Well, I have an update, but not a great one.

I went out and got a noid light kit. My parts store doesn't rent them, but they do have them cheap enough. Each injector is getting a pulse. I then took out the number one plug and tried firing it up. It appears that at least that plug is getting spark. All the plugs were fouled really badly so I changed out plugs thinking that maybe they were the problem. The plugs were REALLY in there. I mean using a half inch ratchet I still had to work at pulling them. I installed the new plugs and attempted to crank it up. Same deal as before. I pulled the plug out again and it's soaked. It smells like gas, but looks darker than I would have expected. That tells me that at least one injector is firing.

It still is like it's firing out of order. I re-checked the wires going into the injectors only to get that everything still seems right. The wires on the coil packs were never touched since the only connection that had to come off to get the harness out was the main plug powering those connections. I guess I could have those on backwards, but it seems like they're location is pretty well controlled by where the injector plugs go.

I'll pull the injectors out either later this evening or tomorrow evening when things cool down a little. I came in after just an hour or so of working and was soaked.

My money is on the injectors too at this point, only because I don't know what else it would be. I figured it'd fire up even with semi-plugged injectors, it would just run awful. They must be super plugged.

So... if it isn't the injectors....

 

ls1nova71,

The wire that I should have hooked to, would that make a difference from wiring it to a source that I already know is getting ignition while cranking? I guess my question is specifically is there a different amount of power coming from the fuseblock at that wire as opposed to just using a spade terminal and plugging it into the block directly?

Ouch, two pages of me fumbling through trying to start a car. That'll make ya feel good about yourself.

 

I checked that wire on my carand it has power while cranking, you used the third spade connector down on the fuse box, right? All it really does is power up the relays, so as long as the constant power going to the new fusebox has 12v it should be alright.

 

burntblues, Are you getting any indication of firing from any cylinder, such as backfire through headers or sputtering?
You do have injector signal, and spark @ #1 cylinder. Even though you've said that the coil wiring harness wasn't removed, it would be a good idea to check the color-coding on that small coil harness (pssenger & driver's).
I had all the correct test indications on mine, but later realized that I flopped the coil harness on the driver's side. It lead to an interesting firing order!

 

I'm getting a pop out of what sounds like one of the headers (the rest of the exhaust isn't hooked up yet). It's difficult to explain, but it's not pop, pop, pop. It's more of a crank, crank, crank, pop, crank, crank, crank, pop. After a few attempts of cranking my garage stinks of gas. To the point that my girlfriend makes me leave it every couple of minutes which gets super annoying. Sweet, but super annoying.

I would say three times so far it has begun a sputter. It's always been that hopefully sputter of backing of the ignition key and it clunks along for a second. Never a full on run.

I never had the coil harness pulled off, but do you know of a way of matching the color coding on any of the plugs to which coil?

After disconnecting the rest of the harness from the engine (without labeling anything in my infinite wisdom) the only other time I went near the valve covers that the coil pack was on was when I pulled the intake to give myself some lift points that wouldn't damage the plastic manifold. I think I did originally begin to pull the plugs from the top of each coil pack but I stopped once I saw that I could just remove the large plug from those harnesses. Everything is still plugged in in there (I checked, trust me, I've made other mistakes that I shouldn't have) Is it possible that maybe I have two sensors mismatched? Like maybe the camshaft position sensor and something?

Again, any help to know which coil pack plug goes where would be great!

Thanks!
Mike

 

Sounds exactly like what happened to me when i first tried to start mine. It wanted to start when i would let go of the key. I had the 12v ign. Lead to only key forward powered, switched it to another spot on fuse block that had power when cranking, and it fired right up! Fires up on a dime now!

 

i ran into a similiar problem on friday. i was getting fuel to the fuel rails at first then all of a sudden nothing. but i could still hear the fuel pump running. after listening closer, i noticed that it sounded like i had a fountain inside my tank. the flex tube had popped off the pump. didn't clamp it first time. i dropped the tank and re-attached it. yes, it suk'd!!

 

Mine is a 98. Not sure if the same applies to yours...
I've identified one lead per coil pack plug. They are as follows...
1-ppl 3-blu 5-dk grn 7-red 2-rd/wh 4-drk grn 6-lt blu/wh 8-ppl/wh

Maybe I missed it, what year is yours?

 

Well, let's see. You have inj pulse, spark (at least @ #1 cyl), you didn't change the bottom end or cam or timing chain location.
It's prob not a timing issue.
You have fuel to the cyls.
You'd have no inj pulse if VATS was still operating.
I might check a plug on each bank for spark.

 

Even if vats was still operating it should still turn on, as mine did...and then turn off after about 2-3 seconds. Checking for spark on more plugs is a good idea 2.

