifter is touchy and the tilt wheel is a bit loose, affecting the shifting, IMO. Once I slowly clicked it from park,reverse,neutral, then Drive it was fine and it would drive forward. Got lucky on that fix

10

I have a 1993 chevy c1500 it would stall in gear at idle. Turned out to be the distributor. Hope this helps took me a long time to figure it out.

1 people found this helpful.
10

Hi thank you for help I have a 1994 1500 with a V6 and 5peed manual had problem 3 years back truck all of the sudden wanted to die threw in the clutch started reving the engine it was running like a wire was off it was the EGR valve easy fix 56.00 now 3 years later same problem so changed EGR still having a problem I am guessing fuel pump ..

1 people found this helpful.

No.. no .. no..! Your all close , but after the fact. It's all started with a Detent cable adjusted improperly.

I have a 1991 Chev truck with 5.7 and about 320,000 miles. Same problem where once it warms up, it will die in gear with foot on brake or when switching from drive to rev. Idles fine in park all day long. I have replaced module in Distributor, ACI motor, a long with other stuff. I finally replaced my distributor with a complete new Dist kit that had module, cap, rotor button. Now it runs like it is supposed to. Now my distributor did have 320,000 miles on it.

Your Answer:

Sierra 1500

Looking for a Used Sierra 1500 in your area?

CarGurus has 66,126 nationwide Sierra 1500 listings starting at $3,000.

ZIP:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

1994 GMC Sierra 1500

Review another car

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    yetilikesbeer
    Reputation
    12,340
  • #2
    dragonflyoffshore
    Reputation
    11,500
  • #3
    John Saffrahn
    Reputation
    11,440
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Ford F-150
6,060 Great Deals out of 130,219 listings starting at $1,500
Used GMC Yukon
670 Great Deals out of 11,248 listings starting at $2,241
Used Toyota Tacoma
1,934 Great Deals out of 31,699 listings starting at $3,500
Used Dodge RAM 1500
101 Great Deals out of 1,543 listings starting at $1,100
Used Chevrolet Tahoe
1,069 Great Deals out of 20,056 listings starting at $1,300

Used Cars for Sale

2024 GMC Sierra 1500 For Sale
75 Great Deals out of 43,772 listings starting at $28,434
2023 GMC Sierra 1500 For Sale
277 Great Deals out of 4,746 listings starting at $30,985
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 For Sale
179 Great Deals out of 1,652 listings starting at $28,590
2021 GMC Sierra 1500 For Sale
306 Great Deals out of 3,947 listings starting at $19,000
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 For Sale
202 Great Deals out of 2,376 listings starting at $17,990

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.