Disaster...need help diagnosing fuel system problem on a 1999 Chevy Silverado v-8 5.3 liter.
This question pertains to a 1999 Chevrolet C1500 Silverado V-8 5.3 liter. First of all, I
apologize in advance for the ignorance of this whole situation. I am nothing even
remotely close to a mechanic. Ok, a fairly large amount of water was poured into my gas
tank. $20 dollars worth of fuel was added to that from what was a tank almost completely
empty. Being I am down on my luck and unemployed at this time I have tried to fix this ny
self. First I emptied out the tank by removing the fuel filter and and using the pump to
squirt it out with every turn of the key(I know it's really smart!). Any way, I did not do this
until no more fuel came out, I just measured the amount that come out and was able to
tell when enough was enough. I then replaced the fuel filter with a new one. I added fuel
and and a water removing product that also contained fuel injector cleaner. The truck
started and I assumed all was well. The next day I took off in it and it died at astop sign
less than 1/4 mile down the road. Since then, I have. It been able to start it. The battery is
now run down and today I tried tinkering with it and I immediately notice that when I
turned the ignition to listen for the fuel pump, I heard a series of loud strange humming (
electrical) noises coming from my fuse panel inside the truck and then traced the sound
to the fuel pump relay located in the fuse box under the hood. Whew! I guess the
question now is: bad relay or bad fuel pump and relay? Thank you to anyone willing to
take the rind to read and give an answer.
okay...there are a couple of no-no's goin' on here....Number one --NEVER run the gas tank EMPTY...what happens is the fuel pump will overheat and fail...sounds like it ran out of gas and shut down....par-bakin' the motor and am surprised that it still runs...this might be the a moanin' and a groanin' that is happening....nothing we can do except replace the pump...WATER...crikes, how on earth did water get in there? a little kid with the garden hose on an unlocked fuel cap (DavidH25's kid) ruining the injection system causing replacement of all injectors and fuel system components? https://www.google.com/#psj=1&q=1999+Chevy+Silverado+v- 8+5.3+fuel+pump+relay
relays could hum...but would quit altogether with a voltage-drop (like a corroded 1/0 connection from battery to frame)...I got a source for you, but it's an undervoltage condition created by the firey 300 amp connection of the dis-similar metals (lug and frame) sharing MANY amps thru a single spot...again and again "dulling it down" creating a semiconductor layer of corrosion...this seems to happen on every car anymore...some have TWO 1/0 cable ground connections one for the startermotor and one for the delicate ECU and fuel pump and components ~ All or NONE is the M.O. of the relay....the pump can be fightin' as a wounded soldier tho, if it gives with the fuel pressure would just turn up the stereo or news broadcast and forget it.~
a can of HEET will convert any water into a burnable substance~
I hope that you DRAINED the tank before you tried puttin' more gas in there....another NO-NO...drain everything with the drain plug....use it for 50/50 mix for your snowthrower~ start fresh with a can of heet and 93 octane and hope for the best....on this subject~ DavidH25 ended up replacing the motor~