 

This car better START!

 

I don't know if this applies to you, but it helped me out alot with my no start issue. Mine is doing the exact same thing.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iv-external-engine/1272221-vvt-cam-sensor-different.html

 

Sorry for popping in so late with an update, it was too hot to do much of anything today out there, but....

Coils are definitely wired in correctly.

Fuel rail is off and the injectors are sitting in cleaning solvent. First couple shots cleaned off some nasty stuff outside the injectors. When I came in tonight there appeared to be an oil floating on top of the cleaning solution. I'm thinking maybe the fuel started to varnish in the injector?

Tomorrow is supposed to be just as hot, but I'll hopefully at least get the fuel rail back on after work and try that.

I'm not sure where the vvt sensor is on the truck 5.3. I don't remember hooking up any sensor near the camshaft or crankshaft up front. The only sensors relating to either that I recall plugging in are the crank sensor just above the starter and the cps sensor behind the intake. There was another sensor back there that I think was one of the knock sensors.

I'll tell you all what happens tomorrow after the injectors have had time to soak.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed.

Mike

 

Ohhh, didn't realize it was a 5.3. You don't have VVT.

 

burnt...a simple test to verify that the injectors are operating is to connect a 9v battery to each one. You'll hear a 'click' if they're operating.

 

Soaked the injectors over night. Put them all back in and I lost one of the clips that retains them in he cowl of the car (when those buggers spring out, they spring far!) Figured I'd try to start it again anyways. I primed the system again, and checked my one retainer-less clip for fuel leaks (none) and gave it a crank..... NOTHING.



It doesn't sound any better than it did before.

Going back to the grounds... I have the three main ground wires hooked up in the harness to the block. I currently don't have the block ground to anything other than the battery because I was going to just clean everything up. Is that the problem? Could it be that one of the spare ground wires that was supposed to get cut needs to be re-grounded?

What other ideas does everyone have? Tomorrow I'll try pulling the injectors and see if I get a click from them with a 9v.

Thanks so much everyone for any other advice,
Mike

 

Mine started even with the block to frame ground disconnected. Make sure you have that wire from the pcm connected to 12v start/cranking, make sure your plugs arent soaked/dirty, and then spray carb/choke cleaner directly into the intake (enough for it to turn on), and then start her up. If it don't turn on either somethings wrong with your pcm or your harness wasn't reworked correctly...another thing you might want to check are your fuses. Good luck!

 

I agree with Mice13, I'd spray a little starting fluid in the throttle body and see if it starts that way. If it does then its a fuel problem and your wiring would be right. If it doesn't then it's most likley not fuel related at all, either ignition, wiring or PCM. Word of caution though, don't go over board with the starting fluid, it doesn't take much.


Also like the others have said, cheeck all your fuses and make sure you have power at the PCM, both the constants and key on ignitions.

 

Well, I gave the engine a shot of starting fluid and VROOOOM! Fired right up. I disconnected the injector that I lost the lock pin for and hooked up a nine volt. I don't know how quiet the "clicking" sound is supposed to be but the only thing I could hear "clicking" was the arcing from the wire to the terminal. Which tells me that the injectors are bad, right? I'm not sure how ALL of the injectors would go bad though. Now after the second shot of the starting fluid the engine wanted to go again, but I think my fuel pressure was low because the o-ring on the injector I took out tore and was leaking fuel. A rag around the injector just doesn't seem to have the same ability to maintain pressure as a non-torn o-ring. Who'd a thunk it?

I sent an email over to Brendan at lt1swap.com and he said he'd look at a comparison between what the injectors in the computer are and the ones that I have to see if they match up. It looks like I'll probably be ordering a set of injectors. Dang, they're pricey.

I'll keep you all updated.

Mike

 

Thought I'd share the email I just got back from Brendan. He's ridiculously quick with his responses. I've tried to not bother the guy too much, but it seems like whenever I have to he's right there. Here's his email regarding the injectors that I have (part number: 25326903)

"You have the L59 ‘Vin Z’ code 5.3L flex fuel injectors. Your PCM is programmed correctly for those. They are a higher flow injector.



The click from the injector should be loud enough to hear easily. Not sure if a 12v would have the current to do it, but if it arcs and no click from injector, sounds like they are stuck."

It looks like these injectors flow about 36lbs/hr whereas the stock injectors flow 22 lbs/hr. Now I'm seeing some confusion where people are saying these are either 36 or 22 lb/hr injectors and/or they are or are not flex fuel capable.

Assuming they are... If I can find a gas station with flex fuel... can I run it with no other changes?

Thanks all!
Mike